Betty worked for a large stationary company for 25 years. Upon retirement, she, like many others, realized there were not enough retirement benefits.

“I was drawing unemployment and from my widow’s pension,” Betty says.  “I needed to find a job fast.”

She first heard about Senior Community Service Employment Programs (SCSEP) through AARP. She had hoped that with their support she could find a job after retirement.

“Thank goodness for PathPoint. I enjoy my job and the people I work with,” says Betty, who is now employed full-time with benefits as a front office manager in Santa Maria.

PathPoint, a nonprofit organization in California that partners with Senior Service America Inc. (SSAI), is one of 18 national organizations that administers the Department of Labor’s SCSEP. PathPoint provides training and placement services to low-income people age 55 or older.

Employ Older Workers Week was first celebrated in the Eisenhower administration, and has been celebrated nearly every year since. National activities focus on recognizing the importance of older workers participating in the U.S. labor force. During this time, the Department of Labor encourages local employers to draw on the underutilized pool of experienced and committed older American workers. 

The Committee for Economic Development cites surveys indicating that employers rate older workers high on factors such as judgment, commitment to quality, attendance and punctuality.

These qualities coupled with their “old-fashioned employer loyalty” make them an attractive resource for employers and as possible mentors for new Generation Y workers.

According to the Department of Labor, from 1977 to 2007, employment of workers age 65 or older increased 101 percent. Furthermore, it is estimated that by the end of 2008, 40 percent of the nation’s work force will be age 45 or older. Compared with 10 years ago, 8 million more Americans age 55 or older will be in the labor force.

With these baby-boomers, the “graying” of the American work force is just beginning. Many older workers nearing retirement age say they worry about whether they will have adequate income when they leave the work force.

“It’s clear that as older Americans play an increasingly important role in maintaining the national economy,” said Carol Graeser, PathPoint SCSEP coordinator, “it’s more important than ever to provide work force services and training to these workers in response to changing business needs in the 21 century.”

For more information about PathPoint and SCSEP, click here or e-mail info@pathpoint.org.