Before the concept of lifelong learning gained a foothold, most people used to have a single professional skill. When companies suddenly went under or an industry changed direction, the labor market could not keep up. This resulted in structural unemployment and a situation in which many employees were forced to or volunteered to take early retirement.
以往終身學習機制沒落實前，大多數人只有一項專長，忽然有一天企業消失、或者產業轉向，以致勞動市場跟不上產業轉型，造成結構性失業時，就會有人被迫或自願地提早退休。