AARP ALABAMA SURVEY REVEALS TRAINING GAPS FOR 40+ JOBSEEKERS THAT COULD PUT THEM AT A DISADVANTAGE IN THE EVER COMPETITIVE GLOBAL JOB MARKET.
MONTGOMERY – An AARP Alabama study released today found that Alabamians 40 and older are largely unprepared to compete in the global economy as employers need a workforce able to adapt quickly to new technology, changing methods of production, and evolving consumer demands.
The study, Job Skills Training and Opportunities: Opinions and Perspectives of Alabama Workers Age 40+ , found that half (52%) of all workers do not think that additional job training will help them advance in their job or help get a better job.
However, according to a recent report out of the National Commission on Adult Literacy, many Alabama workers do not have the skills and training or education to meet the demands and needs of the state’s industries and employers – nearly half a million workers between the ages of 16 to 64 do not have a high school degree and few are enrolled in post-secondary education.
“Alabama’s employers and the workforce itself must understand the value of keeping one’s skills up to date,” said AARP Alabama State Director Joan Carter. “It’s vital to develop and maintain a competitive economy.”
Key findings revealed:
· Most (70%) Alabama workers aged 40 and older are extremely or very satisfied with their job, 53% have no plans to leave their current employer, and 21% are not looking for another job but would consider an offer presented to them.
· Over the past five years, 59% of Alabama workers age 40+ have participated in job-related skills training or education programs offered to them by an employer and 86% of them indicate they personally have not had to pay for that training. Additionally, 86% are satisfied with the work-related training opportunities offered through their employers, with 60% saying they are extremely or very satisfied, and another 26% indicating they are somewhat satisfied.
· While 51% of survey respondents say they are extremely or very likely to engage in any job training through their employer over the next five years, 31% say they are not likely to do so. What is more, 52% do not think that additional job training will help them advance in their job or help get a better job.
· Most (80%) respondents say they have not taken any job-related training outside of work or through a community organization in the past five years.
· Among all Alabama workers and those looking for work, 40% plan to continue working at their current job either full or part-time when they reach retirement age. For the majority of respondents, needing or wanting additional income (84%), enjoying work (84%), building up a personal savings (79%), and maintaining health coverage for themselves or their families (72%) are major/minor factors in deciding to work beyond retirement.
AARP has many resources and tools that can help businesses with their workforce planning. The Employer Resource Center at
www.aarp.org/employerresourcecenter is an online site for employers, with information on workforce assessment, recruitment and retention strategies, workplace law, and employer best practices.
Survey interviews were conducted from November 19 to December 10, 2008. This survey of 900 workers and people actively looking for work in Alabama gauges their experiences with and perceptions of employer and community job training opportunities. An over-sample of 200 African Americans was obtained. The margin of error for the total sample of completed and tabulated surveys is ± 3.27 percent.
