Life-Long Learning and Keeping up with the Digital Age Lacking digital skills creates boundaries but support is provided
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iving in a developed European country, most of us are constantly learning while growing up. We go to school and learn how to read and write. We generally have the opportunity to go to college to achieve a job in the profession we are dreaming of pursuing. Once settled in life, there can be several reasons why learning may no longer be a constant part of someone’s life. Although, learning should not automatically stop as soon as we have reached a profession or a certain age. Life-long learning is vital in the ever-changing world we are living in. The European Union has set a 10% target for those aged 25-64 to engage in life-long learning by 2020 and an objective of reaching 15% by 2025. According to Eurostat, the EU’s statistical agency, 12.5% of Irish adults aged 25-64 were already involved in life-long learning in 2018. However, Ireland is still only ranked 10th in the European Union.
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Adult education services are provided nationwide for instance by educational institutions and community services. Nearly 25 years ago the Warrenmount Community Education Centre was set up in Dublin 8. Funded by SOLAS and The City of Dublin Education and Training Board, a wide range of free education classes such as gardening, well-being, and computer skills are offered. Centre manager Lia Clarkson recognizes that “a centre like this certainly appears to be needed in the area.” Stressing that they “look at the needs of the area”, she also states that “generally speaking, people who come here have less upper second level education.”
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‘A learner focusing on the task at hand’
Clarkson explains that the aim of the Education Centre would be “to give people a bit of a start and maybe they will progress on to higher levels of studies or work-related as well.” Furthermore, the manager added that “sometimes it is filling gaps for people, they might have lots of work experience but have never really learned how to use a computer.” In a rapidly changing world, in which advancing technology is inev-
itable, learning and the ability to adapt has become essential. The momentous invention of the internet creates infinite possibilities, but only for the ones able to use it. Digital skills seem crucial nowadays in many aspects of life. Providing computer and internet classes at different levels, the community centre in Warrenmount equips its learners with digital knowledge for their daily lives.
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