Lame. Lame. Learning. This is still a widespread myth when it comes to acquiring knowledge and skills. And wrongly so. Firstly, learning today can be interactive, entertaining and activating. Secondly, learning is not specifically limited to just one phase of life, school and training. On the contrary. Learning is a life task. Learning takes place in different contexts. Learning is independent of age. And learning can be fun. After all, digitization and new learning formats make it possible to acquire know-how that is far removed from dusty textbook knowledge.

Cherry pie and coding

What do cherry pie and coding have in common? You're not born with either skill. But that's about it for the similarities. After all, many people learn to bake cherry pie in the course of their lives, just as casually. Via YouTube tutorial, online recipe or with a look in the baking book. And then just do it. Taste it. Do it again. Done. Self-learning deluxe. And coding???

EU definition Lifelong Learning (LLL).
"The term Lifelong Learning refers to continuous learning that is not limited to a single, specific phase of life, namely the school years, but that takes place in different situations as well as areas throughout life."

This refers to any type of knowledge acquisition that serves to improve knowledge, qualifications, and competencies and takes place within the context of a personal, civic, social, or employment-related perspective. So cherry pie AND coding. However, an EU-funded trend shift is clearly towards focusing content on its purpose-orientation for tomorrow's work. Or in other words: in the direction of coding & co. Not cherry pie.

Are you still chilling - or are you already learning?

The attitude toward lifelong learning is not a nice-to-have, but a must-do due to digitization. Because digital knowledge changes quickly. Very quickly. And soon exponentially, thanks to AI. Those who continuously invest in their own digital value will score points here.
The key is to choose training programs that fit into your own (working) life. Learning with a reference book. Or via e-learning with a tutorial. Or remote learning in one of our IT bootcamps. Or on-site learning in one of our IT bootcamps. The format doesn't matter - as long as it fits your life. Success is determined by motivation, i.e. one's own attitude towards acquiring knowledge. In other words, the willingness to be open to new things and to face one's own ignorance with an open mind.

Benefits Lifelong Learning:

• Increased self-efficacy

• Discovering own potentials and talents

• Improvement of soft and hard skills

• Increased self-confidence

• Recognition of personal interests and goals

Digital literacy for all generations & genders

Writing, reading, calculating, programming. Everyone should be able to do this today. Because that's the basis for understanding electronic data processing and staying up-to-date. After all, the world of work is subject to constant change. New technologies are expanding many existing jobs, redefining them or replacing them. This demands a lot from everyone. Digital competence is the basis for keeping an eye on one's own professional opportunities.
Women in particular often underestimate the potential that lies in an IT job for them. We see this time and again in our bootcamps. Yet many IT jobs offer flexible and lucrative working conditions. Part-time. Full-time. Remote. Great development opportunities. Agile teams. International environment. Great salaries. Any questions? 
The perfect IT career entry is also best fully flexible adapted to your own life situation, like our Data Part-Time Bootcamp. For women. For mothers. For everyone.
Because digitization in Germany needs everyone! It can only succeed if women are included and children and young people know how to master computers and other digital media. The example of the Hacker School shows how even children can easily learn programming through play. 

Lifelong Learning - the career turbo

The message behind the concept of lifelong learning is that it's never too late to acquire missing skills. It's just that many people don't expect it. But if you want to learn something specific, you will usually succeed. Because the decisive factor is one's own attitude toward it. Do I really want this? Or better: Do you really want to learn IT Project Management or Java Development or cherry pie baking?

"The ability to engage in lifelong learning is the component of success for free professional development."

For lifelong learning to become a career booster for you, you should definitely learn content that will enable you to master current and future challenges and that matches your personal interests. A little tip: It has been proven that knowledge acquisition works better together than alone. Look for suitable learning tools. Find learning partners! Make continuing education an integral part of your life! Continuous training in particular is the basis for your own free professional development.
Companies that do not support continuing education risk being left behind. There is a lot of catching up to do. After all, a large proportion of Germans are lagging behind in this area. In 2022, for example, the proportion of 25- to 64-year-olds in the EU who had taken part in a general or professional training measure in the last four weeks was ONLY 11.9%. And that is still thanks to Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands and Finland. Because by far the most people learned in these countries.

Conclusion: The jobs of the future will demand personality and ability, but also lifelong learning, so-called liquid skills. Because a new era of linked, conceptual and metacognitive knowledge has begun. Thus, constant training will become an indispensable basis for employability with career potential. But don't panic: Thanks to digitization, learning is easier today than ever before.