Readers who took seriously a Forbes report published in early 2023 might have concluded that the best gift one could give would be a passion for lifelong learning. Forbes’ Enterprise Tech contributor Bernard Marr cited a statistic from Dell indicating that by 2030 85% of us who are in work will be doing jobs that don’t exist yet.”1 He noted the importance of lifelong learning, rather than lifelong skilling, to prepare individuals for work and careers that could not yet be imagined.
Why is lifelong learning more important than lifelong skilling? One reason relates to the challenge of predicting which workplace skills will be needed in the future, particularly if the Dell forecast is on target. Also, the skills needed in the workplace will change as people shift from career to career. Another reason is that lifelong learning promotes the well-being of the whole person. An attitude of lifelong learning is one that extends beyond being prepared for employer demands. It permeates every aspect of living—from work to leisure activities to personal enrichment. And for older adults, active and lifelong learning can contribute to improvements in cognitive health.2
Several global organizations have provided additional support for the impact of lifelong learning. In 2020, the World Economic Forum’s newly launched Reskilling Revolution project declared lifelong learning as central to preparing the workforce of the future and contributing to organizations’ economic success.3 In its 2019 report, OECD Future of Education and Skills 2030, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) affirmed lifelong learning as the key to building skill sets that enable workers to be competitive in a global workforce.4 In 2022, ISACA expressed the necessity “for both companies and practitioners to embrace an always-learning mindset,” placing them in positions to quickly pivot and take advantage of opportunities.5
The seeds of lifelong learning should be planted and roots established so that people at all stages of their careers can embrace the lifelong learning journey.
Lifelong Learning vs. Lifelong Skilling
In a 1982 report, the US National Center for Research in Vocational Education expressed the view that lifelong learning is an attitude, a philosophy, writing that “to shed the ties of dependence and move to independence, a person must have learned the skills of independent study and be willing to use them.”6 In 2012, researchers described lifelong learning as a “lifewide, voluntary and self-motivated pursuit of knowledge for not only personal but professional reasons as well.”7 These descriptions suggest that lifelong learning stems from a position of understanding the value of education and its ability to create personal freedom and flexibility, and that such learning can be informal and unstructured in addition to conforming to more focused and formal learning. Those with careers in higher education routinely stress the value of continuous learning outside of the classroom. Yet it took a global pandemic to create seismic shifts in people’s views on the nature of work, the workplace and the workforce. Consequently, lifelong learning has taken on new relevance and urgency.
In contrast, lifelong skilling focuses on continuous skill and knowledge acquisition to keep pace with workplace demands and anticipate future skill requirements. In 2021, a Forbes contributor emphatically stated that “there are two distinct types of learners (with distinct motivations) in this regard: those who have a natural love for learning and intellectual fulfillment and those who have a highly specific goal in mind of getting a better job or higher wages. We should not confuse the two.”8
Lifelong skilling generally is accomplished through microcredentials, badges, short courses and certificate programs that help learners master specific skills. But how long will those skills be relevant? What is the value of a credential for a coding language or customer relationship management (CRM) software that in a few years will be overshadowed by something new? Do the badges and credentials tacked on after names really matter? When and why did the popular credentialing trend begin? It brings to mind a scene in the 1948 film The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, when the Mexican bandit Gold Hat proclaims: “Badges? We ain't got no badges. We don't need no badges. I don't have to show you any stinking badges.”9 Is an endless stream of acquiring knowledge of new tasks and processes evidenced by microcredentials what is needed in the workplace? Would a new approach that shapes and welcomes a workplace culture of learning be more sustainable?
For those who concur that a lifelong learning approach is a more responsible way of developing people and the organizations in which they are employed, it is helpful to understand how the pattern of lifelong learning develops.
Just as ethical systems, principles and values are learned from those who guide and influence individuals in their early years of life, a belief in the value of learning is the starting point for planting the seeds of lifelong learning.
When Does Lifelong Learning Start?
Lifelong learning starts long before people enter the workforce because it is a personal value introduced by social units such as families, schools, religious organizations and community groups. Just as ethical systems, principles and values are learned from those who guide and influence individuals in their early years of life, a belief in the value of learning is the starting point for planting the seeds of lifelong learning. When learning for the sake of learning happens (that is, not having to learn something for a quiz or test), curiosity and excitement about learning begin to develop. If by the time children enter elementary school they are curious about the things around them, chances are good they will have an expectation of learning for the sake of learning. Such curiosity needs to be encouraged and expanded by adults. Parents, teachers, coaches and religious leaders have the potential to nurture and inspire the desire to learn.
In institutions of higher education, it is the faculty’s turn to continue developing students’ passion for learning. But this is dangerous territory as university increasingly is seen as a place to learn specific skills to get a job after graduation. Despite the rhetoric that universities create well-rounded citizens and provide broad-based education, families and students increasingly focus on outcomes: statistics about job placement rates, names of enterprises where students have served internships and been hired, average starting salaries. How do faculty balance the demands of parents and students with higher education’s traditional commitment to lifelong learning?
