Looking for Work or a New Career?

Whether you're looking to re-enter the workforce or upgrade from your current job, AARP and the AARP Foundation have a broad array of resources and services to help older workers find more meaningful employment. In addition to providing access to skills assessment and training. The AARP Foundation can even connect qualified individuals with on-the-job training at companies that value your experience and dedication.

According to AARP State Director, Brenda Kelley, “About 2 million people aged 55 and over were unemployed in February 2010, bringing the unemployment rate for this age group to 7.2%, higher than it has been since the late 1940s. In this tough job market, AARP is committed to providing job seekers who are 50+ with information and resources that will help them remain in the workplace as long as they want and help them find work.”

The AARP Foundation’s WorkSearch Program is an innovative resource that provides career-information, personal skills assessment, job training and placement services either online or at community-level WorkSearch Centers. At certified WorkSearch Centers, job seekers are linked with Information Navigators who will lead them through the WorkSearch process. With over 17 free online workforce tutorials, 10,000 new jobs posted weekly, and links to the application process, the system provides a variety of services to help those individuals re-entering the workplace or looking for a career change.

Here in Connecticut, AARP recently teamed up with the Urban League of Southern Connecticut (ULSC) to open the first certified AARP Foundation WorkSearch Center at the ULSC offices in Stamford. Plans are already underway to open a similar WorkSearch Center in Danbury and additional centers in other Connecticut cities in 2010-2011.

To find out more about WorkSearch go to aarpworksearch.org.

In addition to its support of the WorkSearch program, AARP also offers numerous online resources and job hunting tips to assist mature workers in finding a job or refreshing their skills to better compete in today’s competitive job market.

AARP’s 2010 Webinar Series for Job Seekers is designed to offer practical tools and resources tailored to the unique demands of today’s job market. Each of these free, quarterly online webinars features nationally-renowned experts that can help you jump start your career or find a job. Sign up for an upcoming webinar and find out more about the series.

Mature workers will be an integral part of the U.S. economy for years to come. By 2010, one in three workers will be over the age of 50. As the relative proportions of younger workers declines, it will be vital to ensure that older workers are prepared to meet the skill demands of the 21st-century workplace. Both AARP and the AARP Foundation are dedicated to helping qualified mature workers maximize their employment and earning potential in the workforce through their respective programs

Visit www.aarp.org/realrelief for more information on AARP programs helping workers 50+.