Lifelong learning is increasingly important for many economies around the world to combat the structural changes and dynamics of the modern labour market. The disruptive effects of the COVID-19 crisis reinforced trends in digitalization, automation and technological change, highlighting this fact. Both labour market and education policies must address these structural changes, and it is essential to find the appropriate tools for lifelong learning. In this research project, we analyze the impact of the Austrian educational leave program (Bildungskarenz) on important labour market outcomes. Firstly, we use administrative data from all employees in the private sector to investigate the impact of the generousity of the leave program on program up-take. Furthermore, we investigate whether participation in the lifelong learning program has a positive impact on the earnings and careers of participants.