Education level explains participation in work and education later in life

• Published in: Educational gerontology Vol. 43; no. 10; pp. 511 - 521
• Main Authors: Bjursell, Cecilia, Nystedt, Paul, Björklund, Anita, Sternäng, Ola
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Routledge 01.01.2017
• Subjects: Age Differences; Continuing Education; Educational Attainment; Employment; Foreign Countries; Gender Differences; Older Adults; Surveys; Sweden
• ISSN: 0360-1277; 1521-0472; 1521-0472
• DOI: 10.1080/03601277.2017.1357397

A prolonged working life is crucial for sustaining social welfare and fiscal stability for countries facing ageing populations. The group of older adults is not homogeneous; however, differences within the group may affect the propensity to continue working and to participate in continuing education. The aim of this paper is to explore how participation in work and education vary with gender, age, and education level in a sample of older adults. The study was performed in Sweden, a context characterized by high female labour-market-participation rates and a high average retirement age. The participants were 232 members of four of the major senior citizens' organizations. We found no differences in participation in work and education based on gender. People older than 75 years were found to be as active as people 65-75 years old in education, but the older group worked less. There were positive associations between education level and participation in both work and education. Hence, this study implies that socio-economic inequalities along these dimensions are widened later in life. This highlights the importance of engaging workers with lower education levels in educational efforts throughout life. It also emphasizes the need for true lifelong learning in society.