Owissue01v7

OlderWOrkers Magazine 1

OlderWorkersMagazine

sarina russo apprenticeshipsexperience Can Fast Track Your apprenticeship

issue 01 | May 2013

ita Buttroseageism: Change needs To Come From The Top

susanryan

Determined To Make a Difference


OlderWorkersMagazine

Email: [email protected]

Website: www.olderworkers.com.au

© OlderWorkers Magazine 2013

Design and Layout by Lise-Mari Coetzeewww.coetzeepublishing.com

Tap and hold screen to show the top bar

Tap and Hold screen to show the bottom bar

Tap “HOME” to return to the App home page

Swipe horizontally to quickly navigate between pagesTap a page to view

Swipe horizontally to move between pages

how to use this app


dial-an-angel

eMplOyee Of THe MOnTH

a career aT TelsTraConnect With What You Love

cOunTer THe sTereOTypes aBOuT ageing!

guesT BlOgger

live jOB ads links

MasTers HOMe iMprOveMenT QuesTiOnnaire

ediTOrs nOTe

sarina russOExperience can fast track

your apprenticeship

diversiTy cOuncilUndervalued, underemployed,

discouraged and departed: the story of mature-age

women in the workplace

susan ryanDetermined to Make a Difference

recruiTing Older WOrkers

cOver sTOryIta Buttrose Interview

contents

29

33

31

37

35

38

09

05

11

13

06

22

16

deeWrExperience + Make age an advantage

THe age Of WisdOMTapping Into Expertise of Older Workers Gathers Momentum

24

27

cOnTenTs

HealTHcare ausTraliaOlder Australians living longer says AIHW report

23


editor’s noteFROM THE OLDERWORKERS.COM.AU DESK

Welcome to the first edition of

OlderWorkers Magazine, we are thrilled and proud to bring you the world’s first magazine

that connects older workers with mature age employers and leaders in workplace diversity.

Olderworkers.com.au is the largest and fastest growing job board for mature age jobseekers in Australia. We have over 21,500 registered jobseekers and 1600 registered age-friendly employers.

Our registered employers vary from some of the largest companies in Australia to small businesses with one or two employees. The common theme amongst them is their recognition of the benefits of older workers

and the massive contribution they can make to the workplace.

Our aim is to bring to our readers information from employers, jobseekers, industry, Government and to provide some assistance to jobseekers and employers. We would love to get some feedback from you, please feel free to contact us at: [email protected]

Our first edition has contributions from Australian of the Year, Ita Buttrose, Age Discrimination Commissioner, Susan Ryan, job seeker tips, employer and jobseeker profiles, information on Government assistance available to older jobseekers and more.

We invite you to sit back, relax and enjoy the read.

The Team at OlderWorkers

ediTOr’s nOTe


susan ryanDetermined to Make a Difference

1. What do you consider is the biggest issue for jobseekers over the age of 55?

The biggest issue for the over 55’s is getting treated on their merits, instead of being rejected because of age prejudice.

2. What is the biggest challenge facing government in terms of an ageing workforce?

The Government understands that the national economy needs the experience, skills and commitment of older workers. The government needs to persuade employers to maintain or rehire older workers . The government as an employer should do more of this themselves and showcase what they do for private sector employers

3. Why do you think it is so difficult to get through the benefits of older workers to many employers?

Employers are captives of out-dated and wrong stereotypes that lead them to reject older workers. Employers believe, wrongly that older workers cannot learn new things

susan ryan | deTerMined TO Make a difference


and that they have more accidents and sick days than other workers. They need to look at the facts

4. if the government was to give you a blank cheque to assist older jobseekers and older workers, how would you spend it?

I would spend the cheque on two things: I would set up free and accessible expos all round Australia showing employers large and small what great value older workers represent Then I would pay TAFE fees for all mature workers serious about improving their job related skills.

5. What are the three key things you would like to accomplish in your role of age discrimination commissioner?

In my term as Age Discrimination commissioner I hope to:

• get rid of negative age stereotypes across the community including among employers

• achieve a big confidence boost for older people so they feel good about a long working life and can age positively

• find the way to get younger and older individuals working together in teams, each contributing their strengths and respecting the others

susan ryan | deTerMined TO Make a difference

Susan Ryan was appointed as Australia’s first Age Discrimination

Commissioner on 30 July 2011 for a five year term



Masters Home improvement

1. you clearly have a diversity policy, what is the reasoning behind that?

