Job Requirements and Lifelong Learning for Older Workers

Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations
A National Vocational Education and Training Research and Evaluation Program Report

Australia’s ageing population has prompted a policy focus on keeping older workers in the workforce longer. Of relevance to this is how older workers maintain and update their skills through participation in further education and training. The lower participation of older workers in training has been well documented. Reasons suggested for this have included fewer opportunities provided by employers and less time to recoup a return on the investment in training. A further factor may be whether or not there is a real need to upskill in order to stay in the labour force.

The first report from this research program looked at the relationship between individuals’ literacy and numeracy skills and their use in the workplace, and paid particular attention to older workers. This second report investigates whether this relationship between skill level and skill use affects the propensity to undertake further education and training, especially for older workers.