Adult Learning Today
Traditionally, it is apparent that children and young people are overwhelmed with educational opportunities and learning development, being given a mass of information on a daily basis on a wide variety of subjects and levels of ability. It has become the norm in Western society that children should develop academically; it may be argued that such prospects are wasted on the young mind which has not yet matured to fully appreciate what is held before them.
Embarking on an educational journey later in life allows the learner to hold a clear view of what opportunities are offered. The mature mind respects and adopts wholeheartedly the new venture before them, being grateful and open to absorb every miniscule piece of information they are offered. In 2014, gone is the stigma of being an Adult Learner. Gone too are the days where someone who embarked upon an Adult Education course was deemed to be suffering from a mid-life crisis. Today, society accepts that anyone, of any age and from any background, is capable of expanding their mind and progressing through College and even University.
However, there are some negative drawbacks within the Adult Education sector. Within the next four years, 40% of the adult skills budget is predicted to be cut, meaning that a great deal of funding will have disappeared for those individuals wanting to expand their learning horizon. The mature mind will have to consider potentially stumping up large course fees in order to realise their dream.
The Government has also placed an enormous emphasis on post-16 education through a rise in the compulsory leaving age for school students and deeming a grade C GCSE vital for all in English and Maths. However, adult education appears to have been placed on the back-burner. It seems preferred that the young should be thrust upon with yet more opportunities.
Despite these issues, whilst funding for courses may not be looking too great in the foreseeable future, you must never give-up on a dream to progress and advance further within your career and within your life. There are many options available to you providing you have the determination to succeed. A key source of adult learning is online courses which fit around your family, your job and your lifestyle. Alternatively, many institutions provide step-up courses for those who have been out of work for a long time and look likely to stay within the sector. There are still opportunities for the mature mind to advance and develop, but instead of being given the opportunities, the mature mind must find the opportunities.
