Inclusion in Continuing Education and Its Unequal Accessibility: An Empirical Analysis for Able to Work Young People in Siberian Region

The data of two surveys  conducted by us in Novosibirsk Oblast (in 2012  the economically active inhabitants of semi-urban settlements from 16 to 45 years old were interrogated, N=356; in 2008-2009 it concerned young workers of urban, semi-urban and  rural   settlements, N=778) demonstrate that in whole a mass demand for further education among the adults has been observed.  There is a special need in higher and second higher education, as well as in the courses/programs of supplementary professional education (SPE). The largest need in additional education, professional training and retraining were revealed among those employees whose work is connected with information use or innovative activities (as well as interest in them).

Anyway among all young workers educational activity of different kinds (real or projected) is realized as the most productive means for achievement of fuller self-realization in work. So, for this purpose they prefer increasing of their educational and qualification level in the major profession (41% of answered), also increasing of the general educational level and mental outlook (28,7%), than change of a place of work (8,8%), change of profession or kind of activity (9,8%) or even widening of an area of independent decision-making (15,6%).

However the discovered educational needs essentially surpass real involvement of the adult population in the continuing education.  It was revealed the unequal accessibility to SPE services. Thus there is a noticeable part of employees (42,2%) and the unemployed (69%) who never passed before through professional training or retraining. The employees who are available to use a branch system of SPE often have experience of numerous cases of professional development. While the employees of the enterprises without corporative SPE system, become only casual participants of such programs. So it leads to unequal "accumulation" of knowledge among different groups of able to work people.