Age 55 and up find job-seeking help in AmeriCorps

By Matt Weafer
Messenger-Inquirer

This is the age of the Internet, the fast-paced era of instantaneity in which we must communicate through Web-based facilities and adapt to new situations and technologies without hesitation.

So in a competitive job market filled with young college graduates and future young professionals, where do aging Baby Boomers fit in?
Some are retiring.

Some are losing their spouses to mortality.

Others are fighting for social security.

And many of them are looking for new jobs. Some of them — widows who only took care of the house while their husbands earned the dough — are looking for their first job.

As the paradigm continues to shift, life expectancies extend and the financial demands of society grow, some senior citizens are looking for help.

That’s where AmeriCorps comes in.

Working through GRADD Career Center Services, volunteers such as Rose Bowlds, AmeriCorps member, senior advocate and job specialist for GRADD, help train an aging generation to adapt with the constantly changing technology and the demands of this evolving workforce.

From the age 55 and older — and even some younger seeking help — AmeriCorps offers job search assistance, resume and cover letter preparation and support programs.

“It’s a really challenging market for them,” Bowlds said.

But there are options. Some individuals re-enter the job market in full-time or part-time capacities in various fields. AmeriCorps is also seeking companies to create a partnership and mentoring program to help secure the futures of an aging generation, and to help companies utilize an older work force.

And even if AmeriCorps can’t offer the assistance someone needs, they’ll try to find an organization or individual who can.

“The older generation’s greatest challenge is finding marketable skills for the high demand jobs,” Bowlds said.

The major skill many older job-seekers lack is computer-savvy.

Through the Career Center, AmeriCorps offers training seminars and computer tutorials to introduce individuals to basic computer functions, Microsoft Word and the Internet.

Bowlds said after completing the introductory course, she recommends job-seekers continue to practice the programs.

“We encourage them to continue to practice off software tutorials to work at their own pace,” she said.

That software is available at the Career Center as well as more advanced tutorials for Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint.

Classes are held every Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and Thursday from 1 a.m. to 3 p.m. Walk-ins are welcome.

Bowlds said many people she works with were individuals that found a job 25 years ago and never switched careers. But now they are retired or laid-off and either have financial responsibilities or weren’t ready to retire. But they only knew one type of work.

“Today the average person changes jobs three to five times and doesn’t think a thing about it because of all the options available,” Bowlds said. But that wasn’t always the case.

Now some of the Baby Boomers must learn to adapt.

For instance if an individual has never or rarely used the Internet, simply applying for a certain job may be impossible because employers are largely switching to email and Internet applications only.

AmeriCorps recognizes the need for assistance and offers it through the Career Center at 121 E. 2nd St. Call GRADD for more information at 685-0210.