Adult education: a space for transformation and meaning creation in the service of career and professional development

January 8, 2026

Adult education takes place in a context marked by change and diversity in life paths, employability, and the need forlifelong learning. The goal is to support a virtuous approach to development in an individual's various spheres of activity: primarily their private life, professional life, and community life. Adult education is far from being a simple extension of schooling; it constitutes a specific field of educational science: andragogy[1].

Adult learners are not a "blank slate": they come to training with a wealth of experience, knowledge, and perceptions that shape how they learn and perceive their environment. Adult education goes beyond the mere acquisition of technical skills and integrates identities into the learning process. It initiates a process of self-transformation, where learning becomes a means of reclaiming one's path, rethinking one's practices, and giving meaning to one's career development. This translates into the acquisition of cross-disciplinary skills, which complement the knowledge acquired. Adult education is therefore a powerful vehicle for adaptability and innovation, combining the preservation and creation of knowledge at different levels (micro, meso, and macroeconomic).

The Institut Supérieur de Formation Bancaire (ISFB) is convinced of the value of this approach. Its adult education program is designed to be a space for reflection and critical thinking, allowing participants to examine their professional practices, develop a deeper understanding of their work, and strengthen their ability to take action. Consequently, the training programs offered aim to link theoretical concepts to the experiences of peers, support intrinsic motivation, and promote the transferability of learning to career development contexts.

In concrete terms, the mission of ISFB trainers is to enhance these resources with those they can offer, while facilitating dialogue between peers. This recognition forms the basis of the andragogical approach, where learning becomes a co-construction of knowledge between the trainer and the learners.

Ultimately, adult education consists of creating the conditions for conscious and autonomous development, situated at the intersection between reflection on knowledge and analysis of experiences, with a view to responding to environmental challenges.

In our upcoming articles, we will explore concepts related to adult education in greater depth, focusing on the issue of creating environments that promote learning for adult learners.

Indicative references:

• Carré, P., & Caspar, P. (Eds.) (2011). Treatise on the Sciences and Techniques of Education. Paris: Dunod

[1] Definition: The science and practice of providing educational support to adults in their learning.

Joseph Baud-Grasset

Training Manager
ISFB

Graduate with a Bachelor's and Master's degree in Education Sciences – specializing in adult education (University of Geneva)