Thessaloniki

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Promoting lifelong learning for older
workers Cedefop AGORA

• Thessaloniki
• 12-13 October 2006
• Aviana Bulgarelli, Director, Cedefop
• aviana.bulgarelli_at_cedefop.europa.eu

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Agora is drawing on a Cedefop research arena
network -Older workers and lifelong learning

• The network brings together about 25 researchers
  to pool their knowledge and develop new ideas for
  European policy anthology just published.
• Cedefop and the International Research Institute
  of Stavenger (IRIS) are leading this project.

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Ageing Europe

• This has become a critical issue for policy
  makers in Europe hence the importance of this
  Agora.
• According to EU Lisbon benchmark older workers
  are defined as those between 55 and 64 years of
  age.
• By 2009, the size of the youngest working age
  cohort (15-24 years) will dive below the age of
  the oldest cohort (55-64 years) see next slide

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Younger and older age groups in the EU25
(1995-2030)
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What is to be done?

• The financial consequence of an ageing Europe has
  alarmed policy-makers. It is not a surprise that
  current policy debates are overshadowed by
  discussions on pension reform and increasing the
  age at which people are entitled to take their
  retirement pension.
• However, according to Vladimir Spindla, European
  Commissioner for Employment and Social Affairs,
  the problem of an ageing Europe needs to be
  addressed from many other perspectives.

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Employment, social and learning responses are
needed (1)

• Building active ageing strategies (Joint
  Employment Report, 2005/2006)
• Actions (in Member States) often rely on
  piecemeal measures in the area of tax benefits
  and pension reforms discouraging early retirement
  rather than on increasing employability and
  participation through the life cycle (Joint
  Employment Report, 2004/2005)

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Employment, social and learning responses are
needed (2)

• An earlier European Commission document focusing
  on active ageing outlined a range of issues on
  working life that need to be tackled in an
  integrated way
• adoption of a dynamic life cycle approach to a
  persons life
• creation of more jobs, while at the same time
  ensuring better quality in work
• supporting higher and adaptable skills at work
  through lifelong learning
• building partnerships between the different
  public and private stakeholders to ensure that
  the above actions are implemented.

Increasing labour force participation and
promoting active ageing (EC, 2002)
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The Lisbon strategy targets

• At the Lisbon European Council (March 2000) the
  EU set new strategic goals. By 2010 the Member
  States agreed to achieve the following targets
  relating to older workers
• An employment rate of 50 of older workers
  (55-64) by 2010.
• An average level of participation in lifelong
  learning of at least 12.5 of the adult working
  age population (25-64).

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Employment rate of older workers in 2005 (1)

• The employment rate of persons aged 55 to 64 as a
  percentage of the total population of the same
  age group.

Labour Force Survey, 2005
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Employment rate of older workers in 2005 (2)EU25
Labour Force Survey, 2005
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Employment rate of older workers in 2005 (3) -
comparison with competitor countries
Labour Force Survey, 2005
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Participation in lifelong learning 2005 (1)
very low
Labour Force Survey, 2005
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Participation in lifelong learning 2005 (2)
very low
Labour Force Survey, 2005
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Non-participation in lifelong learning by age
group
Source Eurobarometer on lifelong learning, 2002
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Lifelong learning policies for active ageing
are needed

• Adult forms of learning and training.
• Guidance and life/work-planning measures based on
  dialogue not just immediately jumping into
  specific occupational training.
• Utilise opportunities for non-formal and
  informal learning which suit older workers - most
  learning takes place informally (Descy in Cedefop
  OWLLL book).
• New training programmes in line with the above
  offered by HRD and VET professionals in companies
  and public training bodies are needed.

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Create work environments for ageing and learning

• This means building age-friendly work places
  which take the ageing process into account
  (Dworschak in Cedefop OWLLL book).
• These workplaces
• introduce ageing appropriate job design so that
  people avoid physical or mental occupational
  health risks
• promote co-responsibility for lifelong learning.

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Age-friendly work places

• Provide a supportive work environment to
  promote active ageing and continuous
  learning.
• Provide flexible work environments for employees
  as they go through the life cycle.
• Monitor work and learning motivational factors.
• Proactive measures are needed to prepare younger
  and middle-aged workers for an active ageing
  mentality.
• It is not just a question of doing something when
  people become older workers then it may be too
  late !