Page 35 - Learning-while-working-Success-stories-on-workplace-learning-in-Europe

To train or not to train? 29

There are striking disparities in training provision not only across economic
sectors but also across different occupational or age groups and types of
contract (see Table 3). Employees in service branches receive training
more, at 37.2%, than those working in industry (25.8%). Across sectors,
the survey results confirm that highly skilled staff receive more training than
lower-skilled. Older employees are inclined to receive less training paid
for by employers (29.7%) than those aged less than 50 years. By type of
contract, permanent staff (39.4%) benefit more from employer-paid training
than employees with other contract arrangements (26.0%).
The workplace plays a fundamental role in lifelong learning, as a provider
of learning opportunities, and as a stimulus for undertaking further learning.
In the Adult education survey, ‘to do a better job and/or improve career
prospects’ were the most frequently quoted reasons for participating in non-
formal education and training, ranging from 87% in Denmark to 48% in Italy.
For all the countries surveyed, most of the participants were undertaking
job-related learning. Employers were the most important provider of non-
formal learning in many countries, with a European average of about 38%
of learning activities (Eurostat Adult education survey, online database).

Table 3. Participation in training by economic branch, occupation
and age groups, and type of contract (%)

Provided and paid by employer
Sector or by self-employed Paid by employee
Industry 25.8 6.0
Services 37.2 9.9
Occupation group
High-skilled clerical 47.0 16.7
Low-skilled clerical 36.4 8.0
High-skilled manual 21.6 5.1
Low-skilled manual 21.7 3.2
Age group
Under 30 33.1 8.3
30 to 49 36.0 9.4
50 or more 29.7 7.8
Type of contract
Permanent 39.4 6.0
Other arrangement 26.0 7.7
Self-employed 22.1 -

Source: Data extracted from Eurofound, Fifth European Working Conditions Survey, survey mapping tool.
Available from Internet: http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/ewco/surveys/ewcs2010/results.htm.
Date of extraction 13.12.2010.