Students: Megan Tones

Megan Tones

Faculty of Education, Centre for Learning Innovation


Thesis Title: Patterns of Engagement in Workplace Learning amongst Older Workers from Local Government Sectors.


Current Thesis Abstract: This thesis concerns the impact of the ageing demographic on the workforce in the near future. According to national statistical data, one third of the current workforce is aged 45 years or older, and participation in the labour force drops after the age of 50 years. A continuation of this pattern will produce a labour shortage within the next 20 years, as mature aged workers elect to leave the workforce with fewer younger workers to occupy their places. A literature review revealed that skill obsolescence, age discrimination and stressful work environments are key factors behind early labour force exit in mature aged Australians.

A lifespan development psychology approach was adopted to investigate how mature aged workers and organisations could mutually adapt to a longer working life. Specifically, the meta- theory of selective optimization with compensation and subsequent developments were used as a framework to develop a quantitative survey to measure learning and development specific goal selection/ restructuring, goal engagement and goal disengagement from individual and organizational perspectives. The survey will be administered to mature aged workers from the Local Government and analysed via factor analysis and structural equation modelling.