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This study explores the relevance of the kaleidoscope career model (KCM) to women’s later life career development. Qualitative interview data were gathered from 14 women in both the ‘truly’ late career and bridge employment periods using a longitudinal design. The relevance of authenticity, balance, and challenge - central parameters in the KCM - is explored, along with the particular meanings associated with those parameters. Results demonstrate that all three parameters have relevance for older working women. In addition, as compared to studies of younger women, there were several unique meanings associated with the idea of authenticity. To a somewhat lesser extent, this was also the case with balance. The meanings of challenge were notably more consistent with those found in younger samples. Practical implications of considering the KCM parameters in reference to employee retention, combating stereotypes pertaining to age, and meeting older employees’ needs for fulfilling work are also described.

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A new national strategy for vocational education and training (VET) for 2004/2010 (indexed at TD/ANTA 73.11) was agreed in principle by Ministers in June 2003 and the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) is working with its partners to develop an action plan for implementing the Strategy. The first of 12 strategies in the Strategy is ‘Increase participation and achievement, particularly by existing workers’. Mature age workers are seen as a priority group amongst this cohort. On 15 September 2003, a roundtable discussion involving a range of interested parties was held to consider the issues involved in increasing VET participation and achievement for mature age workers and to suggest a way forward. This ‘ideas for action’ paper builds on those discussions. It invites comments from all interested people, groups and organisations on any aspect of this paper. Submitted comments and ideas will be used to refine one or more national actions to form a part of the first of a series of rolling Action Plans for the National Strategy for VET: 2004-2010.

This paper is also one of the ‘think pieces’ that formed part of phase 2 of the high level review of training packages. The reports from phases 1 and 2 are indexed at TD/ANTA 74.04 and TD/ANTA 75.19. The ANTA-commissioned ‘think pieces’ are indexed from TD/ANTA 75.20 to TD/ANTA 75.23 and from TD/ANTA 75.29 to TD/ANTA 75.31. Show less

Current gerontological knowledge supports the fact that many adult and older adult workers with strong skill levels can successfully be updated and trained. They can also successfully make the transition to retirement with flexible options. They may need to have more supportive career placement situations, additional training in order to remain competitive, and assistance in planning for a successful retirement. However, this support is not age specific because it can also benefit workers at all ages by providing sophisticated hiring approaches, training and retirement planning programs targeting older workers. The recent downturn in the economy affects workers at all ages, regardless of their career stage (that is retirees, people who are about to retire, or those individuals who have just started their career). However, the available responses and options are quite different. The life span developmental approach suggests that individuals vary in career development and processes depending on where they are positioned in terms of their life cycle.

Edited excerpts from publication. Show less

This guide examines the myths and barriers that challenge many employers when considering mature aged workers and suggests steps an employer can take to resolve skills and labour shortages by taking advantage of the existing talent in the mature aged workforce. Show less

The purpose of this paper is to present findings from a new Nordic survey on social partners' policy and practice in regards to older workers. The goal of the survey was to find out to what extent the social partners in the Nordic countries have developed policies and outlined strategies, which explicitly address the demographic change and promote opportunities for lifelong learning and career development among their senior members (45+)

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The financial deficits of many social security systems caused by ageing populations and stagnating economies are forcing workers to retire later from the labour market. An extended working life combined with rapid technological progress in many sectors, is likely making older workers' skills obtained in school obsolete. In this context, lifelong investment in training is widely recognized among the international research and policy community as a key element to increase or at least limit the decline in productivity of older workers. This paper investigates the relationship between training undertaken by European older workers and their wages, relying on the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe. Under taking training activities is associated with 6.3 per cent higher wages. This premium is sizeable and is similar to that of attaining an upper or post-secondary degree instead of a primary or lower-secondary degree. Training wage premiums are highly heterogeneous across countries: they are highest in Austria, Germany, Greece, and Italy and are about half that in France and Spain. No premium is found for Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Switzerland. Training premiums of the first group of countries can be overestimated due to training endogeneity and sample selection bias.

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The National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) was contracted by the Australian National Training Authority (ANTA) to undertake a first systematic review of research related to the topic of mature-aged workers. The contract included the development of a replicable framework and infrastructure for further systematic reviews of research. This report reflects the process undertaken in developing a model for systematic reviews of research in vocational education and training (VET) in Australia. The report discusses the process undertaken for each step in the NCVER model and what was learnt from this process to aid future systematic reviews. The eight steps identified for the NCVER model are: identifying the question; developing a framework; searching for studies; selection of relevant studies; appraising quality of selected studies; synthesising the findings; presenting and disseminating the findings of the systematic review to stakeholders.

An associated report, 'The mature-aged and skill development activities: a systematic review of research' indexed at TD/TNC 82.02, outlines what was found in relation to the first review on the topic of mature-aged workers. Show less

This paper describes the arrangement in selected countries which affect the labour market position of older workers. The paper is restricted to the OECD countries. Show less

This peer reviewed journal, published quarterly, contains original research articles on gerontology. Show less