Lifelong learning, competences, career and discrimination of older workers: A critical-pedagogical analysis of international documents

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.7346/-fei-XXIII-01-25_17

Keywords:

older workers, lifelong learning, planning career, active aging, discrimination

Abstract

The general purpose of this paper is to verify whether some international documents consider the training and learning of older workers more according to a humanistic dimension or a dimension with exclusively employability-oriented objectives. The research design includes a qualitative investigation method, based on the identification of pedagogical conceptual categories present and recurring in the six different international documents under study, in order to carry out a thematic analysis of the most representative salient extracts of each conceptual category. The results of the research, on the one hand, confirmed what is present in the scientific literature of reference in which exclusively employability objectives are highlighted with regard to adult education, on the other hand, they highlighted an attempt to balance the humanistic and instrumental approaches in considering the training and learning of older workers.

Author Biography

Rosa Cera, Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici, Università degli Studi di Foggia (Italy) – rosa.cera@unifg.it

Ricercatrice confermata. Dipartimento di Studi Umanistici

References

Biesta, G. (2012). Have lifelong learning and emancipation still something to say to each other? Studies in the Education of Adults, 44(1), 5–20. https://doi.org/10.1080/02660830.2012.11661620

Biesta, G. (2022). Reclaiming a future that has not yet been: The Faure report, UNESCO’s humanism and the need for the emancipation of education. International Review of Education, 68, 655–672. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-021-09921-x

Billett, S., Le, A. H., Smith, R., & Choy, S. (2021). The kinds and character of changes adults negotiate across worklife transitions. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 40(5–6), 499–513. https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370.2021.1989723

Boffo, V., & Formenti, L. (2022). L’apprendimento permanente in Italia. Le scommesse del passato, la krisis del presente, le sfide del futuro. Un editoriale. Epale Journal, 11, 6–12. https://epale.ec.europa.eu/it/resource-centre/content/epale-journal-n11-2022-lapprendimento-permanente-italia-le-scommesse-del

Brandi, U., Hodge, S., Hoggan-Kloubert, T., Knight, E., & Milana, M. (2023). The European year of skills 2023: Skills for now and in the future? International Journal of Lifelong Education, 42(3), 225–230. https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370.2023.2212424

Burbules, N. C. (2020). Slowness as a virtue. Journal of Philosophy of Education, 54(5), 1443–1452. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9752.12495

Cera, R., Cristini, C., & Antonietti, A. (2018). Conceptions of learning, well-being, and creativity in older adults. Journal of Educational, Cultural and Psychological Studies, 18, 241–273. https://doi.org/10.7358/ecps-2018-018-cera

De Grip, A. (2021). From lifelong learning to lifelong development. The changing meaning of post-initial learning. Maastricht University, School of Business and Economics. https://roa.nl/media/2438

Dewey, J. (2014). Esperienza e educazione. Raffaello Cortina Editore. (Lavoro originale pubblicato nel 1938).

Elfert, M., & Rubenson, K. (2023). Lifelong learning: Researching a contested concept in the twenty-first century. In K. Evans, W. On Lee, J. Markowitsch, & M. Zukas (Eds.), Third International Handbook of Lifelong Learning (pp. 1219–1243). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-19592-1_48

European Commission. (2020). Piano d’azione per l’istruzione digitale 2021–2027. https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12453-Digital-education-action-plan-update-_en

European Commission. (2021a). Piano d’azione sul pilastro europeo dei diritti sociali. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar:b7c08d86-7cd5-11eb-9ac9-01aa75ed71a1.0012.02/DOC_1&format=PDF

European Commission. (2021b). Libro verde sull’invecchiamento demografico. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/IT/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52021DC0050

Fejes, A., & Dahlstedt, M. (2013). The confessing society: Foucault, confession and practices of lifelong learning. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9780203818176

Foucault, M. (2009). Security, territory, population: Lectures at the Collège de France, 1977–78 (G. Burchell, Trans.). Palgrave Macmillan.

Gramigna, A. (2023). La trama e l’ordito: Tessendo la formazione del futuro. Formazione & Insegnamento, 21(2), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.7346/fei-XXI-02-23_01

Herzog, C., Handke, C., & Hitters, E. (2019). Analyzing talk and text II: Thematic analysis. In H. Van den Bulck, M. Puppis, K. Donders, & L. Van Audenhove (Eds.), The Palgrave handbook of methods for media policy research (pp. 385–401). Palgrave Macmillan.

