Learning something new and taking a local community course can significantly benefit adults, a survey by the Workers’ Educational Association suggests.

According to a survey of 2,000 adult learners, education can boost their confidence about finding employment and benefit local communities.

The survey also found that adult learners believed that their course boosted their wellbeing, with 99 per cent saying that their course had offered health benefits.

1. Over three quarters (77 per cent) of adult learners felt more confident about finding a job as a result of taking a course.
2. Seventy six per cent of adult learners developed learning skills through their course, while 68 per cent developed communication skills, 62 per cent research skills and 60 per cent developed critical thinking and creative skills.
3. Students claiming means-tested benefits developed certain life skills 18-34 percentage points higher than their counterparts who weren’t on benefits.
4. Half of the adult learners said that they became more understanding of other cultures as a result of their courses.
5. Two fifths (39 per cent) of learners took part in activities to improve their local community.
6. Almost all (99 per cent) of students reported some health and wellbeing benefits following their adult learning course. The courses helped large majorities of students to make new friends (84 per cent), increased self-confidence (77 per cent), and almost half (47 percent) were motivated to improve their health.

So now you know how learning something new can benefit you – either for work, personal wellbeing, or to support your community, browse through our local courses available here in Staffordshire (many of them free).  What are you waiting for?