One in three UK employees in the UK are over the age of 50*, but a large proportion of this generation are being overlooked for workplace training opportunities and locked out of opportunities to upskill and re-skill in today’s rapidly evolving workplaces.
Over half of over 55s haven’t received any management or leadership training in their current role. Employees in the 23 – 38 age bracket were most likely to have participated in management and leadership training in their current role, with two-thirds (67%) having received training to support the development of their management or leadership skills in their current job.
Over half of over 55s (55%) haven’t received any technical skills training on how to use digital tools and technologies, such as ChatGPT, from their employer in the past twelve months. This is over twice the number of younger adults aged 18 – 25 (27%) who haven’t received training in these critical areas in the past year.
The findings are from Corndel’s Workplace Training Report 2024, based on research conducted with 1,000 UK employees and 250 HR decision makers at large organisations**.
Furthermore, employees aged over 55 are also least likely to have received workplace training around ‘human’ management skills, such as empathy, mental health awareness and emotional intelligence, with only 25% who have received training in these areas in comparison to an average 39% across all age groups.
Over 55s value professional development and aren’t confident in their current skills set
Over half of over 55s (54%) say professional development is an important factor in their decision to stay with an organisation, suggesting employers need to shift their thinking around offering training and development for employees who are in their fifties and over. Worryingly, one in five over 55s (19%) don’t feel confident enough in their current skill set to find new employment or pivot their career if they were to lose their current job. In contrast, less than one in ten (8%) under 55s didn’t feel confident in their ability to find a new job or pivot their career with their current skill set.
James Kelly, co-founder and CEO of Corndel, said:
Skills power people and power organisations. Without providing access to adequate training opportunities, we are not allowing this group of the workforce to thrive. And businesses are potentially losing out on the huge value that this experienced group of the workforce can add if they have equal access to ongoing technical and management skills training.
AI Fundamentals training a core part of all Corndel workplace training programmes
To help employees at all stages of their career upskill in the latest technology tools in the workplace, Corndel, the strategic workplace training provider, has recently introduced its ‘AI Fundamentals’ learning modules across all of its leadership, data and tech programmes at all levels of learning.
The course is designed to be accessible to all employees, no matter where they are in their career, and is designed to empower and elevate professionals in an evolving and complex AI landscape. The course modules provide foundational knowledge of AI, its mechanisms and its potential, as well as ethical considerations and practical applications of AI tailored to each professional sector, ensuring learners can navigate the AI-powered future with confidence and responsibility.
Paul Gray is an entrepreneur and digital publisher who creates online publications focused on solving problems, delivering news, and providing platforms for informed comment and debate. He is associated with HRZone and has built businesses in the HR and professional publishing sector. His work emphasizes creating industry-specific content platforms.
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