Getting new qualifications can be a gateway
into a new career, according to an adult learner.
An article has drawn attention to how lifelong learning can give people's confidence a boost.
Grown-ups across the country have gone back to school to take their GCSEs - some will be doing it in order to be able to help their children do homework, while others will be seeking to improve their job or promotion prospects.
Some people also decide in later life that they want to go to university and start building up the qualifications they never achieved while at school.
The Telegraph looked at one GCSE maths course in London, where 16 men and women are partway through their year-long course.
Jon Silvers, who is 31, told the newspaper about his plan to go to university and how this had involved getting basic qualifications in maths and English at City Lit in Covent Garden.
"I left school with just a C in art," he said. "I suppose in those days I had different priorities, but in my 20s I had a change of heart.
"Now I'm studying GCSE English and planning to go to university. All of a sudden, I have a new-found confidence in myself."
Maths and English are becoming essential to have for almost any job and especially so for those who want to be teachers - as the article also noted.
According to Directgov, the government's public information and online service guide: "Whether you're looking for a job or looking to get on in your career, improving your skills for work can open up new opportunities."
There are many different ways to get back into education and some people find e-learning courses are flexible and convenient.
>> learndirect can help you improve your English and Maths skills with courses across a range of levels.
Also see how Learning through Work offers an alternative route to University Level Qualifications and training.