Cumulative advantage and learning in mid-life

ABSTRACT

This paper draws on longitudinal birth cohort data for Britain to analyse participation in learning activities by people in their 30s and 40s. People in this age group have received less attention than either young adults or people in retirement. Yet technical change and the need for new skills make it important for them to engage in learning to improve their prospects at work. We investigate participation and non-participation in a range of different types of learning including gaining qualifications, vocational training and learning for interest. Statistical models explore how factors which occur before their 30s influence learning in this phase of the lifecourse. The results show that cumulative advantage is important – those with the highest qualifications in early adulthood were most likely to engage in further learning later on. Participation in learning activities of any kind in young adulthood was also a key antecedent factor predicting higher chances of participating in learning in mid-life.

KEYWORDS:

• Lifecourse
• mid-life
• adult learning
• barriers to learning
• cumulative advantage

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 Those at NVQ level 5 will have a higher degree (such as a Masters or a doctorate) or some high-level vocational equivalent – for example a postgraduate teaching or nursing qualification. NVQ level 4 implies a university degree or similar vocational qualification. Those at level 3 would have acquired A levels (an academic qualification usually obtained at the age of 18 at a school or college) or a similar vocational qualification. NVQ2 equates to the kind of qualifications often obtained by the age of 16, while NVQ1 are low-level qualifications.