Does continuing learning help middle-aged and elderly people find employment in China? A propensity score matching analysis

Background: The global aging workforce, driven by declining fertility and increased longevity, poses challenges to socio-economic systems and highlights the need for policies addressing age-related employment barriers. This also emphasizes the potential role of continuing learning in enhancing job prospects for older adults. Methods: Our data were derived from waves 3–5 of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Survey (CHARLS), encompassing 43,357 residents aged 45 years and older. The study defines employment based on responses to work-related questions and assesses the impact of continuing education or training courses. We employed propensity score matching (PSM), controlling for 10 confounding factors, to analyze the effects of continued learning on the employment of middle-aged and older individuals. Results: Of the 43,357 samples, 68.2 percent of Chinese individuals over 45 years of age were employed, but only 1 percent of this population engaged in continuing education. Initially, whether or not to pursue further studies did not seem to affect employment among middle-aged and older individuals. However, after eliminating endogenous selection bias through PSM, we found that participation in continuing education positively impacts the employment of middle-aged and elderly people. This result was verified through multiple matching methods. Conclusion: The findings underscore the importance of continuing learning in facilitating the employment prospects of middle-aged and elderly individuals.