Availability, uptake, and motivation for training

Workplace training enables employees to adapt to new challenges and systems, remain engaged in the workplace, advance their skills, and reach new career opportunities. Additionally, when offered training, employees feel that the organisation is willing to invest in their development, feel valued, and increase their commitment to their organisation. By this same token, employees may reduce their commitment when faced with no or inequitable access to training opportunities.

For older workers to benefit from training, employers must provide equitable training opportunities, and employees must feel that uptake of training will meaningfully improve their skills, knowledge and abilities. Motivation for training represents the enthusiasm or effort an individual will make to learn and use new knowledge and skills. However, low motivation for training and gaining new skills is a common stereotype about older workers.

We asked employees about the availability of training in their workplace, their uptake of training opportunities, and their motivation for training. Select an outcome from the drop-down menu below to view how older employees rated questions assessing motivation for training and to explore availability, uptake and summed motivation-for-training scores by demographic group.