Adult Learners' Week has kicked off with the theme for this year's event 'What are you waiting for?' promoting the idea that there's no time like the present to transform your life through learning.
Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, said lifelong learning generates both personal and professional benefits.
"Learning is a lifelong pursuit. We want to encourage Australians of all ages to invest in their continued education. Whether its upskilling or completely reskilling, there are inherent benefits to adult education such as increased job satisfaction and career engagement," Minister Cash said.
"We know that Australians who continue to upskill throughout their careers have improved job prospects, can adapt more readily to industry disruption and tend to be more effective in the workplace."
The Morrison Government's $525 million Skills Package Delivering Skills for Today and Tomorrow will help provide a strong framework to support learning at a range of ages.
The package includes $62.4 million to establish the new Foundation Skills for Your Future program. The program recognises that foundation language, literacy, numeracy and digital literacy are necessary for all Australians to participate fully in work and life.
Assistant Minister for Vocational Education, Training and Apprenticeships, the Hon Steve Irons MP, said adult education is a vital part of the spectrum of learning and is as important as learning during the formative years.
"I am someone who has had many different and varying careers throughout my life and all of these experiences have brought new opportunities for me to develop new skills and learn," Minister Irons said.
"No matter your circumstance or passion there is truly no better time than the present to engage in education and training."
