Education and Training Participation Among Adults Aged 55–64 by Country
Older adult education and training participation among workers aged 55-64 reflects investment in workforce retention and skills development for aging populations. As life expectancy increases and retirement ages rise, older workers who engage in continuous learning extend their working lives, maintain employment relevance, and improve quality of life. Participation rates reveal significant disparities in access to training opportunities for older adults across countries and income levels.
Older adult education and training participation measures the percentage of adults aged 55-64 who participated in formal education or non-formal education and training during the previous 12 months. For this age group, participation typically includes skills updating, technology training, management development, and preparation for career transitions or retirement. High participation rates among older adults indicate strong employer commitment to retaining experienced workers, accessible training opportunities, and cultural recognition of older workers' value. Low rates suggest age discrimination in training access, employer focus on younger workers, or limited training programs designed for older adults. Older adult participation in education directly influences employment retention, productivity, and quality of life in later years. Older adult education participation shows the lowest rates among all age groups globally. Developed nations typically show participation rates between 5-25%, reflecting some employer investment in older worker training but significantly lower than younger age groups. Many developing countries show rates below 5%, indicating minimal training access for older workers. The lowest-performing countries show rates below 1%, suggesting virtually no formal training programs for older adults. Northern Europe leads in older adult participation, with countries like Denmark and Finland exceeding 15%. This reflects strong employer commitment to retaining experienced workers and cultural emphasis on lifelong learning across all ages. Developed economies in other regions show moderate participation. Developing regions show very low rates, reflecting limited training infrastructure and age discrimination. Gender disparities also emerge, with older women often having less access to training than older men. Older adults face significant barriers to education and training participation. Age discrimination is widespread; employers often view training investment in older workers as inefficient. Stereotypes about older workers' ability to learn new skills persist despite evidence that older adults learn effectively. Physical health issues and disabilities become more common with age, creating barriers to participation. Technology anxiety affects some older adults, particularly regarding digital training. Limited time before retirement reduces perceived value of training investment. Economic factors also matter; older workers often have lower incomes and less ability to pay for training. Employers may prioritize training for younger workers with longer remaining careers. Caregiving responsibilities, particularly for grandchildren or aging parents, limit older adults' time for training. Addressing these barriers requires combating age discrimination, designing training programs accessible to older adults, offering flexible schedules, and recognizing the value of experienced workers. Projections for 2026 show modest changes in older adult education participation globally. Some countries show increasing participation as aging populations and extended working lives create demand for skills updating. Others show stagnation or decline, reflecting persistent age discrimination and limited training infrastructure. Overall, improvements are typically less than 1 percentage point, suggesting that without significant policy interventions addressing age discrimination, current disparities will persist. The 2026 estimates are calculated using linear regression analysis based on all available historical data. This statistical method identifies the rate of change over the entire historical period and projects that trend forward to 2026. The methodology examines each country's complete historical participation trajectory and applies the observed trend to estimate 2026 values. All projections are constrained to the 0-100% range to ensure realistic estimates. This approach assumes that current trends will continue, which may not hold if significant policy changes or external shocks occur. This analysis uses UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) modelled estimates of older adult education and training participation. Modelled estimates provide consistent, comparable data across countries by using statistical techniques to fill gaps in reported data and account for different reporting methodologies. Older adult participation rates are calculated as: (Number of older adults participating in education/training / Total population aged 55-64) × 100 The data reflects 2023-2024 actual rates (the most recent available), with 2026 projections calculated using linear regression analysis based on all available historical data. Using modelled estimates ensures methodological consistency across all countries included in this analysis, though it is important to note that these are statistical estimates rather than direct observations. This approach allows for meaningful comparisons between countries with different education systems and reporting practices.What Older Adult Education and Training Participation Means
