Lifelong Learning – Do I Need It?
If you have ever wondered about lifelong learning and why it is so important, we are here to answer some of those questions.
Lifelong learning is the “ongoing, voluntary, and self-motivated” pursuit of knowledge for either personal or professional reasons (Department of Education and Science, 2000).
Therefore, it not only enhances social inclusion, active citizenship, and personal development, but also self-sustainability, as well as competitiveness and employability (Commission of the European Communities, 2006).
The Irish economy and industry have developed rapidly in terms of technological progress and the day to day use of computers has expanded quickly and we can’t seem to keep up. Our young generation might be fine walking out of schools and homes with a good enough grasp of IT, as they are exposed to technology daily, however, for many older cohorts, it’s a new and scary time.
With industries and corporations changing constantly, an average employee must either keep up or they are at risk of losing their job.
Many of Pitman Training students are at a prime working-age while they retrain or update their skill set. We often hear them voice their worries about changing careers and fears of being left behind.
This type of fear is normal, especially for someone who has been working the same job for 15+ years and suddenly finds themselves being offered redundancy or in some cases a new system is brought in and they are expected to learn it while still being a productive team member. This can put a lot of stress on a person, not only because we are creatures of habit and get used to a routine but also because of uncertainty and fears about our capabilities.
If you have left school and worked for the past 5+ years without completing any additional training, updating your skills or adding new ones to your CV, you should think about taking a step forward. You might think you don’t need it and you might not at the moment, nevertheless, regular upskilling has shown to not only help individuals keep their job or get a promotion, it also made it easier to find employment if such a need arises.
Furthermore, lifelong learning has been linked to slowing cognitive decline and maintaining happiness (Fillit, Howard M., et al., 2002).
Contact one of our Pitman Training Centres now to take that first step towards your future happiness!
