Opinion on Lifelong Learning

ifo Education Survey 2022: Germans favor lifelong learning to keep pace with structural change

With the use of new technologies, job profiles on the German labor market are changing continuously. For this reason, lifelong learning plays an essential role in ensuring that employees benefit from structural change and that companies can fill vacancies with suitable skilled workers. The ifo Education Survey 2022 surveyed more than 4,000 Germans about their views on lifelong learning, structural change, and the shortage of skilled workers. Nearly three-quarters of Germans (72%) believe that lifelong learning is a good way to keep pace with structural change. 54% believe that there are more losers than winners as a result of structural change. However, only 27% see themselves on the losing side of structural change. Accordingly, 62% of Germans see an increasing need for lifelong learning for all employees, but only 48% for people in their own profession. Three quarters of Germans (77%) are in favor of a legal right to continuing education from a catalog of offerings presented by companies. Three quarters (76%) are also in favor of introducing a lifelong learning system with uniform certificates and comparable final examinations similar to those in the apprenticeship system. 63% are in favor of mandatory annual continuing education in occupations that are particularly affected by structural change. 64% are in favor of additional information campaigns by the state on the subject of lifelong learning. Overall, the German population shows a high willingness to reform to counter digital change with the help of lifelong learning.