Izvorni znanstveni članak
https://doi.org/10.18045/zbefri.2026.1.11
The Impact of Lifelong Learning on Labor Market Outcomes Amid Population Aging: A Systematic Literature Review
Ana Štambuk
; University of Rijeka, Faculty of Economics and Business
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* Dopisni autor.
Sažetak
Improving the position of older workers in the labor market is often linked to the importance of lifelong learning. This study aims to explore the outcomes of lifelong learning for older workers in the labor market by conducting a systematic literature review of articles based on the European Union countries, published between 2010 and 2024, and indexed in the WoS and Scopus databases. The influence of lifelong learning on labor market outcomes was grouped into five clusters: employability, exit from employment, earnings, job satisfaction, and job performance. Across all clusters, except job performance, the direction of the relationship between lifelong learning and labor market outcomes is not straightforward. Regarding employability, lifelong learning does not consistently increase it, but it often helps buffer the negative effects of aging. Results regarding exit from employment are also inconclusive, but the relationship tends to be more positive than negative. As for earnings, lifelong learning shows a positive effect, yet the effect may weaken with age or even turn negative. Job satisfaction appears to benefit from lifelong learning, but the effect is not always significant, and negative effects may occur, for example, when workers who do not want to pursue lifelong learning feel pressured, or when they perceive it as too late to gain meaningful benefits. In contrast, the evidence on job performance consistently indicates a positive relationship. While previous research on lifelong learning and the labor market starts with the premise that lifelong learning has a positive effect and tends to focus on factors influencing participation, this study contributes by synthesizing the evidence into five clusters, offering a clear overview of how lifelong learning impacts the labor market.
Ključne riječi
lifelong learning; older workers; labor market outcomes; employability; population aging
Hrčak ID:
348634
URI
Datum izdavanja:
30.6.2026.
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