The world of work is changing at an unprecedented rate: over half of all employees will require extensive training by 2022, the vast majority of jobs in Europe will require at least a basic level of digital skills, many of which will change partially or completely due to automation.

Well designed policies and programmes will help prepare the workforce for these changes, but it’s not enough. Research into adult training participation shows motivation to continue learning is essential in securing improved outcomes, but also in boosting the wider economy.

The Digital Frontrunners programme is committed to uncovering, developing and promoting ways of driving intrinsic motivation to learn in adults. It’s one of the four priority areas we’re committed to helping governments with in order to deliver an inclusive future of work.

Here we outline three ways in which we are approaching this quest.

We have commissioned a Rapid Evidence Assessment, seeking to shed light on crucial questions regarding motivation to learn in adults in employment. Through a review of hundreds of sources of evidence, it will synthesise what is known, and isn’t regarding crucial questions on this topic, including:

• What are the key factors that determine how motivated an adult employee is to develop new (digital) skills?
• What are the main barriers that prevent adults from participating in lifelong learning?
• Which techniques have proven effective in increasing the motivation of adult workers to learn?
• Are there any ‘success ingredients’ for policies or interventions that we should be aware of?

It is crucial that we gain a clearer picture regarding the evidence that exists, and where the gaps are. We look forward to sharing the results from this study later this month.

We are delighted to be delivering our first event of 2019 in collaboration with the Danish think tank DEA. This will be taking place in Copenhagen on 22nd and 23rd May.

Nesta will present the findings from its Rapid Evidence Assessment described above, and the DEA will share it’s latest research on the barriers workers face in participating in learning activities. Through field studies and narrative interviews with secretaries, carpenters and bricklayers, the DEA has mapped the barriers towards lifelong learning for this group of workers.

The workshop will invite policymakers and experts to work with us to help turn the findings from these research pieces into practical recommendations for government and practitioners.

Together, we will identify the gaps to guide us in our next stage of research and testing. You can register your interest for this event on our event website.

Building on the research on motivation, we’re busy behind the scenes designing ways to test those approaches that show promise in increasing the motivation of workers to learn new skills for the future of work.

This will provide crucial insights into the approaches that we need to scale up. We’ll be working in partnership with governments, trade unions, and other stakeholders from Belgium, Denmark, Finland, the Netherlands, and Sweden.

Watch this space!