Older workers and learning through work: the need for agency and critical reflection
Author(s)
Billett, Stephen
van Woerkom, Marianne
Griffith University Author(s)
Year published
2006
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This chapter argues that all the workers are caught up in a contradictory discourse about work and remaining competent throughout their working life. While claiming to be equally valued, these workers face a lack of support. While needing to rely more on social and cultural support as a maturation processes work against them, these are not always made available. In short, in order to maintain their competence and viability as workers they are required to engage agentically with working life, perhaps more so than younger workers. So, older workers' capacity to enact a personal epistemology premised on critical reflection ...
View more >This chapter argues that all the workers are caught up in a contradictory discourse about work and remaining competent throughout their working life. While claiming to be equally valued, these workers face a lack of support. While needing to rely more on social and cultural support as a maturation processes work against them, these are not always made available. In short, in order to maintain their competence and viability as workers they are required to engage agentically with working life, perhaps more so than younger workers. So, older workers' capacity to enact a personal epistemology premised on critical reflection stands as a necessity for them to engage effectively in working life.
View less >
View more >This chapter argues that all the workers are caught up in a contradictory discourse about work and remaining competent throughout their working life. While claiming to be equally valued, these workers face a lack of support. While needing to rely more on social and cultural support as a maturation processes work against them, these are not always made available. In short, in order to maintain their competence and viability as workers they are required to engage agentically with working life, perhaps more so than younger workers. So, older workers' capacity to enact a personal epistemology premised on critical reflection stands as a necessity for them to engage effectively in working life.
View less >
Book Title
Promoting lifelong learning for older workers
Publisher URI
Copyright Statement
Promoting lifelong learning for older workers, Copyright Cedefop 2006. http://www.cedefop.europa.eu/, Copyright Cedefop, 1996-2007.