ERIC Number: EJ1116670
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1448-0220
EISSN: N/A
What's in a Name? Categorising "Disadvantaged Older Workers"
Meyers, Rebecca
International Journal of Training Research, v14 n2 p131-144 2016
The institutionalised categorisation of adults who are over 55 years of age, unemployed and low-skilled as "older" and "disadvantaged" may adversely affect their employment prospects and their self-esteem. This paper reports on the findings of a study that explored the experiences of a small group of such adults; in particular, the barriers to their participation in training and jobseeking activities. The research comprised a qualitative, phenomenological approach, and used a series of semi-structured interviews to gain an insight into their reactions to such categorisation. The findings could not identify a direct link between institutionalised categorisation and self-categorisation, but indicated that those labels did not enhance their self-esteem nor increase their enthusiasm for participating in activities to increase their employability. These findings indicate for policymakers a disjunction between the possibly detrimental consequences of the institutionalised categorisation of this cohort and the need to increase their participation in the labour market.
Descriptors: Foreign Countries, Disadvantaged, Older Workers, Classification, Unemployment, Semiskilled Workers, Unskilled Workers, Employment Potential, Self Esteem, Barriers, Job Training, Job Search Methods, Qualitative Research, Phenomenology, Semi Structured Interviews, Employee Attitudes
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Australia
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A