More, Different and Better

Policymakers are increasingly concerned about the ageing of society, and the rising costs of rising life expectancy. This week BBC local radio stations across the country are discussing the issues, including whether encouraging people to stay at work longer can help.

NIACE has just published a major report on age and work for older people – Older People’s Learning – following a three year study.  It found that many older people like work and want to work longer, because they enjoy the job, they like the company or they need the money.  But they want to work in more flexible ways, and after 50 a growing number feel that their skills are not being well used.

The older people at greatest risk are those with low skills, who have been in the same job for a long time. If they are made redundant after 50 they have great difficulty getting back, because they lack recent training or qualifications, and can’t prove what they can do to a new employer. The training programmes designed to help them return are often successful in improving their morale, but much less so in getting them back to work.

The report found that most older people and most employers, underestimate the need for training.  After the age of 50, workers are much less likely to train, although most older people say they train when it is offered, and most employers claim they do not favour younger workers in providing training.

The report calls for Government and employers to encourage career review for people around the age of 50, before age discrimination becomes a problem. A good career review can help people plan ahead, for what will be, for many, another 17 or more years of working life. It can help them to make career changes before age discrimination kicks in, and to make realistic plans for timing and phasing of retirement.