Ireland's Appetite for Lifelong Learning: How Irish Adults Are Continuing to Learn

Ireland has a strong appetite for learning.

One of the interesting findings from the research I examined as part of my study into online training and Irish SMEs was the level of participation by Irish adults in lifelong learning.

More recent evidence reinforces that finding. The CSO's Adult Education Survey found that 55% of Irish adults aged 25–64 participated in formal or non-formal education during 2022, compared with 54% in 2017. Using the wider 25–69 age group, Ireland ranked sixth in the EU for lifelong learning, with participation of 52% compared with an EU average of 44%.

My original research identified an interesting contrast: Irish adults demonstrated a strong appetite for lifelong learning, while Irish SMEs were comparatively slower than their European counterparts to adopt online training.

That raises a question that remains relevant today: as Irish adults continue to learn throughout their working lives, how are the ways in which they access learning changing?

Learning throughout working life

The need to learn does not end when formal education finishes.

People continue to develop their knowledge and skills throughout their working lives. Changes in technology, working practices and markets mean that both individuals and organisations need to continue learning.

My research highlights the importance of upskilling and reskilling to competitiveness, growth and employment. It also identifies continuous learning as important for businesses responding to technological, environmental and market changes.

For Irish adults, continuing education and training are increasingly part of working life rather than something that finishes before entering it.

The more recent evidence supports this. Among people aged 25–64, participation in lifelong learning was 64% for those aged 25–34, 59% for those aged 35–44, 53% for those aged 45–54 and 40% for those aged 55–64.

The figures decline with age, but they also demonstrate that learning continues throughout people's working lives.

There is demand for more learning

Perhaps one of the most interesting findings in the recent CSO research is not simply how many people are learning, but how many would like to learn more.

Almost one third of adults aged 25–69 reported some form of unmet demand for lifelong learning. Some were already participating but wanted to do more, while others had not participated but wanted to.

This supports something that emerged from my own research.

One interviewee, discussing demand for training among Irish SMEs, described SMEs as being “very eager to learn.” The interview also highlighted strong demand for training support.

There is therefore an important distinction between a lack of interest in learning and barriers that may make participation more difficult.

The appetite to learn is clearly there.

Learning and working are closely connected

For many adults, learning is closely connected with work.

The CSO found that 62% of employed adults aged 25–69 participated in lifelong learning. Participation also varied considerably between sectors, reaching 81% among those working in health and social work and 79% in education.

My research also identifies continuous learning as important for organisations trying to keep pace with technological, environmental and market changes.

Employees may need to develop skills to use new technology, adapt to changes in their role or respond to developments within their industry. Organisations, in turn, depend on having people with the knowledge and capabilities they need.

Learning therefore becomes part of an organisation's ability to adapt.

Online learning is becoming part of the picture

The way Irish people access learning is also changing.

CSO research published in 2024 found that 34% of internet users had undertaken an online course, up from 25% the previous year. Almost half, 49%, had used online learning materials and resources, compared with 36% in 2023. Among people who were employed, 40% reported having undertaken an online course.

This is particularly interesting when compared with my original research.

At that time, I identified a gap between Ireland's strong participation in lifelong learning and the comparatively slower adoption of online training among Irish SMEs.

The more recent CSO figures suggest that online learning is now a significant part of how many people in Ireland access learning.

That does not mean online learning should replace other forms of training. It does suggest that accessing learning through technology has become increasingly common.

Not everyone participates equally

The overall participation figures are encouraging, but they also reveal important differences.

Age is one. Previous educational experience is another.

Among adults aged 25–64, 70% of those with a third-level honours degree or higher participated in lifelong learning, compared with 32% of those whose highest educational attainment was higher secondary level or below.

There are also regional differences. Looking at adults aged 25–69, the CSO recorded participation of 59% in Dublin compared with 40% in the Border region.

These differences are important because a strong national participation rate does not mean that everyone has the same opportunities to learn.

Understanding who participates in lifelong learning, and who may face greater barriers to doing so, is therefore an important part of the picture.

An opportunity for Irish SMEs

This also has particular relevance to Irish SMEs.

My original research examines the importance of SMEs to the Irish economy and the challenges they can face in supporting continuous staff development when time and resources are limited.

At the same time, organisations need people who can continue developing their skills as technologies, markets and working practices change.

The willingness of Irish adults to participate in lifelong learning therefore represents an opportunity for both individuals and the organisations in which they work.

Online and blended learning add to the ways in which that learning can be accessed, particularly when learning needs to take place alongside working life.

But technology is only part of the answer.

The opportunity is bigger than online learning

The most useful conclusion is not that lifelong learning should move online.

It is that Ireland already has a strong foundation on which to build: people who are willing to continue learning.

The recent evidence strengthens the observation in my original research. Ireland has relatively high participation in lifelong learning, there is additional unmet demand for learning, and online learning is becoming an established part of how many people access education and training.

The opportunity is to connect these elements.

For employers, that means recognising continuous learning as part of developing their people and responding to change.

For training providers, it means understanding the people they are designing programmes for and the circumstances in which those people are learning.

For Irish adults, it means having meaningful opportunities to continue developing their knowledge and skills throughout their working lives.

Looking ahead

My original research asked whether the way Irish lifelong learners engage with education presents an opportunity for Irish SMEs.

More recent evidence makes that question even more interesting.

Irish adults continue to participate strongly in lifelong learning. There is unmet demand from people who would like to learn more. At the same time, the use of online courses and online learning resources has grown.

The opportunity is not simply to provide more training or put more training online.

It is to make lifelong learning work for the people who need it.

About this research

This article draws on my original research into online training and Irish SMEs, alongside more recent evidence from the Central Statistics Office.

My original research examines the opportunities online training presents to Irish SMEs, the barriers that can hinder its adoption, how organisations are using online training and whether its adoption can contribute to competitive advantage. The research included 40 survey responses and seven interviews across a range of sectors.

The more recent CSO evidence provides an updated picture of lifelong and online learning in Ireland and helps place the findings from my original research in a current context.