Almost a third, or 31% of adults in Latvia want to acquire skills that would help them change careers or obtain a new profession, according to a survey conducted by the State Education Development Agency (VIAA) and the research company Norstat Latvija, writes LETA.
As reported by the LETA agency, the organizers of the adult education campaign "Update Your Skills and Knowledge!" stated that another 20% of adults would like to learn digital skills, while 19% want to improve existing skills necessary for their current job. At the same time, 27% of respondents found it difficult to answer which professional skills are most needed at the moment.
When asked about the biggest obstacles to starting education, 33% indicated that they lack motivation and confidence in the necessity of training. A lack of time limits 26% of respondents, while financial difficulties affect 19% of adults. 16% found it difficult to answer what prevents them from starting to learn.
According to the chairperson of the Latvian Association for Career Development Support, Dace Briede-Zalite, adults are most often held back by internal barriers and psychological obstacles — doubts, past unsuccessful learning experiences, and a lack of self-confidence. This is why it is important for people to have practical support tools, including career counseling and mentoring programs that help navigate career crossroads and changing labor market conditions.
Survey data shows that the greatest motivation to learn for the purpose of changing careers or acquiring a new profession is observed among young adults — in the age group of 18 to 39 years, 41% of respondents indicated this. The desire to acquire digital skills becomes more pronounced after the age of 40 — in the groups from 40 to 59 years, this was noted by 18–19%, and among those aged 60 and older, it was already 29% of respondents. In younger age groups (under 39 years), only 14–16% of residents consider acquiring digital skills a priority.
The online survey conducted by VIAA and Norstat Latvija took place in October 2025, with 1,013 residents of Latvia aged 18 to 74 participating.
