Executive Summary

In today’s rapidly advancing technological landscape, it is becoming increasingly clear that Lifelong Learning (LLL) is crucial to ensure workers maintain relevance throughout their careers, considering the exponential growth of innovation and subsequent automation. LLL, which was coined by UNESCO in 1950, is now essential to combat unemployment driven by skills deficits. This policy brief aims to highlight the need for an inclusive EU framework for the support of continuous education, by giving relevant policy recommendations, that include improving the accessibility of online learning platforms, offering educational sabbaticals, and recognising non-formal education.

Introduction

In today’s world, using a smartphone or participating in a video call is a daily occurrence, signalling the significant acceleration of technological development. In just 20 years, people have gone from using ‘brick’ phones to creating deep fakes of their favourite celebrities. Such a rapid evolution of technology has never happened before in human history (Roser, 2023). Furthermore, this has been accompanied by increasing skill requirements for entering the workforce and maintaining employability in an ever-changing economy. The recent fast-paced emergence of artificial intelligence is one of the most significant examples of why an up-to-date skillset is essential in today’s world (Pavlou, 2023), as skills such as analysis and writing are becoming automated, leading to reduced demand for those already in such roles. This policy brief explores the pressing importance of providing a comprehensive and effective framework for the upskilling and education of the European Union’s (EU) population throughout their working lives, while simultaneously critiquing some of the consequences that such a policy may generate.

One way for workers to stay relevant in the labour market is by developing and diversifying their skills, referred to as lifelong learning (LLL). The idea of LLL is not new; it was conceptualised by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1950 as a human-centred and progressive concept to encourage adult (non-formal) educational participation throughout people’s lives (Deutscher Bildungs Server, 2008). Due to rapid developments in technology and the working environment, vocational and tertiary education does not necessarily guarantee work, which demonstrates the importance of LLL. A clear indicator of this in conventional discourse is the potential ramifications arising from increasing average life expectancy and the contribution towards controversial increases in retirement ages throughout Europe (Yanatma, 2023). The longer one lives, the more likely it is that one will witness significant technological changes, such as the ongoing digital transformation, which creates the necessity for further educational training to prevent the older generation from being ‘left behind’. It is estimated that three additional education degrees or training courses would be necessary to remain relevant in the labour market over the course of an average individual’s lifetime (Brassey et al., 2019).

LLL has primarily been viewed by European policymakers as a strategy to combat unemployment, particularly among Europe’s youth (Valiente et al., 2020). However, LLL is essential for general economic development and supports all economically active individuals, regardless of age. It ensures continuous adaptation to the ever-evolving job market, and gives individuals the opportunity to protect themselves from structural changes that can render certain jobs victims of mass automation. By fostering a culture of ongoing education and skill development, widespread LLL will help to maintain a workforce that is resilient and adaptable to future economic shifts, benefiting individuals and the wider economy.

Why does LLL matter?

In 2020, in the EU-27+ (EU, UK, Iceland and Norway) around 46% of the total adult population has the potential for upskilling, particularly regarding those lacking digital prowess, educational attainment, and relevant skills, according to the European Centre for the Development of Vocational Training (Cedefop, n.d.). The World Economic Forum (WEF) notes that upgrading the skills of workers provides them with meaningful work throughout their careers while positively impacting economies by increasing economic growth and competitiveness (WEF, 2021). Rapid technological developments translate to a fast devaluation in skills necessary for many jobs, creating the need for LLL. This is particularly pertinent in the case of individuals who have not acquired beyond-basic education, as it leads to deficits in workers’ skill sets and salaries (Kim & Park, 2020), therefore contributing to social and regional inequalities within the EU.

The implementation of the European Green Deal (EGD) illustrates the significance of LLL, as it highlights the importance of having a workforce with the right skills and training for successful implementation. The EGD is likely to generate an additional 2.5 million jobs in the renewable energy sector by 2030 (EU Monitor, 2022) that require novel skills and abilities. By creating a centrally-organised system of providing workers in the energy and related sectors with LLL opportunities, the energy transformation is likely to be undertaken more efficiently and faster than if upskilling and retraining is left to smaller actors to implement. In this sense, a comprehensive LLL strategy is instrumental not only for economic reasons, but also for environmental factors.

Beyond the economic and environmental advantages, LLL also improves society. Policies that encourage maximum participation of the workforce may have positive impacts on gender equality, as well as encouraging the economic participation of those not in education, employment or training (NEETs). Further prospects include a shorter working week driven by sustained or enhanced productivity which will improvе the well-being of workers (Fleck, 2022), while allowing to retrain workers into essential sectors such as health or old-age care.

