Adult learners are one of the most strategically important and frequently misunderstood audiences in further education. As participation patterns shift and funding pressures intensify, engaging adults effectively is no longer a peripheral concern. It is central to growth, impact and institutional resilience.

This high-level online session draws on one of the largest and most comprehensive recent studies of adult learners in further education. The research includes insights from 2,475 adult learners, eight in-depth focus groups, and 22 providers representing 38 colleges across the sector. It provides rare, evidence-led clarity on how adults actually think about learning — how they research options, weigh risk, interpret value, and ultimately decide whether or not to enrol.

Rather than focusing on surface-level marketing tactics, this session examines the deeper structural and strategic questions:
• How do adults define “value” in further education?
• What barriers — practical, emotional and perceptual — prevent enrolment?
• Where do provider assumptions diverge from adult reality?
• How do planning, curriculum design, messaging and internal ownership affect adult participation?
• What organisational shifts are required to respond to adult demand more effectively?

You will gain:
• Clear insight into adult learner decision-making behaviour
• A sharper understanding of how adults navigate information and compare providers
• Evidence-based recommendations for aligning marketing, curriculum and strategy
• Practical implications for planning, positioning and cross-departmental ownership.

This is a strategic conversation about growth, access and outcomes — not just marketing activity. It challenges providers to rethink how adult learners are positioned internally and externally, and how institutions can move from reactive recruitment to intentional, demand-led engagement.