What a New Set of Skills Can Do

By Marci Alboher, vice president of Encore.org, and the author of "The Encore Career Handbook: How to Make a Living and a Difference in the Second Half of Life."

The plight of jobless Americans in their 50s and 60s is well documented, and it deserves attention.

But there’s a different, more optimistic story unfolding. A small army of baby boomers is hitting midlife eager to apply their talent and experience to solving some of our country’s - and the world’s - toughest problems, from homelessness to climate change.

Colleges and career coaches recognize that people in their 50s and 60s seeking to put their skills to good use are good customers.

Often the first step is getting new skills. Consider Gary Bates, an airline pilot forced into mandatory retirement, who, together with his wife Beth, started Care-To-Go, which provides in-home and travelling elder companions. The Bateses gained credentials as caregivers at Gateway Community College in Phoenix and honed their business chops through the help of mentors and coaches.

Colleges and career coaches recognize that people in their 50s and 60s seeking to put their skills to good use are good customers. Structured programs offer another option. At ReServe, operating in seven locations in the U.S., skilled workers 55 and older are placed at nonprofit and public agencies in part-time projects with modest stipends. For some, that work is the destination. For others, it’s a gateway to a new kind of work, much like internships are for young people.

The Encore Fellows program is another model. Encore Fellowships – currently available in 20 metropolitan areas around the country – matches seasoned professionals from the private sector with nonprofits. The fellows, who earn a stipend, make high-level contributions to these nonprofit groups while learning about a new culture. After the one-year program, most fellows remain in the nonprofit sector in paid positions.

Some argue that keeping older workers in the work force will make it harder for young people to launch or advance their careers. But consider this: many people in encore careers start businesses and nonprofits that generate jobs. And pathways like ReServe and Encore Fellowships create incentives for experienced workers to move on and for younger workers to take their places.

Let’s also remember that today’s 20-year-olds will eventually be 50-year-olds. No doubt millions among them, too, will want to be able to contribute to society while earning a living -- in an enriching, multigenerational workforce. 

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