It is much tougher to look for another job afterwards, despite new training, since the training may not directly relate to the changes in the job which have come about during those years. Expanding global awareness has also led to an interest in other cultures and desire for exposure to different social, cultural, economic, and religious environments. More significantly, the rising cost of living and tightening labor markets have led to more two-income families. It is no longer possible for many to return to school while their spouse works to support the family. And there is an increasing need to balance academic involvements with work and family commitments.
People are less able to pick up and move for whatever reason.
Increasingly rapid changes in the work environment are bringing about a need for periodic retraining. There is a growing demand for employees with diverse and continually evolving skills, unlike the industrial era when the skills needed for different jobs were relatively fixed. Adults especially need to be able to begin courses at any time, rather than at the beginning of the traditional semesters. All of these developments are also leading to a growing social acceptance of distance education.