Barriers to Participation in AET

This chapter investigates barriers to participation in Adult Education and Training (AET), a crucial area for policy development aimed at promoting lifelong learning. Drawing upon Patricia K. Cross’s three-factor typology of barriers—dispositional, institutional, and situational—the chapter offers insights into the various challenges adults encounter in engaging with AET. Dispositional barriers encompass personal attitudes and perceptions about learning; institutional barriers originate from educational providers; while situational barriers pertain to personal life conditions, such as time constraints and family responsibilities. The interplay of these barriers not only affects participation rates in AET but also exacerbates educational inequality, particularly disadvantaging groups like women, older adults, and individuals with lower skills who encounter more significant hurdles. Moreover, the chapter points out that situational barriers are most frequently mentioned by individuals, whereas the prevalence of institutional barriers differs across countries, influenced by Welfare State Regimes and Active Labour Market Policies. Dispositional barriers, on the other hand, are intimately related to one’s class position, education level, and status in the labour market.