Education and Training Participation Among Adults Aged 55–64 by Country
1
28.72%
2
23.34%
3
20.27%
4
17.17%
5
15.95%
6
14.31%
7
12.41%
8
9.16%
9
8.83%
10
8.49%
11
8.26%
12
8.08%
13
6.72%
14
6.19%
15
5.72%
16
5.39%
17
3.82%
18
3.78%
19
3.53%
20
3.37%
21
2.54%
22
1.86%
23
1.78%
24
1.66%
25
1.36%
26
1.13%
27
1%
28
0.9%
29
0.89%
30
0.77%
31
0.67%
32
0.59%
33
0.54%
34
0.52%
35
0.52%
36
0.49%
37
0.42%
38
0.33%
39
0.29%
40
0.23%
41
0.22%
42
0.22%
43
0.21%
44
0.2%
45
0.19%
46
0.18%
47
0.16%
48
0.15%
49
0.07%
50
0%
51
0%
52
0%
53
0%
Global Patterns in Older Adult Education Participation
Age Discrimination and Barriers to Older Adult Participation
2026 Projections and Methodology
Education and Training Participation Among Adults Aged 55–64 by Country
#
1
30.39%
28.72%
2
24.07%
23.34%
3
15.49%
20.27%
4
19.24%
17.17%
5
17.87%
15.95%
6
14.95%
14.31%
7
12.7%
12.41%
8
11.4%
9.16%
9
9.32%
8.83%
10
6.7%
8.49%
11
10.1%
8.26%
12
8.85%
8.08%
13
7.32%
6.72%
14
7.07%
6.19%
15
8.15%
5.72%
16
7.01%
5.39%
17
3.28%
3.82%
18
2.77%
3.78%
19
3.07%
3.53%
20
2.59%
3.37%
21
3.6%
2.54%
22
1.66%
1.86%
23
2.02%
1.78%
24
1.73%
1.66%
25
1.45%
1.36%
26
1.33%
1.13%
27
0.98%
1%
28
0.91%
0.9%
29
0.92%
0.89%
30
0.88%
0.77%
31
0.5%
0.67%
32
0.54%
0.59%
33
0.59%
0.54%
34
0.53%
0.52%
35
0.28%
0.52%
36
0.57%
0.49%
37
0.64%
0.42%
38
0.52%
0.33%
39
0.14%
0.29%
40
0.21%
0.23%
41
0.25%
0.22%
42
0.38%
0.22%
43
0.16%
0.21%
44
0.16%
0.2%
45
0.21%
0.19%
46
0.68%
0.18%
47
0.11%
0.16%
48
0.39%
0.15%
49
0.31%
0.07%
50
0.3%
0%
51
0.1%
0%
52
0.02%
0%
53
1.54%
0%
Methodology and Data Sources
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Why is older adult education and training participation important as populations age?
A: Older adult education and training participation becomes increasingly important as life expectancy increases and retirement ages rise. Older workers who participate in continuous learning maintain employment relevance, extend their working lives, and improve quality of life. For employers, training older workers retains experienced talent and institutional knowledge. For economies, high older adult participation indicates effective workforce retention and human capital development across all ages. Countries with aging populations particularly need strong older adult education systems to maintain productivity and economic competitiveness. Older adults who participate in training show better health outcomes, higher life satisfaction, and greater social engagement. Training also supports career transitions, helping older workers adapt to changing labor markets or move into new roles. The rapid pace of technological change makes continuous learning essential for older workers; those without updated skills face unemployment or underemployment. Older adult participation in education reflects both employer commitment to retaining experienced workers and individual commitment to professional growth and personal development.
Q: What barriers prevent older adults from participating in education and training, and how can participation be increased?
A: Older adults face significant barriers to education and training participation. Age discrimination is widespread; employers often view training investment in older workers as inefficient despite evidence that older adults learn effectively. Stereotypes about older workers' ability to learn new skills persist. Physical health issues and disabilities become more common with age, creating barriers to participation. Technology anxiety affects some older adults, particularly regarding digital training. Limited time before retirement reduces perceived value of training investment. Economic factors matter; older workers often have lower incomes and less ability to pay for training. Caregiving responsibilities, particularly for grandchildren or aging parents, limit time for training. To increase participation, countries and employers can: combat age discrimination through legislation and awareness campaigns, design training programs accessible to older adults including flexible schedules and technology support, offer training relevant to older workers' needs and interests, encourage employer investment in older worker training, support women's access to training, and recognize the value of experienced workers. Government policies supporting older adult education, including subsidies and recognition of credentials, significantly increase participation rates.
Data Disclaimer: Projected data (future years) are estimates based on mathematical models. Actual values may differ. Learn about our methodology →
Sources
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DATA SOURCE: UNESCO Institute for Statistics (UIS) - Modelled Estimates (2026 Estimates by StatsGeo)Updated: 06.01.2026https://databrowser.uis.unesco.org/browser/EDUCATION/UIS-SDG4Monitoring/t4.3/i4.3.1
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