Today’s employers expect job applicants to be lifelong learners. In fact, a 2021 survey by the educational publishers Pearson found 89% expected their employees to continually be learning.

However, research shows post-21 adult learning has declined over the past decade due to Government cutbacks and rising prices. With university fees of £10k+/year being prohibitive, it’s timely to remember the considerable benefits of alternative, cheaper, flexible and practical approaches.

Apprenticeships
Apprenticeships offer the chance to train while earning. Originally targeted at 18-25-year-olds, ‘adult apprenticeships’ are increasingly allowing people of all ages to move into numerous professions, from IT to beauty therapy.

Other benefits include having a nationally recognised qualification, proof of competence for a specific role, and the ability to continue on a learning path from Grade 2 (GCSE equivalent) to Grade 7 (degree equivalent) over time, as suits.
A good place to start is apprenticeshipguide.co.uk and gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship for specific opportunities.

Online learning
Online learning is a $300bn market, expected to double before 2030, with courses covering technical, softer and creative skills. Benefits are that courses are extensively reviewed by past students (and are generally high quality), are relatively affordable at £10-£100, can be completed flexibly, and cover the latest knowledge in fast-changing professions like IT.

A good startpoint is to review leading providers: Udemy, Coursera, Lynda, Skillshare, Udacity and Linkedin Learning.

Work-based training
Work-based training remains amongst the most popular methods, used by about one in three adult learners. Larger organisations with learning and development budgets tend to offer more training courses, but smaller organisations can offer more chances to widen a role. HR advisors and line managers are good starting points.

Local colleges
Local colleges or adult training centres are found in many towns and offer lots of free or low-cost courses, with the frequent benefit of classroom interactions. Lists of venues and courses can be found on Government websites such as
nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/find-a-course/searchFreeCourse

Independent learning
Independent learning is now a route for about one in three ‘self-directed’ adult learners who use resources ranging from YouTube and books to networks, mentors and volunteering opportunities to build know-how.

Excellent free sources exist to help too, such as the Open University’s Open Learn courses. This option excels when developing a niche that straddles traditional disciplines.

Lifelong learning can also improve mental health, social connections and personal fulfilment, so don’t let prohibitive university costs stop your educational journey.