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CHAPTER 9
Changing patterns of guidance, learning and careers of older workers in Europe 181

of work because of changed responsibilities and older workers seeking a
career change are all groups which could benefit from improved access to
career information, advice and guidance. Additionally, policy could give greater
emphasis to the value of career guidance in helping individuals articulate and
possibly align goals, expectations, development strategies and outcomes in
relation to learning and career development.
Many older workers in our sample were committed to learning and
development, so a lack of engagement with learning is not a function of age
per se. It is partly about access to opportunities to learn and partly about
motivation, so for those who have not engaged in learning for some time then
involving them in identifying the type of learning with which they want to
engage is critical. This approach underpins both union learning provision and
some State-funded CVT provision. Older workers could also be encouraged
to become coaches, mentors or trainers.

9.3. Conclusions and recommendations:
career guidance for older workers

Policy-makers and practitioners should consider the following points of
leverage in trying to engage more older workers in learning and development
and to keep them in the labour market for longer. It is important to recognise
the importance of the personal dimension in generating commitment to
continuing learning; consider the idea of using key transition points to help
target provision; and to acknowledge the significance of networks in
supporting skill development at work. These points could be aligned with the
four priority areas of the Council of the European Union resolution on lifelong
guidance (2008). The key priorities of the resolution are: developing career
management skills; easing access to guidance services for all citizens;
improving quality assurance mechanisms in guidance delivery; and supporting
guidance policy coordination and cooperation in Member States.
In this study most of the sample was in (highly) skilled employment and,
although many had undertaken lower-skilled work at some point in their career,
they still remain a particular segment of this age cohort. They are, however, a
significant group in that their experience of continuing substantive learning and
development underlines the need to adopt a differentiated approach to the
needs of this cohort. They do not fit the stereotype of older workers reluctant
to engage in learning and development and a deficit model of support for
engagement in learning and development would be inappropriate. It would