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CHAPTER 14
Realising the potential of older workers in Scotland 263

expected to increase significantly over the next decade. Innovative programmes
and interventions are required to support older adults update their skills and
knowledge and help them reengage in learning to improve their employability
and ensure both economic and personal needs are met. ʻTaking no action would
weaken the EUʼs ability to meet the future needs of an ageing populationʼ
(European Commission, 2009, p. 3). Paradoxically, organisations in a time of
economic austerity adopt strategies which adversely affect older workers, for
example, through adopting and executing early retirement/redundancy
programmes. The true value of the older worker, the tacit knowledge and hidden
skills which often exist can often be lost to the labour market. Further, older
adults who exit the labour market aged 50+ are less likely to reenter
employment than their younger counterparts (TAEN, 2009).
This chapter analyses development and implementation of empirical work
carried out by the University of Strathclydeʼs centre for lifelong learning. It
considers the context and challenges borne by an ageing workforce as well
as the correlation between lifelong learning and employability in later life. The
theoretical foundation is explained and the methodology of the action research
project, ʻrealising your potentialʼ, is presented before concluding with initial
findings drawn from project activity up to March 2011 and reflecting on the
challenge faced by many older adults.

14.2. Context

Writers in the field often make reference to ʻthe ageing workforceʼ, ʻolder
workersʼ and ʻlater life workingʼ (Taylor, 2002; Hollywood et al., 2003; Loretto
et al., 2005; McNair et al., 2007). It is prudent, therefore, to clarify the context
of these meanings. Older workers, the ageing workforce and later life are
defined and relate to individuals aged 50 and over, whether in full-time, part-
time or self-employment. No upper age limit is assumed as evidence collated
from the empirical work carried out includes data from individuals above the
current statutory retirement age of 65 for men and 60 for women.
Scotland has a unique demographic situation compared to the rest of the
UK with three major contributing factors:
(a) since the early 1970s total fertility rates have been below the recognised
replacement level of 2.1 births per woman resulting in fewer young people;
(b) at the same time, advances in medicine and health provision combined
with changing attitudes towards healthier lifestyles have contributed to
increasing life expectancy;