THE MATURE WORKER - An Untapped Resource on Prince Edward Island
P.E.I. Mature Worker Statistic:
P.E.I. has approximately 18,000 mature workers (people between the ages of 55 - 64). Of those 11,300 are in the labour force, meaning they are either working or looking for work. That means 6,700 are not in the labor force.
A trained mature workforce is quickly becoming vital to the economy of Prince Edward Island.
One in six workers on PEI is between 55-64 and the number of people in this age group is growing every year. At the same time, the rate of younger workers entering the job market is diminishing.
Most people in their late 50's on PEI are still working and the percentage is increasing every year.
This means Island businesses need to find ways to employ, develop and retain mature workers.
Nearly every survey on the subject of older workers reveals many Boomers intend to work well into their 60's and 70's, either in their current position or by pursuing other employment. The main reason most people want to continue working is that they enjoy it.
This means employers will have an increasingly older workforce. Passport To Employment sees this as an opportunity. Older adults posses the invaluable combination of maturity, reliability and a lifetime of experience which adds up to a bonus for business.
There are some trends* that the business community on PEI needs to be aware of:
1) The population is aging
2) There is a significant increase in 55-64 year olds who want to keep working.
In the last ten years, older workers have accounted for 50% of the employment gains in PEI.
The Government of Prince Edward Island initiated Passport To Employment, a multi-dimensional, collaborative approach to address the employment needs of mature workers on PEI while providing a service to businesses by helping to prepare these potential employees.
The goal of Passport to Employment is to bring as many mature workers as possible back into the work force.
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