Spotlight on: Lifelong Learning
Lifelong learning is increasingly recognized for the role it plays in equipping people to take on the challenges presented by the rapidly changing knowledge-based economy. Lifelong learning is not only vital to the productivity, competitiveness and prosperity of BC, but it is also essential to the development of all British Columbians including those looking to upgrade their education, immigrants striving to meet Canadian standards to break into the job market or the under-employed looking to re-train. A unique category of lifelong learning is Adult Academic & Career Upgrading (also known as Adult Basic Education).
Adult Academic & Career Upgrading at BC’s colleges provides an essential connection for BC's under-employed and under-skilled to BC’s labour market. A recent report by the Conference Board of Canada indicates that in many labour market situations a skills gap or skills mismatch exists and upgrading is required. Adult learners who undertake academic or career upgrading will play a key role when it comes to meeting the growing demand for skilled workers in BC. The cost to the province in lost revenue from this skills mismatch is estimated to be $6 Billion per annum. Attention to adult academic or career upgrading is critically important because students who successfully complete their upgrading are equipped with the necessary skills to re-enter the workforce, ladder into other post-secondary programming and in some case generate jobs themselves by successfully starting their own businesses. Read more.