Faculty on the Front Lines
Although university professors might be criticized for being out of touch, emphasizing their research and not knowing what is needed in the workplace, they are often more aware than critics might imagine. Faculty routinely are in contact with alumni and other key workplace partners to understand their needs, identify gaps and determine needed changes to classroom practices. Consider the example of a professor of information systems who teaches courses in IT security and cybercrime. Countless new types of cyberthreats emerge every week and, therefore, they are not covered in the textbooks being used. Security software tools that are being taught in class this semester may be outdated next year—or even next semester. So, what should professors emphasize in their classrooms? Should they try to tackle all of the content knowing some of what is taught will be out of date by the time the students graduate and enter the workforce—or even sooner? Or should they instill an appreciation of the value of lifelong learning: keeping pace with technical subject matter and soft skills through formal and informal ways?
Consider the top five skills that IT professionals must have, according to (ISC)2, the global association for systems security professionals, as shown in figure 1.10
The first three essential skills are highly technical and will change over time—some sooner than others. The last two skills are soft skills that are timeless.
University professors in the vanguard of those preparing new generations of lifelong learners are those who can inspire students to continue to be curious and impress upon students their ethical responsibility to employers and society to be competent in their work. New university graduates entering the workforce are well-positioned for lifelong learning as the habits of learning are still fresh. But what happens to this commitment to lifelong learning as employees move through their careers?
Lifelong Learning for the Workplace: An Attitudinal Evolution
A common theme in articles, blogs and white papers discussing lifelong learning is the speed and direction of workplace change. “What does this constant change mean for workers?" asked April McHugh, a career and educational counselor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA. "No matter your profession, learning needs to be woven into your career path,”11 she wrote. An article in The Economist states, “in many occupations it has become essential to acquire new skills as established ones become obsolete.”12 A Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia, USA, professional education blog reinforces the value of continuous and lifelong learning for professionals: “Developing a lifelong learning mindset can help you build the resilience needed to navigate this rapid evolution and meet the challenges and demands head-on.”13
Lifelong learners recognize what they need to know, identify effective methods to learn and create learning goals. Whether instilled via formal systems—workplace training programs, for instance—or though self-directed and informal methods, the drive and commitment to lifelong learning may not be equally embraced by everyone. Organizations have ways to tactfully nudge or explicitly push their employees to acquire new workplace skills. But for those who are not very receptive to such tactics, how can a commitment to lifelong learning be fostered? Figure 2 suggests ways individuals can transform their views and jumpstart (or restart) their lifelong learning journeys.
A statement from an @ISACA author captures the spirit of lifelong learning: “For me, the pursuit of lifelong learning is not just about gaining the knowledge I need—it is about enjoying the learning process itself.”14 Creating joy in learning is not usually something organization leaders can instill in their employees. But if leaders are willing to provide tangible and intangible expressions of support for lifelong learners and embrace a philosophy of lifelong learning themselves, shaping an organizational culture of learning is possible. Such cultural changes are difficult to make, but they can be accomplished with support from the C-suite and board of directors.
The Lifelong Learning Cycle
An attitude of lifelong learning serves organizations and their employees more effectively than the pursuit of lifelong skilling. Essential skills for the workplace change every few years, requiring organizations to invest resources into initiatives or training programs with short payback periods and potentially low rates of return. Contrast this with an organizational culture that supports employees throughout their lifelong learning journeys. Figure 3 depicts the lifelong learning cycle.
A love of learning is created and nurtured in young people through significant and meaningful family relationships, school experiences and a variety of community social interactions. This passion can be extended through university years through the influence of engaged, committed and talented professors. Upon entry into the workplace and during the first two decades of professional life, lifelong learning is propelled by challenging opportunities and involvement in interesting new work areas. Finally, expertise gained from a lifetime of career experiences is shared through mentoring younger employees, stepping into leadership positions in professional organizations and volunteering with the community groups that were instrumental in nurturing a love of learning during one's youth.
Having spent time understanding how to learn and being curious, lifelong learners are prepared to adjust and be ready for the workplace challenges they face.
For those eager to get their lifelong learning cycle on track, a series of questions can set the gears in motion:
- Where are you in the lifelong learning cycle?
- How do you plan to move to the next stage of the cycle?
- What is your timeline for shifting to the next stage?
- What resources will you seek to help you get there?
- Can you identify a learning partner with whom you can start—or continue—your journey on the lifelong learning cycle? What learning goals do you share?
If a person has not yet embraced a lifelong learning philosophy, it is helpful to determine when they were discouraged to be curious and inquisitive and to ask questions. Exploring the events that influenced the formation of a person’s attitude may pique their curiosity about lifelong learning and set them on a transformative course of action.
