Nearly half (46%) of the surveyed adults in Ireland say they cannot afford to study or learn new skills, according to an independent national survey commissioned by Springboard+ which highlights the barriers people in Ireland face when considering upskilling or changing career direction.
Women and parents were more likely to report affordability and time pressures, while younger adults were more likely to express concerns around stress and making the wrong career decision.
The survey, which was commissioned as part of Springboard’s ‘2026 Year Of Me’ campaign, recently launched by Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science James Lawless TD, showed that women aged under 45 (53%) were most affected by a lack of time to invest into their careers.
Springboard+ has this year provided more than 7,200 free or heavily subsidised course places across 244 programmes delivered by 36 education providers nationwide. The courses are also flexible, removing these barriers from Ireland’s lifelong learners.
The research also found that 40 percent of adults feel they do not have enough time to learn new skills, while 43 percent said they would be afraid of making the wrong decision when choosing a new career direction, especially younger adults aged 18 to 34. More than thirty percent (32%) of 18 to 24 year olds said they would struggle with the stress associated with learning new skills.
The findings highlight the growing importance of flexible and affordable learning opportunities for adults balancing work, family and financial pressures while trying to invest in their future careers and skills development.
Strong Demand
Launched at the end of March, the Springboard+ 2026 courses, which are designed to support adults seeking to upskill or change career direction through flexible part-time, online and heavily subsidised learning options, have proved very popular with a significant number of applications already received. This strong demand emphasises the appetite for accessible and flexible routes into further learning and career development.
Irish Public Values Learning and Self-Development
Despite the barriers, the research also highlighted Ireland’s strong belief in the value of learning and self-development. 93 percent 0f respondents thought that learning new skills as an adult can change people’s lives, while 93 percent also agreed that learning new skills would open doors that people wouldn’t normally have a chance to walk through. The research was conducted by Opinions.ie with feedback gathered from a representative sample of more than 1,000 adults aged 18 and over across Ireland.
Commenting on the findings Dr Vivienne Patterson, Head of Skills, Engagement and Statistics at the Higher Education Authority, said:
“The findings highlight that many adults across Ireland want to invest in their future and develop new skills, but are often held back by practical pressures such as time, affordability and uncertainty about returning to learning.
“Flexible and affordable learning opportunities can play an important role in helping people overcome some of these barriers. Many Springboard+ courses are delivered on a part-time or online basis, allowing people to balance learning with work, family and other commitments, while the significant financial support available through the programme helps make higher education more accessible.
“The strong demand we are already seeing for Springboard+ 2026 courses reflects the growing demand for flexible learning opportunities that can help people build confidence, develop new skills and explore new career opportunities,” she said.
Springboard+ courses are available to employed, self-employed, unemployed and returning-to-work participants, with many courses delivered flexibly through part-time and online learning formats. Full or part-time Springboard+ courses are free for unemployed participants and returners to the workforce, while employed participants typically pay just 10 percent of course fees. Micro-credential courses are subsidised by 50 per cent for all learners regardless of employment status.