A staggering 78 percent of adults want to learn new skills whenever they can, a promising statistic in light of the current skills gap.
But, despite this figure, over a third (34%) are being asked to do this in their own time, upsetting their work/life balance and putting greater pressure on their mental health.
Also, by 2024 it is estimated that there will be a shortfall of 4m skilled workers because of reduced learning, according to new research by Go1.
A large 11 million (28%) of Brits do not feel properly trained to do their current job.
Also, 59 percent would be willing to learn in their own time if it would help them in their career
Willingness to learn: is there a gender divide?
Women are more susceptible to online learning, with over two in five (41%) agreeing that they would like to learn this way, compared to just under a quarter (24%) of men.
Also, two in five (41%) of men have left a job due to lack of training opportunities, and over a third (38%) of women have done the same. Just under half (48%) of women have left a role due to limited growth compared to 44 percent of men.
More men are learning outside of working hours, with 45 percent of men agreeing they are seeking out additional courses unrelated to their career. In comparison, 42 percent of women are doing the same.
Adult learning is at a low
With adult learning at a 23-year low according to the government, the role of businesses to provide learning and development opportunities has never been greater.
In the most extreme circumstances, 11m Brits (28% of the workforce) do not feel they have been trained well enough to do the job they currently have, suggesting a stark skills gap lurking in plain sight for companies.
“On-the-job training is one of the most important aspects of any employment, not least for the output but also for the wellbeing that it provides employees,” said Chris Eigeland, CRO and Co-founder of Go1.
“This study shows that Brits are crying out to be upskilled but too many businesses are overlooking this need in favour of recruitment rather than prioritising retention. With such a wealth of educational content available online and in person, there really is no better time to focus energy as an employer on empowering, upskilling and rewarding loyal employees by giving them the crucial training they so clearly want.”
Amelia Brand is the Editor for HRreview, and host of the HR in Review podcast series. With a Master’s degree in Legal and Political Theory, her particular interests within HR include employment law, DE&I, and wellbeing within the workplace. Prior to working with HRreview, Amelia was Sub-Editor of a magazine, and Editor of the Environmental Justice Project at University College London, writing and overseeing articles into UCL’s weekly newsletter. Her previous academic work has focused on philosophy, politics and law, with a special focus on how artificial intelligence will feature in the future.
