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Written by Tim Barnes-Clay

Over two-thirds of men have not completed any form of education since the age of 30.

The research by Open Study College, which polled 2,000 British blokes, explored the reasons behind men not wanting to invest further in their education.

It found that a quarter (24 percent) admitted to having no motivation to study, while almost half (43 percent) said they didn’t think additional qualifications were necessary to progress in their careers.

Mental Wellbeing

The survey also highlights the need to do more to help with men’s mental health:

  • Over two thirds (69 percent) of 18-30-year-olds polled said they have struggled with their mental health in the last two years.
  • 42 percent said they had taken up studying as a way of improving their mental health.
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Additional findings from the survey identified that younger generations put more importance on the need to gain qualifications:

  • 92 percent of 18–21-year-olds felt that additional qualifications were necessary to progress further in your career, compared with only 38 percent of 41-50-year-olds. 
  • Even fewer (26 percent) of 51-60-year-olds said that they felt extra qualifications are necessary.

The poll also revealed a stark contrast between generations when it comes to further education:

  • Only one in ten (11 percent) of 18-21-year-olds surveyed had stopped studying after A Levels (post-secondary education), while a third (29 percent) have gone on to study for a Master’s degree. 
  • In comparison, almost a third (29 percent) of 51-60-year-olds said they had finished their studies after GCSEs and only six percent held a Master’s degree as their highest qualification.

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