Our goal is to represent the diverse community we serve.

2. you actively recruit older workers, why is that?

They are recognised for their industry experience and their ability to coach and mentor within our teams. They provide great customer service to our clients and have a level of knowledge in many areas that simply comes with age and experience.

3. do older workers require different training to other cohorts of recruits into your organisation?

No, older workers are treated the same as all our employees. We do provide the opportunity for older workers to re skill and change career paths.

4. Where do older workers succeed the most in your business, and what sorts of skills are required to do that?

We have older workers who are Store Managers, complete the administration of our payroll process, customer service



associates as well as specialist in their fields i.e. trade, plumbing etc. We like older workers in our workforce because they bring experience, stability, life skills and enthusiasm to work every day

5. What is the percentage of older workers (over 45) employed in your business?

28% of our workers are over 45, 63 of our employees are over 65 and 7 are over 70.

6. What sort of advice would you give an older jobseeker looking to find employment with your organisation?

They should ensure their resume is up to date and highlights the experience and skills we are looking for in the job(s) they are applying for. Make sure they sell themselves in their CV and add a succinct cover letter. It helps if they know what we do and have some idea of the job we are advertising so should read the job advert well. We are always looking for employees who will provide our customers with a first class experience every time they walk through a Masters store entrance or have any type of contact with our customers.



sarina russoExperience Can Fast Track Your Apprenticeship

Previous skills and work experience can count as credit towards apprenticeships and traineeships for mature-aged workers

according to Steve Wyborn, CEO Sarina Russo Apprenticeships.

Mr Wyborn said if a mature aged worker has existing skills, knowledge or experience working in the same occupational field, they

should ask if they are eligible to have their skills recognised.

“If successful this may shorten the time spent undertaking their apprenticeship or traineeship. Particularly as most apprenticeships and traineeships are competency-based.

“So when the training competencies are achieved and signed off, the apprentice can fast track their qualification and complete their training well ahead of time.

“To assist in determining how long the training will take, a specific training plan is developed for all mature-aged apprentices and trainees.

“The training plan also takes into account:

• Training required,

• Who delivers the training,

• When and where the training is delivered,

• When and how training is assessed and monitored, and

• What qualification is issued on completion.

“There is plenty of scope for mature-aged workers to decide on a new career, with more than 500 occupations across Australia, from traditional trades to careers in Business, Finance, Transport and Logistics, Information Technology, Health and Community Services.

Training is most effective when it suits the specific requirements of the apprenticeship or traineeship qualification, the needs of the employer and the workplace, and the needs and learning styles of the apprentice or trainee.

sarina russO | experience can fasT Track yOur apprenTicesHip


“Mature Aged apprenticeships and traineeships are flexible and are available on a part-time or full-time basis.

“The formal training, can take place while at work, with a training provider, or through other training delivery methods such as distance, correspondence or on-line training.

“To support mature-aged apprentices and trainees, we inform businesses on the amounts and eligibility requirements for financial support from both state and federal governments.

“Sarina Russo Apprenticeships’ role is to help employers understand what financial support is available, sign up mature-aged apprentices, pay employer incentives

and apprentice allowances, lodge all paperwork, and provide information on the training options available”

“With a range of employer and apprentice incentives available I encourage any person of working age to undertake an apprenticeship or traineeship,” Mr Wyborn said.

To learn more about mature-aged apprenticeships and

traineeships call Sarina Russo Apprenticeships on 1300 883 425 or visit us at

www.srapprenticeships.com.au

sarina russO | experience can fasT Track yOur apprenTicesHip


diversity councilUndervalued, Underemployed, Discouraged and Departed: The Story Of Mature-Age Women In The Workplace

Mature-age women earn only two thirds of the income of mature-age men, have significantly lower workforce participation than men, are more likely to be underemployed than men and retire earlier with around half

the superannuation of men of the same age.

This International Women’s Day (Friday 8 March), Diversity Council Australia said more work is urgently needed to address this critical underutilisation of

female mature-age talent.

