Lifelong learning is about learning new things out of choice once you leave education. It boosts your confidence, wellbeing and bank account! But it’s all down to you…
What Is Lifelong Learning?
Wikipedia definition of lifelong learning
“All learning activity undertaken throughout life, with the aim of improving knowledge, skills and competences within a personal, civic, social and/or employment-related perspective”.
It is often considered learning that occurs after the formal education years of childhood and into adulthood.
It is sought out naturally through life experiences as the learner seeks to gain knowledge for professional or personal reasons. These natural experiences can come about on purpose or throughout life’s unpredictable course.
The concept of lifelong learning has become of vital importance with the emergence of new technologies that change how we receive and gather information, collaborate with others, and communicate.”
In a nutshell, this means that after you leave education you actively CHOOSE to learn new things. This could be through going on a course because you want to, or learning new skills as part of a hobby or passion project. It could also refer to keeping up with the latest technology or asking your manager for extra training at work.
Once you finish formal education, like school, college, or uni, embrace the fact that learning never stops. We carry on learning throughout life – which is why it’s called lifelong learning!
What Are The Benefits Of Lifelong Learning?
Lifelong learning can help you to…
- Achieve new awards, qualifications and personal achievements
- Discover new interests and things you’d enjoy (no-one wants to be bored!)
- Increase your life and work skills
- Boost your employability
- Boost your salary and earning power
- Expand your knowledge
- Contribute to society in powerful ways
- Boost your confidence and believe in your potential
What Is The Difference Between Learning Because You Have To And Learning Because You Want To?
We asked our volunteer Youth Ambassadors what they thought, and this is what they said! Do you agree?
“When you get to choose what you are interested in to learn, you are more likely to seek out additional knowledge and opportunities to learn more about the topic.”
“With a formal educational setting you have to do them to pass, but with an online course you have to motivate yourself”
“When it’s lifelong learning you can learn everything at your own pace and not feel slowed down or rushed .You can also see how things you learn happen in the world instead of just seeing the applications in an exam situation.”
“When you leave school you develop and change and you also mature. With lifelong learning it’s something that you do throughout life, so an opportunity you might not have known about would be something that is important years later to progress”
Why Is Lifelong Learning Important To Young People?
Get more from jobs and employers. Get the extra support you deserve.
When you apply for any opportunity from an employer, check the employer’s careers website and the job description for phrases like “training and development”. A good Youth Friendly Employer values their young people and will offer some kind of training and development to grow your skills, confidence, knowledge and ultimately salary and earning power.
As well as the training you need to do your job, good employers will offer you additional opportunities to grow, like mentoring or extra courses to go on.
They will also offer personal reviews during your employment where you can chat about which skills you would like to boost, and consider how the employer could support you to grow those skills.
Extra training and development is all part of lifelong learning. Sometimes employers will have a set training and development budget, and sometimes it’s up to you to ask your employer for extra training if you feel you have proved your enthusiasm for the work you do!
Motivate yourself to grow as a person
At school, you learn things because you have to. Once you leave school, it’s all down to you. The good news is that lifelong learning doesn’t mean an eternity of exam stress or studying dry subjects you have no interest in.
Once you leave education, you can pick and choose how you learn new things. The important thing is to have a positive attitude and the drive to keep learning. Don’t become a dinosaur as the world changes around you. Don’t shut yourself off from new skills and experiences just because you don’t know what to expect – give them a try and see how you do! Don’t wait for learning to come to you. Chase it down and look out for opportunities to learn, because this helps you be in control of your destiny and gives you the power to shape your own growth.
Remember: Learning is lifelong, not just for school!
We asked our volunteer Youth Ambassadors what they would say to someone who thought learning is just for school. Do you think they are right?
“Learning is not only about academic subjects. We are all constantly learning, every time we develop a new skill or find something out we previously didn’t know.”
“Learning is something we do all the time. Whether it’s learning a new dance, learning to cook or trying a sport.”
“You can learn anything through practising it in your day to day life, even outside of school.”
“Never say never. As a school student you have been in learning most of your life and might not want to continue it. The great thing about lifelong learning is it’s actually your choice. It’s your choice if you want to progress in a job or change. It’s your choice if you want to do a qualification because you know it’s going to get you places. As you grow up you realise there are so many development opportunities.”
Lifelong Learning See all student advice
