It’s never too late to learn

What is it about?

This article reviews the changing demographics of employment and then proceeds to critically examine the existing literature on later-career workers’ experiences of training and development. The literature suggests that later-career workers receive very little formal occupational training. However, a qualitative empirical study using visual-elicitation interviews with later-career managers, reveals significant gaps in the existing research knowledge of the extent and nature of older workers learning particularly with regard to incidental learning in the workplace. The investigation shows how the later-career managers in question were learning extensively, albeit incidentally, from workplace challenges specifically those associated with their responsibilities and from interacting with their managers, teams and external stakeholders.

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Why is it important?

In showing show how later-career managers were learning extensively, albeit incidentally, from workplace challenges specifically those associated with their responsibilities and from interacting with their managers, teams and external stakeholders, the article draws conclusions for policymakers and those tasked with ensuring the continued learning and development of an ageing workforce.