1. Adult Education and Training Programs for Older Adults in the U.S.: Country Comparisons Using PIAAC Data
- Author
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Cummins, Phyllis A. and Kunkel, Suzanne R.
- Abstract
Historically, older and lower-skilled adults in the U.S. have participated in Adult Education and Training (AET) at lower rates than other groups, possibly because of perceived lack of return on investment due to the time required to recover training costs. Global, knowledge based economies have increased the importance of lifelong learning for all age groups. This paper reports results of a study that used data from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC) to examine the relationship in the U.S. between participation in AET programs and employment, labor force participation, and income, for adults aged 45 to 65. In addition, comparisons were made for outcomes of AET participation in the U.S. with those in Germany, Japan, Sweden, and the U.K. Consistent with U.S. outcomes, comparison countries had lower AET participation rates by the unemployed compared to the employed and there were wide variations in AET participation between the lowest income quintile and the highest income quintile. For all countries, there was a significant relationship between AET participation and income. There was also a significant relationship between AET participation and labor force participation. [For the full proceedings, see ED581791.]
- Published
- 2016