Course participation, Labour force survey, 2001

Still employees in the occupational major group Professionals take the most courses, even if the rate is lower than before with 17 per cent. In these occupations the course participant rate for women is 18 per cent and for men 16 per cent. Among managers men have a higher participant rate than women, the rate is 16 per cent for men and 13 per cent for women.

Almost 90 per cent of all participants are working full-time. The participation rate for this group is 12,3. Course participation is decreasing for employees working short part-time (less than 20 hours per week). For employees who are working long part-time, there has been a small increase from 2nd quarter -96 to 2nd quarter -01.

Most courses in financial intermediation

Employees in financial intermediation (services) have the highest participant rate with 19 per cent. In the manufacturing industries, which were the most affected by the strikes last year, the participant rate rose to 10 per cent from 8 per cent last year. In education, health and other services there is no change in the participation rate.

Age and participation in courses

The participation rate for persons 60 years or older declined from 7 per cent last year to 5 per cent this year. Employees 30-39 years of age have the highest course participant rate, with 13 per cent.

Educational background and participation in course

Never has this many employees with education on university level attended courses as this year, but because the number of employees with this educational background is increasing, the participation rate has never been this low.

Where did employees attend courses?

30 per cent of the employees, who have attended courses, have done this on their own working place. 9 per cent have had a combination of courses at their working place or classroom instruction. The rest had received only classroom instruction.

About the statistics

The figures include only courses that employees were paid to attend. What counts as a course or education is based on the evaluation of the respondent.

This survey includes only courses received during a period of four weeks. The participant rate would have been much higher if we had asked about participations the last year.