Acquiring Higher Levels of Education as an Adult Learner: Implications for Active Ageing

Abstract

‘Active ageing’ has emerged as an important response to the ageing of many societies, in part because it is thought to lead to positive outcomes such as increased employment, productivity, health and well-being into older ages. Education for adults in mid and later life can play a key role in fostering active ageing and positive outcomes. This chapter presents results of an analysis of the relationship between gaining a qualification as a mature learner (36 or over) and active ageing in later life, and examines the probability of being employed and continuing to learn in later life. The analysis is based on data made available by the 2012 Survey of Adult Skills (also known as the Programme for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies – PIAAC). Results show that adults who attain higher levels of qualifications in mid and later life are associated with an increased probability of being employed, and of participating in employer supported adult education, when they are older. The most substantial results are associated with higher education qualifications attained in mid to later life. In terms of implications for higher education systems and policy, open and flexible formal education structures at all levels may help facilitate employment of adults and continuing engagement in job-related types of informal and non-formal learning into older ages.