To avoid major structural unemployment, it is crucial that people who lose their jobs due to technological advancements are given the opportunity to be trained and employed in positions where they can continue to effectively contribute to the economy (Bughin et al., 2018). This is most prominent in sectors where strong technological advancements and automation have occurred, often displacing workers’ skill sets and therefore devaluing their employability. The LLL approach is not only an important aspect of the economy, but it also provides feelings of fulfilment for workers by enabling them to adapt and grow their careers, leading to a sense of accomplishment and personal growth that brings higher job satisfaction and subsequent motivation, and hence productivity in the wider economy. Furthermore, individuals who have participated in further non-formal education are more likely to land and maintain a job, as retraining and reskilling allows them to stay relevant in the labour market and meet varied needs by enhancing their skill set (Manyika et al., 2017). In turn, this reduces economic uncertainties even during economic recessions whilst simultaneously contributing to one’s quality of life via meaningful work (Power & Maclean, 2012). However, as reported in 2022, only, 17% of adults aged 25-34 have participated in further education or training in the past 12 months (Eurostat, 2024). Considering the remaining 83% who have not upskilled, there is therefore considerable scope for improvement in enhancing LLL throughout the EU.

Challenges and Opportunities

The status quo underlines the urgency of a well-developed LLL system. Currently, more than a third of the EU workforce lacks the required digital skills for most jobs, and only 54% of the EU population is reported to be able to perform basic digital tasks (WEF, 2021). These numbers are worrying, given that 74% of companies have made digitalisation one of their top priorities (Howarth, 2024), whilst the European Commission has predicted that digital skills will be required in some form for 90% of all jobs in the near future (European Commission, 2023). These statistics provide further justification for the provision of more LLL opportunities for both the current and upcoming working populations. 

As EU Monitor (2022) points out, upskilling and an increase in per-worker productivity are also key for age-related demographic reasons: the EU’s working-age population is set to fall from around 65% today to 56% of the total population by 2070. Simultaneously, there will be increased pressure on the working population to support the ever-longer living elderly population, referred to as the ‘old-age dependency ratio’, which measures as a percentage of how many elderly people (aged 65 and older) depend on those who are of working age (aged 15 to 64). By 2070, this ratio will increase to 54 (EU Monitor, 2022), which in simpler terms means that there will be fewer than two working-age adults per elderly person in the EU. This signals that to retain a high standard of welfare support for an ageing population, dramatic structural changes will have to take place to keep the workforce at optimum capacity because ‘replaceable’ jobs are likely to be taken on by digital automation, leaving a subset of workers structurally unemployed and hence an economic burden for their government.

On the other hand, there are several critiques of the current approaches to LLL initiatives. Focusing specifically on tackling youth unemployment in the EU through LLL initiatives, this approach has faced a degree of scholarly scrutiny, as it seemingly focuses on the symptoms of unemployment, as opposed to addressing its structural origins (Valiente et al., 2020; emphasis added). Scholars have argued that LLL initiatives have been approached as punitive workfare measures and as a ‘social control mechanism to reintegrate disadvantaged populations into society through employment’ (Coffield, 1999; Schuller 2009, in Valiente et al., 2020, p.527). This critique stems from the fact that rather than addressing the wider macroeconomic structural problems and changes in the labour market, LLL policies instead focus on targeting the skills required by economic sectors, without questioning the actual sectors and their impact on society. 

By ignoring the largely unregulated structural economic change, the burden of youth unemployment and its solutions are placed on young people and providers of non-formal education (Valiente et al., 2020). In this sense, LLL policies have been promoted as integrally individualistic and neoliberal ways of increasing economic productivity. Therefore, before implementing widespread LLL initiatives, it is necessary that policymakers are transparent about their motivations and expectations, while being held accountable for the potential negative consequences of adult learning-related policies. And although LLL initiatives remain instrumental to protect against structural changes in the EU, they must be necessarily scrutinised to prevent detrimental socio-economic ramifications in the long run, and to remain in line with the EU’s emphasis on a strong social-market-oriented economy. Considering this, the next section outlines ways of providing a balanced approach to LLL and, therefore, to acknowledge the unregulated structural economic change.

How can political decision-makers facilitate LLL?

When it comes to LLL, there are three main stakeholders in the economy: the state, the employer, and the worker – to which all three benefits from additional education. Firstly, the state benefits from a well-educated workforce for socioeconomic reasons – people are more educated, meaning that the productivity of businesses is likely to increase, which in turn increases tax revenue. Finally, as mentioned earlier, the worker is likely to receive a higher salary, be at lower risk of dismissal and, in the case of redundancy, will be more likely to find a new job. To reach such benefits, policymakers have several options to provide varying entry points into the LLL process. 

