Individuals who left their jobs voluntarily since the start of the COVID pandemic were more likely to enroll in postsecondary education than those who lost their jobs, according to this report.
The biggest influence on their decision to enroll is whether they believed the program would result in a good job or opportunities for career advancement. Eighty percent of those who enrolled selected this as an extremely or very important factor, the study states. Program flexibility and the ability to take classes while at work was a very or extremely important factor for more than two-thirds of those who enrolled.
Together, the importance of these factors indicate that education decisions are shaped by workers’ future career aspirations, as well as the responsibilities and demands of their current roles.
The study is based on a spring 2022 survey of 4,500 adults between ages 18 and 65 about the employment and education changes they experienced since the start of the pandemic.
