A study by skills development firm City and Guilds has found that more than a third of workers in the UK aged over 51 believe that their employer puts more effort into developing young staff than retaining older ones.

City & Guilds said its survey of 1,000 people raised concerns that companies were not doing enough to prepare for the UK’s aging workforce. The research, published in The Express, showed that a third of older employees discussed career progression with a manager, half as many as younger staff, even though most believed they had the skills needed for jobs of the future.

“Employers will need to think carefully not just about their recruitment strategies, but how they develop and engage their whole workforce,” Chief executive Chris Jones of City and Guilds, said. “Whilst the Government’s policies around developing young people are important, we cannot ignore the other generations who may also need help entering or progressing in the workplace.”