Conclusion
The author of a recent essay about math education suggests schools need to communicate math’s usefulness rather than emphasize getting the right answer because understanding how math is useful encourages children to imagine and explore the world around them through math.15 Thinking about math’s usefulness can foster interest and curiosity, which are character traits conducive for developing a lifelong learning mentality. On the other hand, getting the right answer is analogous to lifelong skilling. Focusing on short-term initiatives provides specific skills that are deemed immediately necessary, but what happens when another skill or competency emerges that is deemed necessary?
This is why lifelong learning is essential to humanity. Rather than chasing after—or being chased by—the next indispensable skill, lifelong learners recognize they have the capacity to draw on their collection of character traits and habits that are adaptable to various situations. Having spent time understanding how to learn and being curious, lifelong learners are prepared to adjust and be ready for the workplace challenges they face.
As stated in The Historian’s Craft, “Great oaks from little acorns grow. But only if they meet favorable conditions of soil and climate, conditions which are entirely beyond the scope of embryology.”16 Are current societal conditions favorable for planting and nurturing the seeds of lifelong learning? Will people continue to push for even more specialized microcredentials and badges proving competence in particular skills? It does not need to be either-or. Attitudinal shifts take place slowly, and transformations do not happen overnight. What will inspire learners to take the first step?
Endnotes
1 Marr, B.; “The Top 10 In-Demand Skills for 2030,” Forbes, 14 February 2023, http://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2023/02/14/the-top-10-in-demand-skills-for-2030
2 Kakulla, B.; “Lifelong Learning Attracts Older Adults for Personal Growth and Cognitive Health,” American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), March 2022, http://www.aarp.org/research/topics/life/info-2022/lifelong-learning-older-adults.html
3 World Economic Forum, “The Reskilling Revolution: 350 Million People Reached with Future-Ready Skills, Education and Jobs,” 17 January 2023, http://www.weforum.org/press/2023/01/the-reskilling-revolution-350-million-people-reached-with-future-ready-skills-education-and-jobs/
4 Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), OECD Future of Education and Skills 2030, France, 2019, http://www.oecd.org/education/2030-project/teaching-and-learning/learning/skills/Skills_for_2030_concept_note.pdf
5 ISACA; “Continuous Learning Commitment: The Path Forward in a Volatile Labor Market,” @ISACA, vol. 15, 13 April 2022, http://h04.v6pu.com/resources/news-and-trends/newsletters/atisaca/2022/volume-15/continuous-learning-commitment-the-path-forward-in-a-volatile-labor-market
6 Mocker, D.; G. Spear; “Lifelong Learning: Formal, Nonformal, Informal, and Self-Directed,” Information Series No. 241, ERIC Clearinghouse on Adult, Career, and Vocational Education, 1982, http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED220723.pdf
7 Ates, H.; K. Kadir; “The Importance of Lifelong Learning Has Been Increasing,” Procedia–Social and Behavioral Sciences, 2012, vol. 46, http://doi.org/10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.06.205
8 Busteed, B.; “The Big Difference Between Lifelong Learners and Skill-Seekers,” Forbes, 16 April 2021, http://www.forbes.com/sites/brandonbusteed/2021/04/16/the-big-difference-between-lifelong-learners-and-skill-seekers/?sh=56e53dbe354e
9 Huston, J.; The Treasure of the Sierra Madre, Warner Bros. Pictures, Burbank, California, USA, 1948
10 (ISC)2, “Five Everyday Skills an IT Professional Must Have,” http://www.isc2.org/insights/2019/05/5-everyday-skills-an-it-professional-must-have
11 McHugh, A.; “Lifelong Learning Essential in Today’s Workforce,” Continuing Studies Office, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, USA, 11 April 2022, http://continuingstudies.wisc.edu/blog/lifelong-learning-essential-in-todays-workforce/
12 Palmer, A.; “Lifelong Learning Is Becoming an Economic Imperative,” The Economist, 12 January 2017, http://www.economist.com/special-report/2017/01/12/lifelong-learning-is-becoming-an-economic-imperative
13 McKinney, J.; “Future of Work: A Lifelong Learning Mindset,” The Future of Work Blog, Georgia Tech Professional Education, 20 May 2022, http://pe.gatech.edu/blog/future-work-lifelong-learning-mindset
14 Azab, O.; “Why I Love to Learn,” @ISACA, vol. 15, 20 July 2020, http://h04.v6pu.com/resources/news-and-trends/newsletters/atisaca/2020/volume-15/iamisaca-why-i-love-to-learn
15 Cheng, E.; “Solving Our Problem With Math,” The Wall Street Journal, 18 August 2023, http://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/solving-our-problem-with-math-f003af84
16 Bloch, M.; The Historian’s Craft, Vintage Books, USA, 1964
GRACE F. JOHNSON | CPA
Is the lead instructor for the accounting and public accounting students at Marietta College, Marietta, Ohio, USA. She is responsible for courses in financial accounting, accounting information systems, accounting research, business ethics and international business. Johnson has taught and conducted research in Brazil, China and South Korea. She has also conducted research in Finland and Poland. Her current research projects include studies on using film to teach business ethics and reinforcing the importance of the human experience in an accounting and finance environment infused with artificial intelligence.