The proportion of Rotorua residents with formal qualifications has risen slightly but is still well below the national average, according to new figures.
Nationally, 79 per cent of adults had qualifications according to 2013 census statistics, up from 75 per cent in 2006.
In Rotorua, just 63 per cent held a qualification from Level 1 certificate to a doctorate degree, a 1 per cent increase from the 2006 census data.
Careers Network director Gary McAuliffe said it was concerning Rotorua had only seen a 1 per cent increase when there had been a national 4 per cent increase.
"There is quite a disparity between the figures and I think the community needs to talk about where we're at and where we want to be in terms of education.
"Unfortunately I think Rotorua does not yet have a true learning culture and while there are good things happening in town around improving education, it's an intergenerational problem." He said there were a number of contributing factors to Rotorua's lower than average figures.
"The fact that the population is stagnant and we don't have a university will be contributing to the lower statistics. Many of the city's young talent leave school to go to university and many do not return so wouldn't be counted in the Rotorua statistics.
"Education is the most valuable thing people can buy but unfortunately people take a more vested interest in buying a house or car. It's all about changing societal perceptions of study and the quality of qualifications available."
Rotorua Careers Expo Trust chairwoman Sheryl Hewitson said initiatives like this week's careers expo were a good source of information about qualifications available.
"We've noticed at this year's expo there have been more adults coming in looking to retrain. Students in Rotorua often enter base jobs after leaving school and after a few years, realise they want to progress and look for training opportunities.
"I think it will take several years for Rotorua to catch up to the national average but the one per cent increase at least shows the city is making progress on that front."