ABS statistics reveal that mature-age women (defined as 45 years plus) are consistently underemployed and underutilised:

Undervalued: Women aged in their fifties and above earn 37% less than men of the same age. Women between 45 and 65 are more highly represented among casual workers than men and are twice as likely to have a job with no leave entitlements than men.

Underemployed: Only 47.1% of women

aged between 45 and 74 are employed full time compared to 76.9% of men. More than half of mature-age women work part time and 18% of these women (that is 164,500 women) would like to increase the number of hours they work.

Discouraged: The percentage of mature-age female discouraged job seekers has remained consistently higher than that of male discouraged job seekers for most of the last two decades. Close to half a million more mature-age women than men (452,300) are discouraged job seekers.

Departed: Women retire earlier than men (at 49.6 years of age vs 57.9 for men) and with half the superannuation of men although, on average, women live another 3 to 4.5 years longer than men.

diversiTy cOuncil


DCA’s CEO, Nareen Young, urged employers to take a good look at why mature-age women are being left out:

“Apart from traditionally female-dominated sectors such as teaching and nursing, I am often struck by how few older women I see in many corporate workplaces. I can’t help but think mature-age women really are invisible at work. But in an era of skills shortages and an ageing population, it makes no sense that these women are so undervalued,” said Ms Young.

“One contributing factor is that the burden of care for older, frail family members usually falls on middle-aged women – increasingly at the same time as they are still caring for children. More disturbingly though is that discrimination might be at play – the most common reason given by female discouraged job seekers for not seeking work is that they were considered too old by employers,” said Ms Young.Susan Ryan, Age Discrimination Commissioner, said ignoring the huge pool of talent and experience represented by mature-aged women undermines the national imperative of growing the economy.

“Employers who automatically seek to import labour should look first at this local pool of

diversiTy cOuncil


skilled and experienced female workers. Able mature women who are willing to work are keen to achieve financial independence and especially to save for retirement. The long term public costs of consigning them to unwanted early retirement are massive but can easily be avoided by assessing mature-age female workers on their capacity to do the job,” said Ms Ryan.

Rowan Arndt, NAB’s Head of Diversity & Inclusion says the combination of an ageing population and talent shortages makes it critical for organisations to face age diversity challenges.

“Australians reaching traditional retirement age are now often continuing to work, or returning to work. This talent pool needs to be recognised and empowered, so mature-age workers are able to further their careers.

“At NAB, we are working to ensure a level of inclusion for mature-age workers, especially women, by removing barriers and changing mind sets,” said Mr Arndt.

Research clearly demonstrates significant benefits for organisations and the wider economy from attracting, engaging and retaining female mature-age workers:

• Increasing older women’s labour participation rates to match men’s could increase per capita GDP growth to 2044-45 by 1.5% (Productivity Commission, 2010).

• Organisations can gain an average net benefit of $1,956 per mature-age employee per year, generated from

a combination of higher retention rates, lower rates of absenteeism and decreased recruitment costs (DEEWR, 2012).

• Workers aged 65+ have the highest productivity and motivation levels, suggesting that life stage and experience are key drivers of productivity and motivation (Ernst & Young, 2012)

• A range of mature-age workforce productivity benefits accrue such as the provision of a depth of knowledge to clients and colleagues and being less likely to be absent or quit their jobs (World Economic Forum, 2012).

In partnership with the Australian Human Rights Commission and sponsored by National Australia Bank, DCA is conducting important research on how Australian organisations can implement workforce solutions that better harness the skills and talents of Australia’s female mature-age workforce. Called, Grey Matters to Women: Attracting, Engaging & Retaining Your Female Mature Age Workforce, the results will be released in May 2013.

diversiTy cOuncil

Diversity Council Australia Limited (DCA) is the

independent, not-for-profit workplace diversity advisor to business in Australia. For

more information, visit www.dca.org.au.


cover story

The resume of a 71 year-old woman arrived at your workplace, would you give it a second glance? For the sake of the argument, let’s say the job was in publishing and this woman, for at least three decades, worked at some of Australia’s best-selling magazines. Are you thinking you might give her a shot, or are you still unconvinced a woman of her age would still have something to offer? What if I told you, that this woman did not just work at these magazines, she was editor of them and that these magazines were Cleo and the Australian Women’s Weekly. Interest piqued a little now? Let’s throw in a few more details - this same woman has written nine books, including her autobiography, she has had an award winning ABC series based on her early career called “Paper Giants”, pub rock legends Cold Chisel dedicated a song to her and she was named the 2013 Australian of the Year - the resume on your desk is from Ita Buttrose. That same 71-year-old you may have dismissed out of hand just because of her age, you would now be stumbling over yourself to access her skills, experience

cOver sTOry|inTervieW WiTH iTa BuTTrOse

Interview With Ita Buttrose


and knowledge - as you should with every older worker who comes your way.

