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Working and ageing
280 Guidance and counselling for mature learners

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health authority staff, particularly those involved in care disciplines ( ). Table
14.3 shows these results in more detail.
In contrast, experience of using online learning among civil service (83%)
participants was significantly higher than among participants in health authority
(40%) and the other eight groups (34%). Again, this may be explained by
environmental differences, with civil service participants operating in a call
centre environment.

Table 14.3. Participation rates of individuals in formal learning over
time by group

Time-scale < 2 years 2-5 years 5-10 years 10+ years
Civil service 6% – – 94%

Health authority 40% 13% 20% 27%
Other eight groups 8% 12% 16% 64%

Source: Centre for lifelong learning, 2011.

Finally, when comparing the likelihood of working beyond statutory
retirement, both civil service (22%) and health authority (20%) participants
indicated significantly higher that they were unlikely to work beyond statutory
retirement age compared with participants from the other eight groups (4%).
This would appear to support Loretto and Whiteʼs (2006) findings that
incentives provided in the public sector may influence retirement decisions.

14.8.5. Implications for policy
Scottish government policy on information, advice and guidance must
consider the unique needs of older workers and provide a more appropriate
and inclusive service. Currently, 78% of participants are unaware of the
national all age guidance service and 80% are unlikely to, or unsure whether
to, access the services offered. This poses serious challenges for policy-
makers in ensuring that a growing section of the population is not excluded
and isolated from accessing appropriate information, advice and guidance.
The strategy adopted by the national skills agency is to invest heavily in an
online guidance service to reduce the future cost of personalised one-to-one

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( ) Care sector regulations introduced in 2000 (Care Standards Act 2000) aimed to improve the quality
of care and raise the standard of qualified staff working in the sector by ensuring staff were qualified
to level 2 or above of the Scottish vocational qualifications/national vocational qualifications.