Resources for Adult Learners
CAEL’s adult learning experts have compiled some key tips to help you consider your upskilling and reskilling options as lifelong learning rapidly becomes the new norm.
Recognize why you want to continue your education.
Is enrolling in further education a personal goal? Or are you looking to advance in your career or change careers? Is your chosen field interesting and compelling enough to keep you motivated? Has your employer encouraged you to explore options to enhance your existing skills? Do you already have an idea of your planned area of study? Will there be future demand for the type of job you’re interested in? Look into resources such as O*Net (from the U.S. Department of Labor) that includes reports from local economic development agencies, or guidance from a local One-Stop Center (a system of job centers across the country).
Create a clear plan with reachable goals.
Do you have set objectives in mind? And a realistic timeframe in which to complete them? How will you manage the need for additional flexibility and time away from current responsibilities at home or even on the job? Does your family understand and support your plan? Have you considered the potential effects of possibly taking on a new financial burden? When will it be most feasible for you to enroll? Consider making a list of SMART goals: those that are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound.
Investigate your career pathway options.
Do your career goals require a college degree? Have you considered an associate degree instead of a traditional four-year program? Would you be able to advance by obtaining a certificate instead? Would microcredentials or individual online courses be enough to let you take the next step in your career? Short-term credentials often offer more immediate career advancement opportunities while also stacking into traditional degree programs. Which of these credential choices aligns better with your personal circumstances and your career trajectory?
Understand your existing college credits and other skills.
Do you have previously completed college credits? They might be accepted as transfer credit toward a degree program. Your previous, non-classroom learning experiences could also translate to college credit, shortening your pathway to a degree while reducing your costs. Read on to learn more about “Credit for Prior Learning.”
Learn about potential education and training providers.
Maybe you regularly enjoy learning new things online. Perhaps you prefer more of a traditional classroom learning environment. Or maybe your employer can recommend a specialized partner program with a local training provider that would help you meet your goals. If you are employed, be sure to check with your organization’s talent development team about training options as well as any employer-offered education benefits that may be available to you.
It’s also important to know that some colleges are better than others at making sure that adults like you have the best chance to succeed. Institutions with strong support services that tend to serve adults better might:
- Find ways to create schedules for people who work full-time or irregular hours. These could include online/hybrid class choices, or asynchronous options.
- Provide services to help adult learners like you succeed in their courses – some may even offer child care and targeted advising options.
- Do a better job of making sure that you will keep going and earn a degree, including opportunities to network with other adult learners for support.
- Offer options to help you go faster and finish your degree more quickly – and at a lower cost. (You’ll find that a growing number of these institutions offer credit for prior learning options.)
- Offer degree programs that have a good reputation with employers so that your new degree can open the door to better-paying jobs – or a different career path entirely.
You can research postsecondary institutions by location and type via the College Navigator website. And explore a list of institutions that have the highest enrollment rates of adult learners aged 25 and older.
Are you a veteran? Look into special VA education and training benefits and consider institutions that offer additional services for military-connected students.
Details are important!
Once you have a clear picture of the direction you want to take with your education, you can focus on next steps. And there are a lot of them. For example: you’ll need to understand how and when to apply for the program you’re interested in, and you should learn about the financial aid options available to adult learners.
And to help manage the cost of going back to school, it’s important to look into scholarship (free money) opportunities and to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that will help determine the different types of free aid (federal Pell grants, for example) or student loans for which you may qualify.
CAEL recently launched a new public service as a guide for prospective students researching institutions that provide CPL. Our new Credit for Prior Learning Provider Network provides a free, easy-to-use list of postsecondary institutions that offer options to recognize prior learning experiences. An interactive map allows you to search institutions by region and includes direct links to CPL resources hosted by each education provider.
Please reach out to the Center for Career Development if you would like assistance with starting a degree or returning to college to complete your degree.
901.227.3844 or cfcd@bmhcc.org
Council for Adult and Experiential Education. (2025, September). Adult Learner Resources. CAEL.org. www.cael.org
