January 2007 Vol. 26. No. 1

Published by the Humboldt Senior Resource Center in Eureka, California. HSRC is a non-profit community-based organization offering services for senior citizens, multi-generational families and caregivers.

Protect your resources
All about reverse mortgages
Get lunch delivered in Eureka
Get help with energy costs
Retraining and working
Radios available for hearing newspapers
Medicare drug plans for January

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By 2010, one in three workers will be older than 50. As the proportion of younger workers declines, attracting and retaining experienced and reliable workers must become a core business strategy for all employers.

At the same time, it is vital to ensure that workers 50 and older are prepared to meet the demands of the 21st century workplace. Through its workforce programs, AARP Foundation supports workers 50-plus as they remain in or re-enter the workforce.

The AARP Foundation helps with navigation of the workforce system, provides access to training to allow people to remain competitive and provides connections to companies who value their experience. AARP currently has 25 National Employment Team members including Home Depot, Express Personnel and Borders.

I have taken the position as the National Program Consultant for the AARP Foundation and will develop a 50-plus workers connection network. This newly forming national program will provide community level job and career information and services to people seeking to remain in the workforce but who do not qualify for the federally funded Senior Community Service Employment Program.

This new program provides a variety of services at no cost to the participant, including interest and ability inventories, skill assessments, information about the job market and connections to local training and employment opportunities.

The goal of the 50-plus program is to provide job seekers with an informed choice regarding their employment interests and options, to assist them with meeting their employment goals, and to help them gain increased financial security. The new program will roll out in early 2007 with 21 pilot sites throughout the United States and will go national sometime in mid-2007.

AARP Foundation is already seen by many to be the leader in older-worker workforce programs, and this expanded service has not only been requested for quite a while by 50-plus job seekers, but by major businesses as well.

Ginger Campbell is former AARP Foundation/SCSEP project director for Humboldt/Del Norte and Sonoma counties. Her e-mail is scgcampbel@aol.com.