Reasons to adopt lifelong learning into your life

Lifelong learning: the practice of studying and upskilling yourself frequently throughout your life in order to stay relevant, in touch and engaged in your life. The workplace is changing rapidly as technological advancements continue at a breakneck pace.  The importance of ensuring that we remain employed and employable in this ever-changing world has become increasingly important.

Recently one of our partners, MasterS​tart, released a research report after surveying 1041 South Africans. The goal was to assess how the South African workforce is feeling about their future. One of the key findings was that only 23.8% of respondents were extremely confident that their current skills would still see them employed in 10 years’ time.

Here are 5 reasons to consider adopting a philosophy of lifelong learning in your life:

1. It is becoming a ‘thing’ when recruiting

Gone are the days when obtaining a degree or diploma five or 10 years ago was enough to convince prospective employers that you are ‘the one’. That qualification is important, but so too is demonstrating that you have remained curious and actively engaged in upskilling yourself ever since. So, as well as that initial post-school tertiary qualification, taking additional courses – for example, a leadership, financial management or innovation course – can only be positively received by those with a position to fill.

2. It keeps your brain healthy

Henry Ford famously said that anyone who stops learning becomes old – regardless of whether they are 20 or 80. Constantly flexing your cerebral muscles by reading, studying and researching will keep your brain active and agile. This will stand you in good stead with your career during the working years – and could help you ward off dementia and Alzheimer’s later in life.

3. It’s good for your bank balance

There are many financial reasons to keep learning throughout your life and this can be true in both the short and long term. In the short term, learning new skills and expanding yourself intellectually will assist you in the way you do your work. You’ll introduce new ideas and perspectives and add value to an organisation, which could set you on the path to promotion and pay increases. 

4. It will help you stay employable

In the longer term, it may actually be the difference between being employed and unemployed as the workplace shifts and changes with certain jobs being redundant and others being created. You’ll have to learn new skills – both hard and soft – to remain an asset in the workplace. 

5. It is positive for your emotional health

Feeling stagnant and in a rut? Studying is a wonderful way to open your mind to something new, interesting and challenging. Lifelong learning dials up your knowledge and, in so doing, can do wonders for your personal motivation and sense of emotional wellbeing.​

All of our courses are geared towards adapting value to you throughout your career.