Is shop work the only option for older workers? Photograph: Martin Godwin
Some facts to ponder:
·The number of people aged 65 years or over is expected to rise by nearly 60% in the next 25 years to more than 15 million - at that point nearly 23% of England's population will be aged at least 65 (ONS 2005/2006)
·At the moment the UK's average retirement age is 63.8 years. Today a man who works to 64 spends on average 31% of life in retirement. In 1950, the average man retired at 67 and spent 18% of life in retirement (DWP 2006)
·By 2011, the mean age of the UK population will exceed 40 for the first time; by about 2017/18, there will be more people over 40 than below (ONS 2005/2006)
·And from 2010 onwards, the number of young people reaching working age will begin to fall by 60,000 every year, fundamentally changing the shape of the workforce. Between 2010 and 2020 the UK will need 2.1 million new entrants to the adult workforce, a demand which can only be met through a combination of most adults working longer and a huge increase in the number of adults re-entering the labour market (City and Guilds 2006)
New research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) suggests not enough is being done to recruit, retain and engage these "third agers".
Employers are going to have to address the challenges presented by our ageing workforce.
I wonder what real options are available to the older workforce, other than on the checkout at the local supermarket. Do you consider yourself a "third ager"? What opportunities have opened up for you and have you been able to use your experience or are you back at entry level?
