Participation in job-related ALT in Quebec and elsewhere tends to be closely linked to the age of the employees. A substantial decline can be observed in the participation rate among individuals over 55 years of age compared with other age groups (Table 3.7). This problem, which is recognized in the Five-Year Report and highlighted by the CPMT as a research priority, could soon become a priority among economic actors. Indeed, the greying of the labour force and the tendency to postpone the statutory retirement age, as well as the lack of manpower in some regions and sectors, will also require employees over 55 years of age to engage in continuing development of their skills. It is something of a paradox that it is those groups of staff whose initial education dates back furthest who benefit least from ALT activities.
For a decade now, educational gerontology Footnote 44 has deconstructed the arbitrary bases of the Malthusian view of these populations. Today, the learning capacities of these populations are recognized. OECD and CERI (2006) have reminded us of the significance that recent discoveries concerning the brain have for life-long education.
| 1997 | 2002 | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada | Quebec | Canada | Quebec | |
| Source: Statistics Canada (2003), taken from Doray and Bélanger (2006). | ||||
| a Canada-Quebec difference significant to 0.01 | ||||
| 25-34 years old | 24a | 16a | 30 | 32 |
| 35-44 years old | 25a | 18a | 27 | 25 |
| 45-54 years old | 25a | 16a | 26 | 24 |
| 55-64 years old | 14a | 9a | 17 | 16 |
| 65 years and over | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 23a | 16a | 26 | 25 |
| n=17,512 | n=4,151 | n=15,544 | n=3,664 | |
This challenge is both economic and social in nature. Companies need this expertise, and its continuing development, both to ensure cross-generational transfer of technical and professional knowledge in production units and to continue to benefit from this experienced workforce (ILO, 2001), which cannot be sure of remaining employed without access to education and training in the company. With an eye to the future of both the Quebec labour market and the quality of life of one-quarter of the population, there is a pressing need to refocus priorities in this direction and sensitize all of the economic actors to these realities.
Return to note 44 See Bélanger (1992) and Educational Gerontology: An International Journal, published by Taylor and Francis since 1976.