Baby boomers don’t have to retire; retrain and reenter the workforce instead
The thought of baby boomers retiring has had economic analysts worried for years. Born between 1946 and 1964, the generation represents a good portion of the country’s population and an even larger portion of the American workforce. With the oldest baby boomers reaching retirement age in 2011, the U.S. has been gearing up for a major labor shortage for some time now. But is all this worrying premature? And has anyone ever thought to ask baby boomers whether they plan to retire once they hit 65?
AARP did, and a surprising 79 percent of those surveyed said that they planned to pursue some kind of work after the traditional retirement age of 65. The baby boomer generation wants the benefits and the income that working provides, and they also want to find interesting and fulfilling jobs where they can still learn something.
Some institutions, community colleges especially, are stepping in to prepare baby boomers for this transition. The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) recently received a $3.2 million grant to develop a nationwide program to retrain adults 50 and over. Community colleges will initially compete to run their own programs, and 15 will be chosen to receive funding. Five of these schools will serve as mentor institutions for the rest of the country.
Enrolling in a program at a nearby community college is a convenient and affordable way to refresh your skills or gain expertise in a new profession. If you are part of the baby boomer generation and you need or want to work through your 50s and well into your 60s, you are not alone. Refresher courses are a great way to land part-time and volunteer positions as well.
If you don’t want to wait for community colleges to develop and debut their retiree training programs, online education is another alternative that you can look into. Many online schools cater to adult learners who want to transition into new professions mid-career. If an online degree appeals to you, University of Phoenix, AIU, and Florida Metropolitan University operate some of the most well-known distance learning programs in the nation. Earning a diploma, a certificate, or an associate’s degree is another step that you can take before re-entering the workforce.
No matter what you decide, community, technical, and online schools are your best resource for current and concise training programs. There is a lot of talk about age bias in the hiring process, but in the face of an employment crisis, companies won’t ignore qualified candidates with strong work records and relevant training.