While TAFE institutes and other registered training organisations are interested in developing ‘encore career’ programs and services, they are unable to do so within the current funding arrangements.
Published by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER), Reskilling for encore careers for (what were once) retirement years, by Jane Figgis introduces the idea of encore careers as a way of encouraging people to stay connected with the workforce past the age of 65.
With rising numbers of people in Australia now expected to reach 90 years of age, a whole new stage of life has evolved in our lives and finding meaningful ways to fill these years is of value to both the individual and society.
Well-established in the United States as ‘work in the second half of life that has social impact’, encore careers have the potential to be equally affective in Australia.
“Encore careers provide an alternative to the standard rhetoric of keeping older workers in their current jobs longer, as has been the intention of many recent initiatives,” says Ms Francesca Beddie, General Manager Research, NCVER.
“Instead they may take the person in fresh directions, building on their skills and experience, while also offering new opportunities for personal growth,” she says.
Encore careers also present new opportunities for training providers through the provision of informal and formal learning.
While there are many programs and services available to help school-leavers make a successful transition from school to employment, older workers often have to ‘go it alone’ in working out how to continue to enjoy productive lives after retirement. Those who have created encore careers usually have had the energy and personal resources to do so themselves.
“Given that retirement could last for 20 or even 30 years, it makes sense to harness the life experiences and intellectual capital of older Australians and help keep them connected with the workforce beyond the age of 65,” Ms Beddie says.
Copies of Reskilling for encore careers for (what were once) retirement years are available from www.ncver.edu.au/publications/2457.html
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