Continuous learning has never been more popular. Yet a gap remains between the desire to learn and actually doing something about it.
To understand what’s really going on, Learnation Group, of which 7Speaking is a part, conducted a first-of-its-kind study with Sociovision (Groupe Ifop), surveying 2,500 working adults and students. The conclusion is clear: the challenge is no longer convincing people that training is worthwhile, but making it fit into lives that are already full.
Here are the key findings, and what they mean for companies and their training teams.
Learning has become a daily habit
Training is no longer a one-off event. It’s a widespread practice that has worked its way into the week of millions of people: peer exchanges, videos, AI, reading, apps. This habit is grounded in a belief shared across all age groups and regions: lifelong learning is simply a given.
- 91% feel comfortable with the idea of lifelong learning
- 57% learn every week through contact with others (colleagues, peers, mentors)
- 8 in 10 working adults have completed at least one training course in the past three years
In a world seen as increasingly unstable, training goes beyond simply building skills: it’s a way of maintaining control over one’s future.
The real barrier isn’t motivation, it’s time
Those who don’t train aren’t short of motivation: they’re short of time. This is a practical barrier that weighs more heavily on women.
- 38% cite lack of time as their main barrier (63% overall)
- The main enablers people want to see: financial support (37%) and training during working hours (29%)
- 47% of women aged 35-44 rank a compatible schedule as their top criterion, compared with 35% on average
Training only becomes viable when it fits into everyday life, rather than being added on top of it.
Autonomy yes, isolation no
People like learning on their own, but they want a structure around them. A sign of the times: freedom, not isolation.
- 90% enjoy learning on their own, but 79% prefer a structured framework
- The top three selection criteria: quality of trainers, practical exercises, and short formats
- AI (13%) and gamification (11%) come in last
Technology makes things easier, but it’s the personal touch that drives engagement and retention. That balance is at the heart of 7Speaking’s approach.
The employer, a key driver of engagement
Working adults expect their employer to take the lead, as employers remain their main source of funding.
- 89% expect their employer to do more to encourage training
- 36% of training programmes are fully funded by the employer (12% co-funded with the CPF, 11% through the CPF alone)
- 62% say they are ready to use their CPF
The conditions are right for HR Directors and L&D teams: employees are ready to commit, provided they’re given the right framework and the means to do so.
What this means for language training
These findings are especially relevant to language learning, where consistency and regularity make all the difference. Three principles stand out:
- Design for real life: flexible formats, short sessions, a manageable pace that fits into a working week.
- Keep the human element central: quality of trainers and real interaction remain the main drivers of engagement, well ahead of any technological gimmicks.
- Use AI as an ally, not a substitute: it multiplies access and personalisation, provided it’s backed up by a personal touch.
This is precisely what drives 7Speaking: combining the flexibility of digital learning with the richness of the learning relationship, to create programmes that learners actually stick with, and complete.
Find out more
The full study, “Les Français et la formation”, covers all the results in detail: learning habits, engagement criteria, most popular formats, and expectations by age, gender and profile.
Download the full study (french)
Methodology: quantitative study conducted by Learnation Group x Sociovision (Groupe Ifop) with 2,500 respondents (2,000 working adults and 500 students), carried out between 9 and 28 April 2026.
