27 NOV 2009
Data insights

Job-related learning: the subjects people choose

Job-related non-formal learning focuses on social sciences, business and law, services and health and welfare.


(click image for full size)       Data source: Eurostat, Adult Education Survey

According to Cedefops medium-term skill needs forecast, the sectoral employment structure in Europe is expected to change significantly by 2020. Most additional jobs will be created in business and miscellaneous services; in total, services will account for almost three quarters of jobs. In the primary sector and manufacturing, which will continue to account for a significant numbers of jobs, changing skills requirements will have an impact on training provision. Data from the Adult Education Survey (AES) confirm this general trend.

One of the AES indicators on job-related non-formal learning (which is mainly in-service training) is how learning activities are distributed among various subjects.
 
Key points
  • In all countries where final data are available, social sciences, business, law and services together with health and welfare account for at least half of all job-related non‑formal learning activities.
  • Shares of activities in engineering, manufacturing and construction are around 10% in almost all countries, except in Estonia where the share reaches 17.3%.
  • Computer use plays a prominent role in job-related learning in only four countries: in Greece (18.0%), Cyprus (12.6%), Finland (11.3%) and Germany (11.1%).
  • Surprisingly, in the light of globalisation and mobility, foreign languages are not a key subject: in 10 out of 14 countries, shares of activities are below 5%, with the maximum (8.2%) observed in Hungary.
  • Other activities cover another eight subjects; shares for any single subject are rarely above 5%.

Note: Data presented here originate from the AES and are subject to its methodology. For this indicator, final data are currently available for 16 countries.  Data for BG and the UK were not used in this analysis.

Read more about Cedefops sectoral approach to identification of skill needs and further details of Fields of training.