Participation in adult education

Figure 1: Distribution of respondents, by attitude towards training (%)

Source: Market Analysis and Research Group RAIT, 2005

Distribution of survey respondents, by attitudes towards training

Involvement in adult education

According to the survey, women participate in informal adult training programmes more often than men. Moreover, the scope and motivation to learn depend on the age of respondents: the youngest respondents are the most active in professional qualification improvement measures, whereas the older respondents are much less motivated to take part in training; about a third of individuals over 45 years of age stated that it is already too late for them to learn new skills.

The survey results also show a distinct relationship between learning and motivation, and the education level of respondents: the number of people improving their qualifications increases according to the level of education. In addition, the survey reveals that almost half (44%) of all university and college graduates have participated in informal training programmes, compared with as few as 17% of graduates of basic education who have participated in qualification improvement programmes. Furthermore, the survey indicates that inhabitants of the biggest cities in Lithuania are the most active in learning. The findings also highlight that people in employment improve their qualifications more often and are more motivated to learn new skills than unemployed individuals.

Access to conditions to improve qualifications

The survey identified whether people had access to adequate conditions to improve their qualifications and/or to participate in self-education courses at home and at work. Up to 50% of all the respondents answered that they had good conditions to improve their professional qualifications at home. A third of respondents noted that they did not have good conditions or had inadequate conditions to improve professional qualifications at home. Availability of good conditions for improvement of professional qualifications at home was most often mentioned by younger respondents, university and college graduates and individuals residing in bigger cities. A lack of good conditions was most often cited by individuals whose income per family member is the lowest, by persons having just a primary or basic level of education as well as by unemployed persons.

According to the survey, a third of respondents have access to suitable conditions to improve their professional qualifications and/or participate in self-education courses at work. Half of the respondents stated they did not have such conditions or had limited access to such conditions. University graduates, individuals with higher incomes and people living in bigger cities most often had good conditions to improve professional qualifications.

Figure 2: Distribution of respondents, by adequacy of conditions to improve professional qualifications at work (%)

Source: Market Analysis and Research Group RAIT, 2005

Distribution of respondents, by adequacy of conditions to improve professional qualifications at work

Availability of information on training

According to the survey results, about 34% of adult residents in Lithuania are relatively well aware of institutions and courses available for improving professional qualifications. Women, younger persons and university graduates tend to seek information of this type most often, while older people, less well educated individuals and unemployed people often lack the necessary information to pursue further training. In fact, there is a significant difference between unemployed and employed individuals in terms of access to information.

Analysis of an important category of adult individuals – those who are not actively involved in learning programmes, but who express an interest in pursuing such training – showed that 50% of those people had access to conditions adequate for learning at home and about a third of them had access to such conditions at work. Therefore, this group of individuals is more likely to join learning programmes and this process could be accelerated by providing more information on training opportunities and institutions rendering these services throughout Lithuania.

Rasa Zabarauskaite, Institute of Labour and Social Research