Most employees in Latvia not quite satisfied with their jobs, but only some willing to learn something new - survey

RIGA - A large part of Latvia's employed population are not fully satisfied their current jobs, but only some of them are ready to take action to change the situation by learning new professions, LETA was told at the State Education Development Agency (VIAA).

Citing a survey, VIAA notes that adults most often associate learning with better opportunities in the labor market, but do not always take the next step and engage in learning. The survey reveals that adults in Latvia associate learning with self-fulfillment and the desire to improve their position in the labor market. The most common reasons for learning are self-development and interest in learning something new (cited by 42 percent of respondents), as well as learning practical skills useful in everyday life (cited by 41 percent of respondents).

Meanwhile, 26 percent of respondents in the survey associate learning with an opportunity to change jobs, and 26 percent with better performance in the current job.

According to the VIAA, a quarter of respondents choose to learn to acquire a new profession or retrain. This is the opportunity offered by the programs available on the VIAA's adult education platform Stars.

The public opinion poll was conducted by Norstat research agency in February and March this year, interviewing 1,000 respondents.

Elina Purmale-Baumane, Director of the Adult Education Department at the VIAA, says that in a rapidly changing labor market, skills become obsolete more and more quickly, and the need for new knowledge is becoming commonplace. Learning in adulthood is not only an opportunity to improve one's career, but also an essential tool for staying competitive and resilient in different economic conditions. At the same time, Purmale-Baumane acknowledges that people who need training the most to improve their employment situation are also less likely to apply for it.