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Working and ageing
10 Guidance and counselling for mature learners

Increasing globalisation, intensifying international competition and greater
focus on quality of goods and services are important trends impacting on
organisations. The implication is that, at meso level, the main trend is changing
work. This leads to new skills needs and in a context of insufficient learning
skill gaps. Providing sufficient and tailored learning opportunities embedded
in active ageing policies that support career development is a core way to
address these challenges.

Figure 1.1. Main trends shaping work, labour markets and societies

Level Trends Impacts Solutions

Ageing workers Incentives
Population
Macro Skills shortages Law and regulations
ageing
Labour market exit EU tools
Learning opportunities
Changing New skill needs
Meso Active ageing policies
work Skill gaps
Self-management
Employability
Changing Learning needs
Micro
careers Mobility
Guidance and counceling

Source: Authors.

At micro level, changing careers are highlighted as a main trend, closely
linked to changing work and skill needs. They will require new forms and
content of learning and mobility. Self-management and employability are the
core concepts which are supposed to allow individuals to deal with these new
demands.
Other related trends are changing work-life patterns, flexibility in the labour
market, growing importance of R&D activities, more jobs requiring higher
education, increasing female employment and rising qualification levels
among women (OECD, 2010).