Sarah Vickerstaff Chris Phillipson and
Wendy Loretto
Training and Development: the
Missing Part of the Extending
Working Life (EWL) Agenda?
The last decade in the UK
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Unprecedented policy reform and development across a
number of spheres which impacts upon extending
working lives issues for example: equalities legislation;
abolition of the default retirement age; right to request
flexible employment extended to all employees.
Until recently no real attempt to coordinate policies or
think about EWL in a joined up way.
UK Government appointed a Business Champion for
older workers to shift the culture towards acceptance of
extended or ‘fuller’ working lives.
The first report of the Business Champion called for a
National Strategy for Skills and Adult learning to include:
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Financial support for part-time study and student loans at any age
Midlife career reviews
Funding for mature apprentices
Tax breaks for employer-funded training for older workers.
On the ground
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Prospects for such a strategy to work are not
promising, we look at 3 aspects:
 The employment context for older workers.
 The current state of training and
development initiatives.
 The agenda for supporting older workers
that is needed.
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The employment context for older workers in
the UK
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Employment rate for 50-64 year olds has risen
from 62% to 67% between 2001-1013.
More remarkable the doubling of those over 65
working: reaching 10% by 2014.
This increase mainly comprised of those in
long-term employment of long term selfemployment; that is retention rather than
recruitment.
The proportion of those over 50 working parttime has declined over the last decade.
Training and career development of older
workers
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Workplace Employment Relations Study 2011
Number of days’ training received in previous year
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Number
of
Under 50
days’ training
50 and over
None
29.2
38.1
< 1 day
12.8
12.7
1 - <2
17.2
16.8
2 - <5
23.2
20.5
5 - <10
10.5
8.0
10+
7.0
3.9
100%
100%
Less training for older workers
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Regression analysis showed that the lower
incidence of training among those aged 50 and
above cannot entirely be accounted for either
by the roles they occupy or the length of time in
the job.
The evidence is for a decline in training
affecting all occupational groups.
However, older workers in low-skilled
occupations are the least likely to receive
training.
Part-timers and self employed also receive less
training than the full-time employed.
Percentage of people reporting doing some learning*
by age group (UK) (1997-2010)
Source: NALS 1997-2010. * formal, non-formal and informal learning
Proportion reporting taking part in formal education
or training in the last 12 months (50 plus)
Source: ELSA w1-w5
Policy challenges in workforce development for
older workers
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Many current ideas are about ‘plugging skills
gaps’ rather than a broader view of lifelong
learning and development and the need for
later life career management.
Older workers are less likely to have informal
conversations with their manager about their
job or formal performance appraisals than
prime age workers.
Challenging the narrow approach
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Requires action in at least three areas:
 Rethinking the type of training which older
workers receive
 Widening opportunities for the unemployed,
self-employed and those working part-time
 Identifying a more prominent role for
colleges and universities
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Rethinking the type of training which older
workers receive
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Evidence that employers or line managers
discourage older workers from training, but
Older workers themselves may rule themselves
out.
There is little robust evidence on whether older
workers need different approaches to training
and development, but some studies suggest
small amounts of training can reverse cognitive
decline and assist retention of new skills.
With a more age diverse workforce attention
needs to be given to new ways of delivering
work-based training.
Widening opportunities for the unemployed,
self-employed and those working part-time
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Since the financial crisis of 2008 training for the
unemployed has focused on preparing young
people for the labour market.
Greater exploitation of e-learning and computer
assisted training might be useful for the part
time or self employed worker.
Specific obligations on employers to expand
training as a precondition for creating
nonstandard forms of employment.
Make further training a legal entitlement for
those changing careers or moving into bridge
employment.
Identifying a more prominent role for colleges
and universities
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The number of baby boomers wishing to take
advantage of further and higher education
opportunities are likely to increase.
Colleges could experiment with new types of
career development courses aimed at those in
midlife.
There is a role for researchers to test new
types of training for a more diverse workforce.
Colleges could develop courses aimed at those
who have experiences educational
disadvantage throughout their lives.
Conclusion
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There is a wealth of evidence to demonstrate
that training and development opportunities for
older workers are more limited than for younger
workers.
Policy on training and development at
organisational and state levels is currently
failing to take the implications of an ageing
workforce into consideration.
There is no shortage of good ideas about how
training and development could support
extending working lives
There is little evidence of an appetite for major
reform.