Improving access to education through online resources

In today’s digitised world, many lecturers use online courses and educational videos that have proven to be as effective as face-to-face courses (Lindner, 2023). The size of the online education market has been growing steadily over the past few years (Statista, 2024), implying the potential for greater future demand that could be met with an EU-backed digital learning platform. The creation of such a learning program would benefit from collaboration between higher-education institutions and industry experts who are best placed to assess the skills required for future positions. Such a model would be especially useful for young professionals who are already employed but are seeking further education, whilst not being tied down by geographical restrictions, or time-related limitations that online courses allow. Ultimately, it is the employees who must be receptive to the online education platform, to which the complementing solution is the following policy recommendation. 

Holidays for educational purposes

One way of facilitating receptivity is to introduce an educational leave policy that allows employees time to study modules from an online platform or participate in other educational opportunities. Given that the majority of workers will be in full-time or at least part-time employment, it may be a challenge to encourage them to undertake additional study in the context of an already demanding 40-hour working week. Countries such as Germany have already implemented such legislation due to the demand for further education, particularly among young people (Bildungsurlaub.de, 2022). However the demand for various modules that people currently attend does not align with the skills that the German economy is searching for (Kirchherr et al., 2023). It would therefore be beneficial to provide guidance from industrial sectors to convey information about demand, complemented by educational leave in order to optimise study periods for non-formal education. 

Educational Sabbatical

A hybrid work and study model may not always be the optimal solution for individuals who seek complete retraining for a different remit, and not just further education in a field they already work in. An educational sabbatical, financially supported by the government, the employer, or a quasi-partnership may be a more suitable alternative. This allows the individual to gain the necessary knowledge and skills for a new remit in a relatively short period of time, after which they can then start working in the field. The ability to commence work in a field with a brief interval of further education would promptly permit the acquisition of practical experience and the application of newly developed skills. Financial support represents a pivotal component of the educational sabbatical, as evidenced by research on tertiary education which indicates that individuals are more inclined to enrol if their financial stability is assured (Dynarski et al., 2022). As previously stated, a significant proportion of the population will be required to reorientate themselves soon due to the advent of new technologies, which makes it crucial to make this an attractive option.

Recognised qualifications

A potential immediate intervention concerns the standardisation of ‘non-formal’ education and training, as many workers are either in the process of, or have already completed some necessary retraining or upskilling through existing educational schemes, training workshops or evening seminars. The issue, however, is that these schemes are often not formally recognised as an additional qualification, frequently for bureaucratic reasons. Creating a universal framework for recognising ‘non-formal learning’, where adults have gained relevant knowledge through ‘non-standard’ education, would allow for much-needed acquired skills to be acknowledged and recognised by governments or employers (EPRS, 2021). Many of these are required or relevant to new and growing sectors, marked by high employment vacancies. By aligning various qualifications, this will benefit not only already existing workers but also provide a concrete framework for a permanent upskilling policy. Moreover, updating and aligning skillset frameworks would incorporate existing skilled individuals who currently lack a recognised qualification, without the need for major investment by the government. Additionally, while the EU currently has policies in place that acknowledge the importance of LLL and sustained adult education, they are below its various targets, such as the percentage of adults engaged in non-formal education (EPRS, 2021); such statistics would also be positively impacted by such an intervention. The process of standardising qualification attainment throughout the EU is hence a key component to maintaining a productive and satisfied workforce long into the future.

Conclusion

In today’s 21st century technological landscape, it is vital to ensure that workers remain relevant and employable throughout their careers by facilitating LLL. In addition, LLL helps tackle youth unemployment, supports economic growth and promotes personal fulfilment for workers of all ages. Given the EU’s demographic challenges and the critical need for a digitally skilled workforce, a comprehensive and inclusive approach to LLL is essential. This could include the development of accessible online learning platforms, the provision of learning sabbaticals,  and the recognition of non-formal learning experiences. By promoting a culture of lifelong learning and adaptation, the EU could help build a resilient workforce that can cope with future economic changes, thereby improving the overall quality of life.

However, it is important to acknowledge the criticisms of current LLL initiatives, particularly the focus on youth unemployment. Some scholars argue that such initiatives may address symptoms rather than underlying causes, potentially placing the burden of the solution on individuals and education providers. Therefore, transparent policy design and accountability are crucial to avoid unintended consequences and to ensure that LLL is in line with the EU’s social market approach. 

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