Ita Buttrose - hello

OW: congratulations on being australian of the year – what does that honour mean to you?

IB: It means a great deal, it’s such a high honour, and you’re very conscious of the fact many distinguished Australians have held this position, so I’m in the most elite of company. I’m going to try to do my best to be a good Australian of the Year and raise issues about that I feel passionate about and that includes ageism and rights of older people generally in our community.

OW: Has that ageism ever affected you? Being so well known, have people treated you differently because of your age?

IB: If they have, I don’t think I’ve noticed it – and if they did, I’ve corrected them. (Laughs)

OW: Have you noticed it with other people?

IB: I’m aware of it because other people tell me. People like to share their stories with me and I run into them when I’m speaking and they come up and tell me....in recent times because I have commented on the plight of older workers in the last couple of months, I’ve had a lot of people come up and talk to me. A bloke came up to me yesterday at a speaking engagement

I had and said “I wanna tell you about what I’m doing and the discrimination we feel, and a woman stopped me in a carpark and said she’s been knocked back from getting jobs and she was so pleased to meet me because I had raised this issue and thank you very much – and she’s managed to land a job at Channel Nine. I ran into her after I’d been doing the Today Show and I told her that was terrific. I got quite a few emails when I commented on older workers as well; they’ve all been told they are overqualified. That’s the excuse that is trotted out because you’re not supposed to people they’re too old for anything. They don’t. They tell them they’re overqualified. That’s just nonsense of an excuse. Who cares if they’re overqualified? Not the person trying out for the job that’s for sure.

OW: Overqualified seems to be code for “you’re too old”.

IB: I’ve just called up an email from a bloke called Ray who says he is sixty, he hasn’t worked for two years in spite of applying for more than two hundred jobs. That’s appalling.

OW: How do we begin to address this, especially with employers? in many ways you might have inroads to major employers that other people don’t. is employment of older workers a discussion you can have with them during this year?

IB: Well, I’ll try. I do a lot of raising of these issues and I do meet corporate Australia, but as a woman we still have a



long way to go in persuading corporate Australia to put more of us on boards. I’m not sure that a lot of our advice falls on willing ears – it seems to fall on deaf ears. And even though a lot of the people, mainly men as we know, run a lot of the companies in Australia and are considered “older”, they don’t seem to have a company culture that encourages the HR people to look beyond a person’s age and instead to consider the person’s experience because that’s what a lot of firms need.

OW: That diversification of workplace is so important isn’t it? That when you have that business that it somehow represents society, if it can and that all levels of experience are there and willing to contribute?

IB: They are, and it’s good for everyone to contribute. I mean, we know through Alzheimer’s Australia for instance that the brain benefits, everyone benefits if they’re working. Many older people would like to be employed. If you look at some experiments that take place overseas, I’m thinking in particular of Holland, they did a campaign there to get older people back to

work. Where they needed retraining, they retrained them. Lo and behold, they reported that older workers were more diligent, they were always on time, they didn’t want time off, they loved their jobs, they were making a positive contribution, I mean you name it, they got a tick for everything. So you know, it’s blinkered attitudes that prevent Australians seeing the potential of older workers – and the people who lose out on this are

businesses. Really, it’s a whole change in attitude that’s required. HR people need to meet a few more older people and see how really good they are as workers.

