Themes

Influences on participation in learning

Experiences of learning

Technology and learning

» Themes/Influences on participation

Learning and work

Learning and employment are seen as closely related by many people.  As discussed in the section on motivations to learn, employment is a major reason why people get involved in learning. They see gaining qualifications as a route to new skills, and following that a job, or for those already employed, a better job.

IT skills were seen as particularly important, and many people talked of IT courses as a way of getting qualifications that would help them get a job.

However, although many people were positive about learning as a route to employment, or better employment, there are still issues about how they use that learning to get a job, or a better job.

In our research, the way people described the process was a simple linear one of going on a course, getting the qualification , and then getting a job as a result. However, there is more to getting jobs than just going on a course.

Firstly, they have to be gaining the right skills for the jobs available in the labour market, and be sure that the course is one that employers recognise.  Secondly, even with the right skills, there are issues around how well individuals deal with the application process (e.g. interview skills), how many other people there are out there with similar skills, and what level of experience in the role individual's have.

It's not as simple a process as some people thought, and whilst people need to be encouraged to learn in order to get work, it is important not to give them a false hope about what they can expect when they've finished their learning. If they expect to get a job, and then struggle, this could lead to disillusionment with learning in the future.

Equally, it is important to ensure that there is high quality Information Advice and Guidance available to learners and potential learners, so that if their motivation is to find or improve their employment, there are people and resources to help them do that successfully.