Marvin OnumonuCIPD has called for a new era of reskilling, saying older workers need better access to lifelong learning as career choices narrow and pension savings fall.
The organisation said older workers are being left behind as jobs change or vanish due to shifts such as artificial intelligence (AI) and the net zero transition.
CIPD research found around 6.3 million jobs will change by 2050 because of net zero, almost a third of jobs are exposed to AI and likely to change significantly, and two million jobs could be lost by 2035 due to technological change.
The report also found employment among 50 to 64-year-olds in England has risen by 40% over the past 20 years, nearly three times faster than overall employment growth at 14%.
Numbers of 16-24-year-olds in work dropped by 13% in the same period.
Just 47% of workers over 55 said their current job offers good skills development, compared to 73% of 18-24-year-olds.
More than a third of older workers said they have skills that could be used in more demanding roles, but only 24% said their job offered good prospects for career advancement, compared to 39% of workers overall and 59% of those aged 18 to 24.
CIPD also highlighted that job moves are less common for older workers, and with less training and job mobility as people age, there is a risk of people getting stuck in unsuitable jobs or leaving the workforce if their role is lost or doesn’t fit their needs.
Lizzie Crowley, skills adviser for CIPD, said: “Our analysis, and latest projections from the Government on a pensions crisis, paint a bleak picture with profound implications for individuals as well as economic and social policy.
“If changes to retirement age and the pensions crisis mean we’re all going to work for longer, we urgently need to usher in a new era of reskilling to help people develop into new roles and sectors.
“The reskilling imperative isn’t just an economic necessity – it’s a social contract.”
Crowley added: “By reimaging how we support people to learn and adapt throughout their lives, we can build a more resilient, equitable and prosperous future for everyone.”
Additionally, CIPD research found spending on workforce training in the UK fell by 27% over the last ten years, from £4,095 per trainee in 2011 to £2,971 in 2022.
Public spending on adult learning dropped by 31% in real terms since its peak in 2003/4.
CIPD said employers need to boost training budgets and focus on internal skills development, reskilling and redeployment, opening up roles to people and giving them access to new skills.
The organisation also said more flexibility over working hours and location, as well as mid-career reviews, can help address ambitions and development needs for older workers.
CIPD recommended government measures like training vouchers, flexible individual learning accounts and paid educational leave so people can upskill or reskill without losing income.
The organisation also said micro-credentials and modular learning pathways would help people balance work, caring and training, or move into new sectors.