OW: That’s part of it too isn’t it? you hear on talkback radio all the time that people over forty-five years of age say they go into a recruitment company and there’s usually young woman in there – but she’s 21 to 24 – and to her a 45-50 year old person, that’s her mum or dad and she doesn’t see them as individuals, she wonders what they could possibly have to offer.IB: Well, I used to run into this problem, You know I ran a magazine called “Ita”, and it was for women 40 and over which was considered very old at that point and in fact one of the advertising people was so shocked that I could even think of creating a magazine for women over 40 he said “No, no, no. You can’t say that, that’s too old.” So I say said “What about over 35?” and he said “Yes, that’s fine.” So that was fine for women over 35 but really it was for



women 40 and 50. I’d go into advertising agencies with my ad people and I’d do the pitch and you could see, they were all very young. That was my first impression – just how young these creative people at advertising agencies are. When I’d say things like “You know, people over 50 they do spend, they do have money, they will change their brands, they’re active in the workplace...” I’d do all the pluses, you’d see their eyes glaze over, you could almost see them thinking “50! That old! Oh my!”. I tell you, the attitudes are entrenched and I wonder when they do look at their parents, what do they see? I mean, when I look at older people – I don’t really think 50 is old – when I see people who are 50 plus I see active people, people who are taking part in life, I see them running in marathons and helping out in the community and holding down jobs. They don’t look decrepit or worn out to me!

OW: it is a whole change of culture that’s required and unfortunately that takes time. Where would we begin to address this?

IB: It comes from the top. It always comes from the top. Change in attitude has got to come from all our leaders. We’ve got a shortfall of leaders. I’m not talking about politicians here but we will include them. We’re not actually abundant with leaders in Australia at the moment. We need to be a lot more innovative. We are not innovative at the moment. We have become very risk averse as a community and we need to get over that, we need to take some risks. We need to look at places where people are employing older people. I have another email here from a bloke who

said “ We were passing through Singapore, Changi Airport recently and noted that at one particular Burger King practically all the staff were seniors. There were a couple of younger workers out the back, but the vast majority of staff were well into their 60s, if not their 70s or even older.” He said it was a great innovation, staff were very helpful, very courteous, made us feel totally at ease and they were completely as capable as any teenager in those duties and they have the advantage they can add up in their head. And of course that’s right! Older people can add up in their head, younger people need to have a computer. It’s these examples, they need to go and have a look and governments really need to push it. I always thought John Howard was a terrific example of an older person working. He was in his 60s when he was Prime Minister, he was very fit, he used to go walking all the time. I thought that was a great example. I remember I MC’d the dedication of the police memorial in Canberra and John Howard was there and I had to keep an eye on him because there were a lot of procedures we had to deal with, full of protocol this thing. He took a wrong turn at one point, I put my hand out and said “No, no Prime Minister, just stay there” and I noticed as I did that, there wasn’t an ounce of fat on him. He was lean and mean and he’s a classic example. I wish he’d have promoted that a bit more. You see, because there’s an association in people’s heads – old is decrepit, getting older is worn out. I’m sure that was the reasoning because we’re all conscious of the fact that there’s a stigma with getting older.

OW: What would be your advice to the over 45s looking for work and feeling discriminated against?



IB: You have to keep applying. You have to keep thinking if you have the right skills. I think sometimes you do need to brush up your skills. There are examples – the Telegraph in Sydney has been running some pieces about older workers because there was a wonderful woman who put an ad on a billboard saying “I’m 60 and I can work and I can do this and I can do that”. Remember that? That spurred the Daily Telegraph into writing stories about older people and I think they singled out some terrific bloke in one of the supermarkets, I think it was Woolies, but he was 80-something, still a butcher and he was working away and we need to do these very positive stories. The media has a role to play here because they’re as negative about older people as everybody else. A friend of mine who’s a journalist in Melbourne rang the Herald Sun to pitch a story – now she pitched one on a singer, an older singer, a tenor she’d discovered

who is supposed to have a voice like Mario Lanza and she wanted to do something, some story that she quoted on The Delltones, and the Herald-Sun said “We’re not interested in oldies”. And that wonderful Peter Thompson from the ABC, I was on his show but I’ve also done a few speaking jobs with him and of course they axed his show. I said “I can’t believe they axed your show, Peter. It’s such a good show – and it was a good show I think he’s a fantastic interviewer and he was told the same thing – they want younger. I mean, I have to tell you, I used to watch it all the time, but with that timeslot I don’t bother watching the ABC anymore. The only night I consistently watch the ABC is Monday.

OW: ita Buttrose, thank you so much for sharing your time and experience.



