Monitor toolbox by theme
Main indicators areas
Adult learning
“At least 47% of adults aged 25-64 should have participated in learning during the last 12 months by 2025.”
“At least 60% of adults aged 25-64 should have participated in learning during the last 12 months by 2030.”
Main indicator
- Adult learning participation, measuring the share of 25–64-year-olds who have participated in formal or non-formal education and training during the last 12 months (excluding guided on-the-job training). Eurostat (Adult Education Survey)
- Adult learning participation, measuring the share of 25–64-year-olds who have participated in formal or non-formal education and training during the last 12 months. Eurostat (EU Labour Force Survey) [trng_lfs_17]
A closer look
- The main indicator on adult learning participation based on the Adult Education Survey (excluding guided on-the-job training) can be broken down by sex, age, educational attainment level, labour status, occupation, and degree of urbanisation. ADULT EDUCATION SURVEY
- The main indicator on adult learning participation based on the EU Labour Force Survey can be broken down by sex, age, educational attainment level, labour status, type of training citizenship, country of birth, region, degree of urbanisation, and level of disability. Eurostat (EU Labour Force Survey) [trng_lfs_17, trng_lfs_18, trng_lfs_19, trng_lfs_30, trng_lfs_20, trng_lfs_21, trng_lfs_22, trng_lfs_23, trng_lfs_24]
Similar indicators
- Adult learning participation during the last 4 weeks, measuring the share of 25–64-year-olds who have participated in formal or non-formal education and training during the last 4 weeks. This share can be broken down by sex, narrower age brackets, level of educational attainment, occupational status, degree of urbanisation, migration background and type of learning. Eurostat (EU Labour Force Survey) [trng_lfs_01, trng_lfs_02, trng_lfs_03, trng_lfs_14, trng_lfs_09, trng_lfs_13]
- Adult learning participation including guided on-the-job training, measuring the share of 25–64-year-olds who have participated in formal or non-formal education and training during the last 12 months. This share can be broken down by sex, level of educational attainment, narrower age brackets and degree of urbanisation. This indicator includes guided-on-the-job training, which is not covered in the two main indicators above. Eurostat (Adult Education Survey) [trng_aes_100, trng_aes_121, trng_aes_122, trng_aes_105]
- Individuals’ level of digital skills, measuring the share of individuals with basic or above basic overall digital skills (Digital Skills Indicator 2.0). Eurostat (Survey on the use of ICT in households and by individuals) [isoc_sk_dskl_i21]
Context
- Employment by educational attainment level, measuring the share of adults (20-64) in employment with low, medium, or high qualification. Eurostat (EU Labour Force Survey) [lfsi_educ_a]
- Employee learning participation by energy intensity, measuring the share of 18-64-year-old employees working in an energy-intensive industry who have participated in formal or non-formal education and training during the last 4 weeks. Eurostat (EU Labour Force Survey) [trng_lfs_08b]
- Main reason for not participating in education and training, measuring the share of 25-64-year-olds who do not participate in education and training by main reason. Eurostat (Adult Education Survey) [trng_aes_195]
- Obstacles preventing the participation in education and training, measuring the perceived obstacles identified by 25-64-year-olds who do not participate in education and training but would like to. Eurostat (Adult Education Survey) [trng_aes_176]
Further reading
- European Commission 2025 report on gender equality in the EU.
- European Commission 2024 report on skills for life.
- European Commission 2024 report on financing of adult learning.
- European Commission 2024 report on national skills strategies.
- Cedefop 2024 report on validation of informal and non-formal learning in 2023.
- Cedefop and ETF 2025 report on policy developments in reskilling, upskilling, CVET and lifelong learning.
- OECD 2025 report on trends in adult learning.
- OECD 2024 report on the Survey of Adults Skills 2023.
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