Australian workers and employers are seeing positive outcomes from adult learning, including improved employment, stronger income growth and greater employee retention. But new research from Jobs and Skills Australia (JSA) highlights a growing gap between the demand for learning and the opportunities available.
The latest Lifelong Learning working paper, Systems at work: Trends in adult learning and outcomes, examines adult learning participation and performance across Australia, revealing that many adults are missing out on opportunities to develop their skills. Unmet demand for learning is substantial and increasing, with many adults wanting to participate in additional VET, higher education or work-related training, but not doing so.
The paper also highlights that participation alone is not enough. Whether learning develops new or deeper skills, and whether jobs recognise, use and reward those skills, are equally important. When learning is perceived to deliver value, workers and employers are also more willing to invest time and resources into it.
The findings reinforce the importance of a coordinated approach to lifelong learning, with smoother pathways between education, employment and other key systems, better recognition of existing skills, and collaboration across employers, governments, training providers and workers.
Download the paper for more information.
