Retirees seeking a career in the later part of their life and financial independence after retirement are now being supported by the 11th Edition of the Jobs 60+ job fair in Bengaluru with encouraging recruitment results. 83 senior citizens got jobs on the spot and 457 people were shortlisted for different jobs.
The idea was to connect experienced older jobseekers with employers who are willing to look at their skills and career backgrounds, irrespective of how retirement-age-oriented they might be.
There are always people looking to become financially independent and professionally active in the later part of their life and the job fair was a reminder of this as well as an opportunity to create employment opportunities for them.
The job fair was organised in conjunction with the Nightingales Empowerment Foundation, Nightingales Medical Trust and St Joseph's University. 700 candidates attended the event which attracted 62 employers who offered 987 job opportunities. There were positions in a variety of areas including administrative, finance and sales and marketing and one of the most important and high profile roles was to do well in the field of administration.
The program was to bridge the employment gap in the field of people aged 55 to 70 who are worried about age, retirement and the idea that older professionals may no longer be able to get jobs. The organisers wanted to help recruiters see that experience and professional maturity are valuable at work.
The recruitment process was designed to match job candidates to the right job opportunities that were open for them according to their experience, job experience, current job and work skills and employment preferences, and how they are able to find job candidates and training for them in a job interview process.
The job candidates were provided with registration and counselling facilities and job registration and counselling facilities for job placement. The job applicants were then referred to potential employers that were in a position of jobs that matched their job profiles. Recruiters assessed applicants according to their qualifications and skills which were based on the qualifications and skills required for individual roles for each job.
Participants were also given 3 options for interviews with companies and organisations for different positions and the opportunity to take part in the event and to talk to three different organisations to look at more than one job opportunity in a month. This strategy was intended to make the process more accessible for older applicants who would not be familiar with the recruitment process in the present.
One of the most interesting experiences at the event was when a retired Bengaluru Metropolitan Transport Corporation (BMTC) supervisor attended the job fair for the first time after hearing about it from friends. The candidate arrived empty-handed and so was directed to the counselling section to get help with the next step. The experience showed how assistance can be there to help candidates to participate even when they are not familiar with formal job-fair procedures.
Support for senior citizens returning to the labor market after retirement is especially important. Some people may have decades of experience but need to present skills in a manner that matches the recruitment process now.
Dr Radha S. Murthy, Managing Trustee of Nightingales Medical Trust, stressed that employment of senior citizens is not only about earning an income but also about working in a company. Older workers are generally experienced and mature, committed to work and have professional skills they can contribute to as well.
And they are also very good at working in the workplace and have a knowledge of organisational processes and how to manage people. Jobs 60+ is therefore meant to both help employers and older people, in addition to promoting job security for the retirees and the people who do jobs in their lives.
There were also activities beyond recruitment. Candidates waiting for interviews had opportunities to get to see demonstrations of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and learn about services for older adults and participate in brain-stimulation activities called ‘Brain Gym’. The activities were organised in partnership with Dementia India Alliance and were intended to provide information and engagement opportunities for the participants.
These initiatives added a health-awareness and wellbeing component to the job fair, which has to do with the idea that employment is only one part of the process of ageing with dignity and independence. Access to information on senior support services might also help older adults and their families better know what services they are getting for themselves.
In order to help older people prepare for jobs now, Nightingales Medical Trust provides free computer training for senior citizens, digital literacy classes and personality development skills training.
These courses can help with the confidence to get familiar with technology as well as more comfortable with technology and adaptability to the job needs of today’s workplace with digital skills as the use of online communication, computer-based systems, and digital documentation technologies is becoming more prevalent.
With skills development and job acquisition in combination as a way to increase the readiness of older people and increase their job prospects, the organisation aims to help older jobseekers get a better chance to find suitable roles.
The results of the 11th Jobs 60+ job fair indicate more inclusive hiring policies are very welcome in Bengaluru. The first batch of 83 candidates were employed on the spot and 457 were shortlisted, and the initiative has opened up opportunities for people with long-term career goals for senior citizens.
The final selection process of those who are selected will depend on the employers' decision-making on the shortlisted candidates. However, 62 employers are involved and there are 987 vacancies, which shows a genuine effort to reach out to experienced workers for jobs.
As India’s population ages and more people seek financial independence beyond the retirement age, new programs like Jobs 60+ could help to challenge age assumptions and encourage employers to accept experience, reliability and lifelong learning.
Comments
Leave a Comment