The labour market benefits of adult education from a global perspective

Abstract

This article presents recent evidence of the labour market outcomes of adult education from a global perspective. There is evidence that adult education has positive impacts on a wide range of labour market outcomes, including enhancement of employment and career prospects, of performance and earnings, of job satisfaction and commitment to work, and of innovative capacities. While this evidence is widespread, it is also fragmented and incomplete, which thwarts sustained support for and investment in adult education. Moreover, some findings suggest that positive outcomes do not arise in all situations. After providing an overview of perceptions of labour market outcomes of adult education and a summary of the available evidence, the author discusses a number of key contextual and structural factors which are helpful in interpreting the evidence and for understanding the systemic underinvestment in adult education. The article concludes by presenting some implications of the findings for adult education research, policy and practice. These include a need to foster a balanced evidence base to inform policy and to institutionalise flexible and diversified adult education provision structures that recognise and value all kinds of adult learning and education.