Employability

• Section 1
• Challenges
• Attitudes
• Skills
• Employability
• Employer Expectations
• Learner Expectations
• Benefits
• Section 2
• Presentation
• Presenter's Support
• Section 3
• 3 Hour Workshop
• Section 4
• 3 Hour Workshop
• Section 5
• Contacts/Links

Life transitions

In the course of an average working person's life there may be a range of transitions between paid and unpaid work, caring and family responsibilities, study and training commitments and differing levels of activity. Employment options may range from full time to part time, job sharing, casual or contract positions and consultancy services. Requirements and capacities of individuals will also alter over this time in response to changing life circumstances, and mature workers need to maintain and extend their skills and knowledge in order to continue in productive employment at each stage of their life, regardless of external influences that may impact on their ability to contribute

Career Transition

In order to meet the changing needs of the workforce, our new generation of workers may be required to move from one career pathway to another in the course of their extended working life. This concept may be perceived as a challenge for those workers who have been employed for only one organization over a long period of time. Assistance in career transition will be required, with particular emphasis on the identification of marketable 'skills', suitable and/or desirable pathways and qualification requirements

Many older workers may have never been involved in a review of their current skills and knowledge, future career aspirations, preparation of a resume, application for new positions or participation in an interview process

Re-Training

As the demand for mature-aged workers rises, there will be a need for timely and targeted re-training for those people returning to the workforce - possibly after several years absence from the workplace, or for those who have been 'overlooked' in the past

Upskilling

Changing job requirements and the constant demands for the maintenance of 'currency' in the workplace means that workers will need regular upskilling in areas of high demand.

Work Environment

Working conditions an work design, rather than age itself, are the most significant factors influencing work performance.  The strategies that improve work design benefit the productivity and health of all workers.

In the area of mental ability, younger workers have been shown to outperform older workers in information processing time, however, the quality of decision-making demonstrated by older, experienced workers tends to be superior.  As workers age, their capacity to perform some physical tasks may diminish, but they also develop a range of strategies to counter this.  The workplace measures that address the needs of older workers are also those which increase the productivity of workers of all ages.

Refer to the document Productive and Safe Workplaces for an Ageing Workforce, Comcare, 2003, at http://www.apsc.gov.au/publications03/maturecomcare.pdf for more detailed information.