Jin, B., & Baumgartner, L. M. (2023). Learning and education for older adult job seekers. New Directions for Adult & Continuing Education, 2023(179), 79–90. https://doi.org/10.1002/ace.20504

Kinnari, H., & Silvennoinen, H. (2023). Subjectivities of the lifelong learner in ‘humanistic generation’—Critical policy analysis of lifelong learning policies among discourses of UNESCO, the Council of Europe and the OECD. International Journal of Lifelong Education, 42(4), 424–440. https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370.2023.2234089

Knight, K., Brandi, U., Hodge, S., Hoggan-Kloubert, T., & Milana, M. (2023). What’s in a name—Lifelong education or development? International Journal of Lifelong Education, 42(6), 527–531. https://doi.org/10.1080/02601370.2023.2289284

Knowles, M. S. (1980). The modern practice of adult education: From pedagogy to andragogy. The Adult Education Company.

Krekula, C., & Vickerstaff, S. (2020). The ‘older worker’ and the ‘ideal worker’: A critical examination of concepts and categorisations in the rhetoric of extending working lives. In Á. Ní Léime, J. Ogg, M. Rašticová, D. Street, C. Krekula, M. Bédiová, & I. Madero-Cabib (Eds.), Extended working life policies: International gender and health perspectives (pp. 29–45). Springer.

Lakomý, M. (2023). Effects of digital skills and other individual factors on retirement decision making and their gender differences. European Journal of Ageing, 20(38), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10433-023-00784-9

Lössbroek, J., & Radl, J. (2019). Teaching older workers new tricks: Workplace practices and gender training differences in nine European countries. Ageing and Society, 39(10), 2170–2193. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X1800079X

Luke, J., & McIlveen, P. (2024). Older workers and post-retirement employment: A proposed decent work agenda. Australian Journal of Career Development, 33(3), 221–230. https://doi.org/10.1177/10384162241278

Maslow, A. H. (1943). A theory of human motivation. Psychological Review, 50(4), 370–396. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054346

Miguel, I., et al. (2024). Perspectives on perceived workplace age discrimination and engagement: The moderating role of emotion regulation. Educational Gerontology, 50(9), 833–844. https://doi.org/10.1080/03601277.2024.2344370

Narushima, M., Liu, J., & Diestelkamp, N. (2018). Lifelong learning in active ageing discourse: Its conserving effect on wellbeing, health and vulnerability. Ageing and Society, 38(4), 651–675. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0144686X16001136

OECD. (2020). Promoting an age-inclusive workforce: Living, learning and earning longer. OECD Publishing. https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/promoting-an-age-inclusive-workforce_59752153-en.html

OECD. (2023). Retaining talent at all ages. OECD Publishing. https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/retaining-talent-at-all-ages_00dbdd06-en.html

OECD. (2024). Career paths and engagement of mature workers. OECD Publishing. https://www.oecd.org/content/dam/oecd/en/topics/policy-issues/ageing-and-employment/Career-Paths-and-Engagement-of-Mature-Workers.pdf

Polanyi, M. (1983). The tacit dimension. Routledge & Kegan Paul.

Rogers, C. (1969). Freedom to learn: A view of what education might become. Merrill.

Rogers, C., & Freiberg, H. J. (1993). Freedom to learn (3rd ed.). Merrill Wright.

Schmidt-Lauff, S. (2023). Time and temporalities in (adult) education and learning. Sisyphus, 11(1), 6–9. https://doi.org/10.25749/sis.29952

Seerangan, C., & Venkata Ravi, R. (2024). The crucial role of intergenerational learning in the era of digital transformation. International Journal of Cultural Studies and Social Sciences, 20(1), 1–15.

Sterns, H. L., & Spokus, D. M. (2019). Training the older workers: Pathways and pitfalls. In S. J. Czaja, J. Sharit, & J. B. James (Eds.), Current and emerging trends in aging and work (pp. 259–278). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-24135-3_13

Trujillo-Torres, J. M., Aznar-Díaz, I., Cáceres-Reche, M. P., Mentado-Labao, T., & Barrera-Corominas, A. (2023). Intergenerational learning and its impact on the improvement of educational processes. Education Sciences, 13(10), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci13101019

UNESCO. (2021). Embracing a culture of lifelong learning – Lifelong learning in ageing societies: Lessons from Europe. Institute for Lifelong Learning. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000377820

Wulff, A. L., & Lassen, A. J. (2024). Capacity for competence development: Unlocking potential for lifelong learning in later working life. Journal of Aging & Social Policy, 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/08959420.2024.2349492

World Health Organisation. (2002). Active ageing: A policy framework (No. WHO/NMH/NPH/02.8). World Health Organization. https://extranet.who.int/agefriendlyworld/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/WHO-Active-Ageing-Framework.pdf

Published

2025-04-30

How to Cite

Cera, R. (2025). Lifelong learning, competences, career and discrimination of older workers: A critical-pedagogical analysis of international documents. Formazione & Insegnamento, 23(1), 140–148. https://doi.org/10.7346/-fei-XXIII-01-25_17