Enhancing Participation: Factors Influencing Work-Related Learning Among Vulnerable Learners

Work-related learning enhances organizational adaptability and employees’ employability, making continuous learning essential for both organizations and employees. In general, a distinction is made between formal and informal work-related learning. However, employees’ participation in learning depends on both individual (e.g., motivation) and contextual factors (e.g., job autonomy). Despite existing research, there is limited understanding of how these factors interact and potentially compensate or strengthen each other, particularly for vulnerable learners. Furthermore, in literature it is not always clear what it means to be a ‘vulnerable’ learner. Traditionally, literature refers to employees with a lower socio-economic status or migration background, however, also low-motivated employees might be at risk. Consequently, this study aims to identify vulnerable profiles based on the interplay of individual and contextual factors, moving beyond traditional definitions. Using a sequential mixed-methods design, an online questionnaire was administered to 1008 Dutch citizens. A cluster analysis resulted in four clusters. One cluster contained adults that participated significantly less in formal and informal learning activities. The subsequent hierarchical regression analysis revealed that vulnerable learners were older, lower educated, less motivated to learn, less confident and invested less in work exploration. Furthermore, these participants experienced high job control and many technological developments in their work environment. Moreover, 13 semi-structured follow-up interviews were conducted to dive deeper into the underlying mechanisms of how various individual and contextual factors interact. The findings provide insights into the barriers and enablers of work-related learning, informing targeted interventions for increasing participation, particularly among vulnerable groups of learners.