It’s never too late to learn

Abstract

Purpose – This article aims to review the changing demographics of employment and it proceeds to critically examine the existing literature on later-career workers’ experiences of training and development. Population ageing in developed economies has significant implications for workplace learning, given suggestions that most occupational learning for later-career workers occurs on-the-job within the workplace. The literature suggests that later-career workers receive very little formal occupational training. However, significant gaps are revealed in the existing research knowledge of the extent and nature of older workers learning particularly with regard to incidental learning in the workplace. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative empirical investigation has been conducted among later-career managerial workers and the visual elicitation methodology adopted is detailed. Findings – The results of the investigation show how the later-career managers in question were learning extensively, albeit incidentally, from workplace challenges specifically those associated with their responsibilities and from interacting with their managers, teams and external stakeholders. Originality/value – The article draws conclusions for policymakers and those tasked with ensuring the continued learning and development of an ageing workforce.