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About The skanner. (Portland, Or.) 1975-2014 | View Entire Issue (June 8, 2011)
2011 C arEErS E ditiOn for older Workers, employment is scarce, not impossible By Brian Stimson of The Skanner News F or many Oregonians, the dream of the golden years of retirement — those leisurely days filled with nothing to do but watch Wheel of Fortune and fret about kids walking on your pristine lawn – well, they’ve gone the way of the three martini lunch. From 1977 to 2007, the number of workers aged 65 and older has doubled. For those 75 and older, while making up less than one per- cent of employed people in 2007, employment has increased 172 percent. In 2009, there were more people aged 55 and over in the labor market than has been since March of 1962. Since 1995, there have also been more seniors employed in full time positions than ever before. It may come as no surprise, but those older Americans who find them- selves in need, or want, of a job often have a harder time finding one, according to the Bureau of Labor and ment’s Senior Community Service Employment Program, pairs low-income seniors with paid community service training jobs and then helps them find unsubsidized In Oregon, Marietta Schlumpf of Seniors Make Sense, helps those reentering the job market gain much-needed experience and confidence Statistics. In Oregon, Marietta Schlumpf of Seniors Make Sense, helps those reentering the job market gain much- needed experience and confi- dence. Schlumpf’s program, part of the federal govern- employment. But like anything in this “jobless recovery,” this pro- gram isn’t able to help all of those who need it. “Our funding was cut 25 percent nationally,” Schlumpf told The Skanner News. “That means that sud- denly we had to put a freeze on new people.” Since the fall of 2010, there has been a waiting list for seniors seeking employment assistance. That list has since grown to over 300 people who need skills and a job. In rural areas of the state, things aren’t any better. The organization that handles the federal senior employment program for rural counties, Experience Works, says they face additional hurdles. Director Mary Miller says many seniors they serve face problems relating to home- lessness, food insecurity, transportation and health care access that aren’t easily solved in areas short on serv- ices. Like all of the federal gov- ernment’s programs to pro- 125 percent of the federal poverty line. Many are vide seniors with paid com- turned away. munity service work, partici- “We had a lady who made 38 cents over in a year,” pants are limited to making Miller said. “We couldn’t serve her.” Both Miller and Schlumpf say the community service program helps employers realize the benefits of hir- ing older workers. It also helps sen- iors acclimate to the modern day workplace and brush away insecuri- ties they may have about their abili- ties and own self worth. “As employer’s have aged, they’ve become much fonder for older work- ers,” Miller said. She said many sen- iors have strong work ethics, take the job very seriously and build their life around a job. For employers hiring part-timers, they could do a lot worse. Schlumpf blames misconceptions of older workers as a major part of the unemployment problem. Worries about learning, memory and longevity are overblown. As for older workers themselves, she said they shouldn’t give up on the job search, even though it is tak- ing much longer than in years past. “It’s important, no matter what, even though it’s hard, to stay posi- tive,” she said. “That does seem to make a difference.” She said it’s also important to get out of the house and circulate with other people. “I think people do better to go out to where employers are looking for employees,” she said. Interested in a Career in the Hospitality, Food and Beverage Industry? The Community Café Program is Seeking Applicants Metro and the Oregon Convention Center have joined with food and beverage industry leader, ARAMARK/ Giacometti Partners Ltd, to offer a workforce training opportunity for individuals facing barriers to pursuing a culinary or restaurant management career through a café on the Metro Regional Center grounds. Selected candidates will gain firsthand experience in operating a small café including: • customer service • Human Resources • supervising personnel • scheduling • employee leadership • food production and service • food safety and hygiene • menu engineering • sales and marketing Visit http://www.oregoncc.org/communitycafe for application and additional information Hours and schedule will be event based and will include early mornings, late nights and some weekends. Selected candidates must agree to the expectation that the schedule will vary based on business needs. page 4 The Skanner Careers Edition June 8, 2011
