"The willingness to learn new skills is very high"
About this Quote
A simple sentence becomes a statement of faith in human adaptability. Angela Merkel, a scientist by training and a pragmatic political leader, points to a truth often obscured by alarm about automation, globalization, and rapid change: most people are not resistant to learning. They are ready to adapt if given a fair chance. The barrier is less about motivation and more about pathways, time, and support.
During her years guiding Germany through financial shocks, digital transformation, and demographic shifts, Merkel repeatedly emphasized lifelong learning as the hinge of resilience. It aligns with the German tradition of apprenticeships and the dual education system, where skills are continually refreshed in partnership between schools and industry. As manufacturing digitized under the banner of Industry 4.0 and services moved online, she framed upskilling not as a luxury but as the backbone of competitiveness and social cohesion.
The line also redirects responsibility. If willingness is high, then governments, employers, and institutions must match it with access: flexible training, recognition of prior learning, digital infrastructure, and safety nets that let workers learn without risking their livelihoods. It calls for modular courses, employer-supported study time, portable credentials, and clear bridges between old roles and new ones. It also implies dignifying learning at every stage of life, not just for the young or elite.
There is a moral dimension as well as an economic one. A society that believes its people are eager to learn will invest in them; a society that doubts this will resign itself to inequality and polarization. Merkel’s steady optimism is not naive. It is conditional: if we meet people where they are, if we reduce bureaucratic friction, if we reward curiosity, the latent appetite to learn becomes a public asset. Confidence in that willingness becomes both a mandate and a measure of responsible leadership.
During her years guiding Germany through financial shocks, digital transformation, and demographic shifts, Merkel repeatedly emphasized lifelong learning as the hinge of resilience. It aligns with the German tradition of apprenticeships and the dual education system, where skills are continually refreshed in partnership between schools and industry. As manufacturing digitized under the banner of Industry 4.0 and services moved online, she framed upskilling not as a luxury but as the backbone of competitiveness and social cohesion.
The line also redirects responsibility. If willingness is high, then governments, employers, and institutions must match it with access: flexible training, recognition of prior learning, digital infrastructure, and safety nets that let workers learn without risking their livelihoods. It calls for modular courses, employer-supported study time, portable credentials, and clear bridges between old roles and new ones. It also implies dignifying learning at every stage of life, not just for the young or elite.
There is a moral dimension as well as an economic one. A society that believes its people are eager to learn will invest in them; a society that doubts this will resign itself to inequality and polarization. Merkel’s steady optimism is not naive. It is conditional: if we meet people where they are, if we reduce bureaucratic friction, if we reward curiosity, the latent appetite to learn becomes a public asset. Confidence in that willingness becomes both a mandate and a measure of responsible leadership.
Quote Details
| Topic | Learning |
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