INDUSTRY MUST LIFELONG

Many of us remember walking out of school after our last exam, swearing we were never putting ourselves through all that nonsense again.

It wasn’t long before we realised that the world of work required more study. We apprenticed ourselves or headed back into full-time education. We became qualified in all sorts of ways –from learning to drive to gaining certificates in workplace health and safety.

But once the essentials are done, it’s all too easy for the learning to stop. Once it does, people can stagnate. Boredom sets in, or they can become fearful with a fixed mindset. You see this in the worries that surround new technologies like AI and Industry 4.0. With a limited understanding of their potential, these developments are seen as a threat and not as an opportunity.

Age, skills or attitude?

As I write this, news reports are dwelling on the challenge of getting the over-fifties back into the workplace. I’ve heard phone-ins where callers question where they can find the training they need to boost their digital skills or change direction completely. Most opportunities remain geared towards younger people or those recently qualified.

And although there is no upper age limit for starting an apprenticeship, stats show that employers still tend to favour younger applicants for positions. Perhaps employers should be focusing not on age or existing skills but on attitude. People with a growth mindset – those willing to learn – are curious, less change-averse, flexible and quicker to pick up new skills.