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CHAPTER 9
Changing patterns of guidance, learning and careers of older workers in Europe 177

From an individual perspective, handling interplay between opportunity
structures (Roberts, 2009) and personal agency (proactiveness) is not easy
to achieve on your own. Being able to discuss such issues with a guidance
practitioner could be useful at any time an individual is considering a major
transition, but one interesting dimension for older individuals was that it was
particularly valued because it could help make sense of their existing career
narrative as an aid to projecting into the future.

9.2.4. Intensive periods of (substantive) learning across the life course
From a career guidance perspective, it was also interesting to consider
implications of the finding that substantive learning for individuals tends to be
episodic rather than lifelong in the sense of people being engaged
continuously in substantive learning (Brown et al., 2010). Substantive learning
in this context means learning which results in a significant change in values,
attitudes or behaviour, rather than just learning a new technique, etc.
Occasionally, an individual might engage in formal education and training for
most of their working life, but it is much more common for workers to have
bouts of intensive periods of (substantive) learning across the life course.
These intensive periods of substantive learning, following initial vocational
education and training or higher education studies, are typically concerned
with either upskilling within recognised career pathways or reskilling
associated with a significant career change. The upskilling or reskilling could
comprise a formal educational programme, CVT, learning while working or a
mixture of two or more of these components.
The career trajectory of one participant illustrated an intensive period of
part-time formal learning (educational upskilling) followed by a later period of
formal training coupled with more challenging work leading to further
development, upskilling and reskilling. In 1989, Michelle started doing routine
administrative work on benefits claims straight from leaving school at 18. From
1996 to 2000 she completed a skilled worker qualification and then a degree
which led to career development: first, in becoming a trainer, then an
operations manager before becoming a regional trainer. She then completed
a range of specialist advanced level vocational qualifications from 2005 to
2009 which equipped her to take a job in a new sector (health) as a manager
with responsibilities for business change based upon IT systemic change and
for measuring the benefits of such deployments.
How learning at work is coupled with career progression influences how
individuals engage in continuing learning (in some contexts after initial
recruitment, promotion is almost wholly dependent upon performance at work,