stronger emphasis needs to be placed on general competencies that will allow people to adjust to rapid changes in the labour market and have the capacity for lifelong learning due to rapidly changing skill requirements in working life lifelong learning skills upgrading and reskilling are becoming increasingly important for nontraditional learners who combine work and study andor family obligations flexible ways of provision need to be in place through workbased eleaming and distance education in addition attendance on the basis of nonformal and informal learning should be allowed