This paper draws on longitudinal birth cohort data for Britain to analyse participation in learning activities by people in their 30s and 40s. People in this age group have received less attention than either young adults or people in retirement. Yet technical change and the need for new skills make it important for them to engage in learning to…

Faculty characteristics are changing, and traditional theories may not account for the intersection of increasing numbers of women faculty and career changers to higher education in examining faculty development. Using a conceptual framework composed of adult transition and career development models, this phenomenological study investigated the…

Today's society, shaped by demographic changes and a global economy, has created different employment trends and work lives that result in adults' engaging in postretirement second careers. This phenomenon is a common occurrence in rapidly aging societies like Korea. This qualitative study examined the postretirement career transition process of…

This paper addresses the question of benefits of education from a life course perspective. Using data from a study of 1600 students (response rate 48%) on an open access program at a London University college, it explores educational activity within the framework of a transitions model. In addition to the quantitative evidence, the article uses…

The authors describe what they call a new breed of worker, the quester, who makes significant career changes easily and often with much success. They discuss the theory behind "questing" and place questers in contemporary society. Implications of this new breed are explored. (CH)

The Professional Fellows Program is a nondegree, self-designed management-development program for midcareer professionals. Outcomes after one to three years for 53 participants included greater self-confidence, increased sense of control, and legitimation of life/career transitions. (SK)

Uncertainty about identity and the future is occurring at a stage of life when people do question what they have achieved and what they still want to achieve. The notion of midlife crisis has been in existence for some time but recently its occurrence has coincided with opportunities to take early retirement or redundancy. This has meant that the…

Documents the effects of midlife major employment change on the listening comprehension of professional adults. Indicates that adult educators must encourage the development of patience because learning to think and listen in new situations takes time. (JOW)

Adults, by choice or necessity, are often faced with making work-to-school, work-to-work, or work-to-retirement transitions. Adult educators should be aware of the strains and expectations of each transition in order to help adult learners manage change effectively. (SK)

The study attempted to assess career development concerns of 381 military personnel enrolled in an off-campus baccalaureate degree program. Results suggest that workers exposed to specialized work and training environments, such as the military, may have career development concerns that are difficult to assess with traditional instruments. (CH)

Although it may be so subtle that it is not noticed or sudden and life altering, adult development occurs in a cycle of four inherent processes: transaction, transition, transformation, and transcendence. These processes exist in a cycle characterized by growth and development. The processes can be defined as follows: (1) transaction--personal,…

Reports on a survey of 90 human resources professionals on the topic of older workers. Covers (1) productivity and attitude, (2) educational/training opportunities, (3) absenteeism and job safety, (4) managerial and executive positions, and (5) retirement and preretirement, among other topics. (CH)

The author discusses the growing need to keep older workers in the labor force and the need for vocational education to address this population's need for retraining. He presents some of the problems and recommendations for older adult training programs. (CH)

The study described in this paper was conducted to delineate the phenomenon of generativity in middle-aged adults in an attempt to identify its major characteristics, attributes, determinants, and situational or circumstantial variables. Three themes emerged from a literature survey of materials on middle adulthood: the theme of the entry…

Offers a brief overview of preretirement education in the United Kingdom and its meaning in an economy where forced redundancy can bring "retirement" at an early age. Highlights the Coping with Change Model, which focuses on insight into the feelings, issues, choices, and skills relevant to life changes. (DMM)