Educational Credentialing of an Aging Workforce: Uneasy Conclusions

This study investigates the educational attainment of an aging workforce from the perspective of educational credentialing. The research questions are defined as follows: Why are workers over age 50 attaining university degrees? How do they narratively construct the rational for pursuing well-recognized credentials in midlife? The specific focus is on Finnish professionals who pursued master’s degrees in their 50s. The basic motive for studying was to earn a recognized degree, which provides eligibility for professional jobs, validates past successes at work, and enables aging workers to maintain a good occupational position. At the same time, the interviewees questioned the power of educational credentials to define the status at work and in society at large. To prevent social exclusion of aging workers, it is necessary to question the normative faith on ever-increasing importance of educational credentials and address accompanying ageist practices.