Lifelong training: between theory and practice

Many surveys show how much access to training becomes difficult with age, in particular because of the negative stereotypes of employers and employees themselves. We would like to elaborate here on the forms of selection, orientation, and training carried out in a large French adult training agency. Despite insistent requirements set by the French government to promote “lifelong training”, we will show-through a quantitative and qualitative approach-how persons over 40 are more selected and have less access to certifying training and fewer chances of professional integration. Beyond the negative stereotypes, these findings reveal ambiguousness in the definition and inclusion of experience in the training process.