Seven in ten people who undertake adult education or training to get a better or different job say their course helped them to achieve their goal, according to a new survey.

And among those who set out to improve their job satisfaction or progress their career generally, 90% and 87% respectively reported that their learning had helped them realise their ambitions.

The results are contained in the final report of the first National Learner Satisfaction Survey (NLSS) for Wales, commissioned by the post-16 education and training body ELWa.

An interim report from the study of 6,000 further education, workplace and community learners, showed that more than 70% were “very or extremely satisfied,” with their experiences.

Positive outcomes in terms of job or career improvement were highest among workplace learners, where a total of 77% of those who wanted a better job said learning new skills had helped them to achieve this. Sixty-three per cent of the total said it “helped a lot.”

In further education 49% said their course helped a lot and 20% said it helped a little in securing a better job.

While job progression was a lower priority among community-based learners - with only 28% giving this as a principal reason for signing on to a course – a big majority (76%), nevertheless, said it helped them a lot in gaining new skills.

* NLSS was based on more than 6,000 telephone interviews by NOP World with further education students, workplace trainees and community-based learners.