School’s out! Or is it? As the pace of workplace change continues to accelerate, the ability to learn and adapt will become even more critical. Today, we’ll look at the benefits of lifelong learning, why it’s critical to success in your career and life, and how you can start your learning journey today.

This post was originally published in July 2020 as “Lifelong learning – Your future depends on it” and updated in May 2023.

A couple of years ago, I attended a presentation about the future of work and learning. David Mallon of Bersin, a division of Deloitte, said today’s workers will need the equivalent of a master’s degree of new knowledge every 10 years to keep pace with how the workplace is changing. This validated something I’ve believed my entire life: lifelong learning is key to success.

In my post Reflections on 30 years in the group retirement business, I shared six tips for success at work and in life. One of those tips is something I’ve always been passionate about: Never Stop Learning.

My lifelong learning journey

Over the last couple of years, I’ve been taking courses in an online Plain Language program through Simon Fraser University. I’ve also completed the course work for the Certified Professional Retirement Coach certification. These are my newest adventures in a long line of courses and education programs.

When I graduated from high school, I took a year off to work and save money for university. Once I started working, I decided to stay in the workforce and go to school part-time.

I began my journey as an adult learner in the Business Administration program at Wilfrid Laurier University. When I graduated from Laurier, a colleague introduced me to the Certified Employee Benefit Specialist (CEBS) program, a professional credential related to my field of work. After passing six of ten CEBS exams, I took a break to do the Teacher/Trainer of Adults certificate at Conestoga College. After that, I completed the remaining courses to attain the CEBS designation in 2003.

These days, I keep my industry knowledge current through industry publications, conferences and webinars. And let’s not forget on-the-job learning related to a multitude of software applications, agile business practices, innovation and change management.

From a personal interest perspective, I’ve taken music lessons and courses in first aid, gardening and website development.

Some might call me a learning addict. I honestly can’t imagine a time when I will ever want to stop learning.

Why learning is important for me

Sometimes people ask me why I continue to take courses when I am getting close to “retirement”. It’s a good question. The traditional “normal” retirement age is on the horizon. But when I look to the future, 30 years of sitting on the couch watching Netflix isn’t the kind of life I want to live. I need a reason to get out of bed in the morning, and something to keep me mentally active.

I am looking at the Plain Language and retirement coaching programs as an opportunity to learn new skills that will help me be better at my current job, but also something I could do to keep busy and generate some extra income once I leave my full-time career behind.

Keeping up with a rapidly changing world

The 4th industrial revolution we are currently in is introducing change at a pace the world has never seen before. This fundamental shift is reinventing the concept of work. Almost half of today’s jobs could disappear in 10 years. As old jobs are eliminated, new ones will emerge. Workers will need to continually retrain and upskill to remain relevant.

The days of being able to leave education behind after high school, college or university are long gone. Today and in the future, continuous learning will be necessary to keep up with the pace of change.

The future of work consists of learning a living.

Marshall McLuhan

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Benefits of being a lifelong learner

In addition to helping you get that new job, or keep the one you’ve got, being a lifelong learner has other benefits.

• It keeps your brain engaged and your mind sharp. Research has shown that continual learning can delay age-related memory loss.
• Learning opens your mind to new ideas and diverse opinions. With the current focus on diversity and inclusion, understanding different perspectives can only be a good thing.
• Taking a class can improve social connections by giving you the opportunity to meet new people who share the same interests as you.
• Learning something new boosts your confidence. There’s nothing like the sense of accomplishment you get from mastering a new skill or achieving an educational milestone.
• It reduces boredom. Studies have shown being bored and having too much time on your hands can be a problem for anyone suffering from mental health issues.
• For parents, being a lifelong learner sets a great example for your kids. One of my co-workers who recently graduated from a college program told me her young daughter asked “Mommy, why do you go to school? Adults go to work, kids go to school.” She responded with the following quote, which I think is very fitting:

You are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream.

C.S. Lewis

3 types of learning

If you’re not a fan of studying, you may be discouraged thinking you’ll spend the rest of your life with your nose in a textbook. You may do some of that, but learning takes many forms. It’s likely your lifelong learning journey will be a blend of three types of learning identified by OECD – formal, informal and non-formal. Let’s take a closer look at each one.

Formal learning

Formal learning is the traditional school, college and university learning we’re all familiar with. It is organized and structured, and has learning objectives. It’s something you intentionally plan to do.

This type of learning follows an established curriculum, involves evaluation and usually leads to a recognized credential like a diploma or degree.

Informal learning

On the other hand, informal learning is never organized and has no set objective. Simply put, it’s the learning you get from working or just living. It’s what some people call the school of life. Unlike formal learning, informal learning doesn’t lead to a credential.

In the age of information at our fingertips, opportunities for informal learning have exploded! You’re doing it right now by reading this blog post. Other examples of informal learning are TED Talks, YouTube videos and podcasts. Even reading or watching TV can result in informal learning.

Most on-the-job learning falls into this category. Anything you learn in the workplace by performing your job functions, listening, asking questions, job shadowing or attending company training programs are all examples of informal learning.

Non-formal learning

Non-formal learning is probably the type you’re least familiar with, but it’s becoming more and more important. It’s an organized learning activity that takes place outside the formal educational system. It doesn’t follow an established curriculum, nor does it lead to a recognized credential.

Some examples of non-formal learning you’re probably familiar with are swimming or other sports lessons, music lessons, and non-credit courses through colleges and universities. Work-related professional development seminars and conferences also fall into this category.

An area of non-formal learning that has grown significantly in the last decade is MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). You can find them on platforms like Coursera, Udacity or edX. These courses are usually free and are available to anyone, anywhere, anytime. Many of the courses are developed and delivered by Universities. edX, for example, was founded by Harvard and MIT.

MOOCs are hugely popular with over 100 million people worldwide enrolled by 2019 according to ClassCentral. With thousands of courses to choose from, they are a great way to upgrade your skills.

Traditionally, non-formal learning hasn’t led to a credential. In recent years, we have seen an evolution where most MOOC platforms now offer the opportunity to earn unique credentials, sometimes known as microcredentials. A microcredential is a program consisting of more than one course, but less than a full degree.

It will be interesting to see how non-formal learning continues to evolve. Employers are starting to recognize MOOCs and microcredentials. Time will tell how this will evolve.

All dogs will need to learn new tricks

They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks. I’d argue that the reason the dog gets old is because he hasn’t learned any new tricks!

Once you stop learning, you start dying.

Albert Einstein

In the workplace of the future, we’ll all need to keep learning new tricks to stay relevant. We might as well get started now!

What do you think? How has learning enriched your life or helped your career. Tell us below.