Stay Relevant—and Employed

Kentuckians—like Americans generally—are putting off retirement, spurred by economic necessity even before the national financial crisis hit. AARP Kentucky knew it was onto something when meetings with 50-plus across the state revealed that "demands for information on how to search for a new job using the Internet" was high, said Assistant State Director Patrice Blanchard.

AARP Kentucky and Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) this month are launching an ambitious program, Making Age an Asset in Your Job Search. The six-week, 12-lesson course is being taught on-line through KCTCS. Participants will learn how to tailor their resumes for each on-line job application and how to network effectively in the digital age.

Given today's economic uncertainty, 50-plus workers must update their job skills and job-hunting skills, "especially when AARP research shows that 70 percent of them expect to continue working into the so-called retirement years," Blanchard added. The course, according to Blanchard, "teaches how your work and life skills, when properly presented, can meet the needs of employers who are hiring today."

First time, online students in Kentucky will receive the added value of in-person, free orientations provided at several KCTCS campuses. The on-line course is available at a discount for AARP Kentucky members.

According to Marc Freedman, CEO and founder of Civic Ventures, "Kentucky's Making Age an Asset is an important resource for older adults who want to retool their skills to meet the needs of potential employers. Our schools, hospitals and community service agencies need talented employees, and research shows that boomers want meaningful work." Freedman recently spoke in Louisville and is the author of Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life.

For more information on Making Age an Asset in Your Job Search, or to register for the course, go to www.aarp.org/kyjobs.