The Daily. Thursday, May 10, 2001

Report on adult education and training in Canada: Learning a living

Approximately 28% of Canadians enrolled in adult education and training activities in 1997. Three of every four who did so took them for a job-related purpose, according to a report based on the 1998 Adult Education and Training Survey.

However, rates of participation in adult education and training declined slightly through the 1990s. In 1997, more than 6 million people aged 17 and over, or nearly 28% of adults, participated in education and training activities, down from about 29% in 1991.

The results suggest that some adults might not be keeping up with increasing demands for new skills. For example, the lower a person's educational level, the less likely he or she was to enrol in an adult education program. A university graduate was five times more likely to obtain further education than someone who did not complete high school.

In addition, participation rates were higher among the employed population than among the unemployed. In 1997, about 20% of unemployed workers participated in job-related education and training activities, compared with 29% of employed workers. This reflects the fact that employers play an important role in providing training programs.

Overall participation rates were sharply lower for the older age groups. Only 15% of those 55 to 64 and 5% of those 65 and over participated in adult education and training activities, compared with more than 30% for all other age groups.

Older people also spent fewer hours on training. Those aged 55 to 64 devoted an average of 49 hours to adult education in 1997, compared with 451 hours for the youngest age group, 17 to 24.

Substantial differences in rates of participation among provinces

Provincial rates of participation in adult education programs varied widely in 1997, from a low of 19% in Newfoundland to a high of 32% in British Columbia.

Rates in Quebec and the Atlantic provinces, except Nova Scotia, were lower than the national average of 28%. Differences in provincial participation rates narrowed somewhat during the 1990s.

Note to readers This report is based on results of the 1998 Adult Education and Training Survey, a joint project of Statistics Canada and Human Resources Development Canada. The survey, conducted as a supplement to the January 1998 Labour Force Survey, collected information on education and training activities taken in 1997 by people aged 17 and over. Results were first released in June 1999. This report estimates the volume of formal adult education and training and, for the first time, analyzes trends in participation over the past decade, information useful in the evaluation of current levels of investment. It also provides a detailed overview of the social distribution of participation in adult education and training. Adult education and training includes all structured educational (credit and non-credit courses) and training activities taken at work, at school or at any other location for job-related or personal interest reasons. The survey focussed on learners not attending regular school or university. Consequently, the population used in this report generally does not include all regular, full-time students, except: full-time students subsidized by employers; full-time students aged 20 and over enrolled in elementary or secondary programs; and full-time students 25 and over enrolled in postsecondary programs. All other students in the 17-to-24 age range were excluded.

Each participant devoted an average 209 hours in 1997 to education and training, compared with only 149 in 1991. Averaged over the entire adult population, training increased from 43 to 58 hours per person during the period.

Average training hours per participant also varied among the provinces. In general, provinces with a low participation rate reported more hours of training per participant.

While Newfoundland had a relatively low participation rate, it posted a high average number of hours spent in adult education and training. Average hours per participant were above the national average in Quebec, but below average in Alberta and British Columbia.

Percentage of adults participating in education and training activities

Employers play a crucial role in providing training programs

Public and private educational institutions dominate the market for adult education and training. However, employers play a crucial role in providing training programs as well.

Public education institutions offered three-quarters of all programs and one-quarter of all courses taken in 1997. Employers organized one in every five courses and close to one-third of job-related courses. Commercial schools provided 20% of courses taken for job-related reasons as well as 20% of those taken for personal interest.

Employers also make an important contribution to financing training opportunities. In 1997, employers subsidized formal learning for 26% of their employees. These employees accounted for 56% of all Canadian participants in adult education and training activities.

Employer involvement varied by industry and size of firm. In 1997, workers in finance, utilities and public administration were more likely to receive employer-sponsored education than were workers in other sectors. For instance, the participation rates in employer-sponsored training varied from a low of 10% in agriculture to a high of 44% in utilities.

Similarly, people working in large firms were twice as likely to get support from their employer as those in small firms.

Employers were generally more inclined to sponsor white-collar workers than other workers. The odds of receiving employer-sponsored education were almost three times higher for professionals and managers than for blue-collar workers.

While a similar proportion of men and women were supported by their employer, women received less support for their education and consequently had to rely more on self-financing than did men.

Workers receiving support from their employer participated an average of 114 hours in 1997, a significant increase from 76 hours in 1991.

Biggest barrier was lack of time

As in previous surveys, the biggest barrier to taking some form of adult education was a lack of time. Six out of every 10 adults who wanted to take a course or training, but did not, reported that their work schedule was too busy.

Cost or lack of financial resources as well as the inappropriate time or location of program offerings were reported as a major barrier by 40% of those who wanted to take a course but did not.

Twenty-six percent of women reported family responsibilities as a barrier, compared with 15% of men. Child care responsibilities were a barrier to adult education for 17% of women and 4% of men.

Eighty-seven percent of those who did not participate in adult education said they did not perceive that they required any further training.

A report on adult education and training in Canada: Learning a living (81-586-XIE, free) is now available on Statistics Canada's Web site (www.statcan.ca) and Human Resources Development Canada's Web site (www.hrdc-drhc.gc.ca/arb). On Statistics Canada's site, from the Our products and services page, choose Free publications. Copies will also be available at the end of May from the HRDC Inquiry Centre, Hull, Quebec, K1A 0J9, or by fax at 819-953-7260.

For more information on this release, contact Robert Couillard (613-951-1519; fax: 613-951-9040; robert.couillard@statcan.gc.ca), Centre for Education Statistics, Statistics Canada, or Ghyslain Charron (819-994-5559; info@hrdc-drhc.gc.ca) Human Resources Development Canada.

To enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release or other education statistics, contact Client Services, (1-800-307-3382; 613-951-7608; fax: 613-951-9040; educationstats@statcan.gc.ca), Centre for Education Statistics.