Job-related further education of the elderly in Europe: Do institutions matter?

Abstract

Abstract People in the late employment age are rarely involved in job-related further education in Europe. The article investigates national differences in the participation in continuing education for older people from an institutional-theoretical perspective, taking into account that institutions function in conjunction with one another. Connections between institutional configurations of the labour market and education system for the relative disadvantages of older people in further education in 26 European countries are examined and it is illustrated that institutional configurations are very important for the explanation of disparities in further education. In particular, the existence of far-reaching state and company structures concerning continuing education and a dual vocational training system are crucial for low disadvantages of older people in the adult education system.

Keywords

• Job-related further education
• Lifelong Learning
• Labour market institutions
• Educational institutions
• Adult Education Survey
• Qualitative Comparative Analysis