A 2-year project examined the effectiveness of courses for returning workers in enabling women to make a sustained return to paid employment in the following countries: France; Spain; Ireland; and the United Kingdom. In each country, a short foundation-level program and a longer accredited return-to-work program were selected for evaluation.…

In the United Kingdom, these two perspectives on lifelong learning sit uneasily together: emphasis on adults in employment and a focus on diversity and widening participation in adult education. A recent emphasis on accreditation with implications for funding has affected diversity and participation objectives because involving assessment,…

No longer is it possible for individuals to go through their working lives using only the skills and training they acquired during their initial schooling. Instead, they need to continually acquire new skills and re-think their career goals to meet changing job requirements and economic conditions. In order to help adults learn new skills and…