A Global Examination of Policies and Practices for Lifelong Learning

Continuous learning over the life course is necessary to successfully compete in a knowledge–based global economy. Workers are increasingly encouraged to remain in the labor force at older ages, which for many will require skills upgrading. While a wide range of individual and community factors play a role in whether older workers receive skills training and remain in the labor force, national policies and practices are also likely to have an influence. This nation–level study used OECD data to identify associations between participation in lifelong learning activities and outcomes such as labor force participation at older ages and income inequality. Countries with more hours spent in lifelong learning activities over the life course have higher labor force participation rates between the ages of 55 and 64 and have lower rates of income inequality. Recognizing lifelong learning as a shared responsibility among stakeholders is crucial to successful program implementation.