Future of an ageing population: Evidence review
Future of an ageing population: Evidence review
Governments hold a wealth of knowledge on skills development, and are increasingly realizing the value of learning from each others’ experiences. Their policy documents, programme evaluations, and research findings contain their experience and ideas on how to better link skills to employment
Experts from many international, regional and national agencies generously share their views, experiences and findings on skills, helping policy-makers among other stakeholders to understand the linkages between education, training and the world of work, and how to integrate skills into national development planning to promote employment and economic growth.
There is a critical need for a greater overall investment in education and training, particularly in developing countries. Education and training investments should be closely linked to economic and employment growth strategies and programmes. Responsibility should be shared between the government (primary responsibility), enterprises, the social partners, and the individual. To make lifelong learning for all a reality, countries will need to make major reforms of their vocational and education and training systems. School-to-work schemes for young people should integrate education with workplace learning. Training systems need to become more flexible and responsive to rapidly changing skill requirements. Reforms should also focus on how learning can be facilitated, not just on training for specific occupational categories.
Access for all to good quality education, vocational training and workplace learning is a fundamental principle of social cohesion and economic growth. Some groups of people may require targeted attention if they are to benefit from education, training and employment opportunities.
This is particularly the case for disadvantaged youth, lower skilled workers, people with disabilities, and people in rural communities. The attractiveness of vocational education and training is enhanced when combined with entrepreneurship training and when public policies encourage utilization of higher skills by business.
Working papers, reports, and other publications from international organizations, academic institutions and bilateral agencies. Research findings to stimulate informed debate on skills, employment and productivity issues.
How can lifelong learning, including continuous training within the labour market, be enabled and who will pay for this? Looking forward to 2025 and 2040 how might this evolve?
There has been growing pressure to increase the skill levels across the United Kingdom economy to ensure that as the population ages people are able to remain both healthy and productive. Providing support and opportunities for people to continue learning and training throughout life will be critical to the success of current policies that emphasise extended or fuller working lives. Encouraging and supporting lifelong learning will be an important component in this process. Lifelong learning encompasses anything from everyday activities, such as reading a newspaper, to more demanding activities, such as studying for a degree. Three broad types of lifelong learning can be identified: formal learning, non-formal learning and informal learning, with the evidence indicating that people aged 50 and over are more likely to engage in the last two.
This report examines trends in lifelong learning, with a particular focus on analysing future labour participation rates amongst adults aged 50 and over in the UK. This review considers how lifelong learning, including work-based training, can be enabled, what challenges are faced and how this could be financed.
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