Older WOrkers - experience MaTTers

video placeholderInternet Connection Required

Older WorkersExperience Matters


recruiting older workers

prepare your business for the future by adopting long-term recruitment strategies that attract applicants over the age of 45 years of age.Eighty

five percent of new labour force growth is coming from this group yet many older jobseekers still experience age bias when applying for jobs. You can draw from a wider pool of talent by adopting age-friendly recruitment practices, particularly in the way positions are advertised and applicants are selected. Below are some tips to help your business attract older workers. • Ensure your job advert is age-friendly

• State that your business values and

respects skills and experience

• State that your business is an age-friendly organisation and encourages all ages to apply

• State if training is available

• Avoid youth oriented references e.g. fast paced, high energy - translated this means younger workers in a job advert

• Advertise in age-friendly places. Many older jobseekers have experienced age discrimination and no longer look for jobs in the traditional places as they feel it is a waste of their time. Olderworkers has over 21,500 older jobseekers nationally and growing

recruiTing Older WOrkers

In our next magazine we will provide employers with tips on age-friendly interviews


Healthcare australiaOlder Australians living longer says AIHW report

areport from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has indicated that older Australians are living longer and “on average”

are living more years without “severe or profound limitation” to their daily activities.

The report released on November 23 titled “Changes in life expectancy and disability in Australia 1998 to 2009”, has revealed that male life expectancy rates at birth have lifted from 75.9 to 79.3 years and 81.5 to 83.9 years for females - with almost all of these increases in “disability-free” years.

“Australian boys born in 2009 could expect to live an average 61.6 years without disability and another 17.7 years with disability, including 5.5 years with severe or profound activity limitation,” said AIHW spokesperson Brent Diverty.

Australian girls were predicted to live longer compared to boys, also living more years with and without disability.

“Girls born in 2009 could expect to live

an average 64.3 years without disability and 19.6 years with disability, including 7.5 years with severe or profound activity limitation,” said Mr Diverty.

Mr Diverty added that the “downside” to Australians living longer is that as the population ages there is expected to be more older Australians living with disability.“We expect to see an increasing number of older people in the community with disability and severe or profound activity limitation,” he said.

“But it is important to remember that disability does not necessarily equate to poor health or illness.”

If you are on the lookout for an aged care agency to assist in finding you a job in this sector, then the nation’s leading healthcare recruitment solutions provider, Healthcare Australia, can give you a helping hand.

Healthcare Australia has over 30 years of experience across the country, encompassing healthcare recruitment for temporary and permanent nurses, aged care workers, locum doctors and other healthcare professionals.

So if you need help with aged care recruitment, call on Healthcare Australia

HealTHcare ausTralia


deewrExperience + Make Age An Advantage

advanced skills, a wealth of knowledge and years of experience. These are all strengths mature-age workers can bring to Australian

businesses.

Over the last decade, the number of mature-age Australian in employment has increased. To help continue this growth, the Australian Government is investing more than $55 million into new initiatives, called Experience+, to help mature age Australians find and retain a job and help address employer’s negative attitudes and practices towards mature age people. The four Experience+ programs are aimed at keeping Australians engaged in the workforce and supporting the employers who employ them.

One of the programs in the Experience+ package is the Career Advice service. The Career Advice Service provides all Australians, aged 45 years and over, with access to professional career advisers, over the phone, anywhere in Australia.

Whether a person is currently working and looking for a career change, or

actively looking to re-enter the workforce, the Career Advice Service can provide professional career advice to ensure they have the greatest chance at getting a job. Seeking career advice can help someone become more confident, realistic, optimistic and motivated to achieve their goals.

The service is staffed by professional career advisers that offer two distinct services - Career Planning and Resume Appraisal. The career advisers can assist to identify skills and opportunities for development, and develop a personal plan, tailored to a person’s circumstances, to map a career pathway.

To book an Experience+ Career Advice appointment call 13 17 64, or visit the Experience+ Career Advice website for more information.

Another program that aims to support mature-age job seekers is Experience+ Work Ready.

In 2013, the Government will be rolling out the Experience+ Work Ready program in 17 locations across Australia to provide eligible mature-age job seekers, aged 50 years and over, with intensive job preparation assistance.

The program will provide various forms of assistance including refresher or basic

deeWr|experience + Make age an advanTage


training in information technology; a review of the job seeker’s existing skills; career counselling and planning; financial planning information and support (including longer-term retirement planning); and skills for self-marketing and interviews. Experience+ Work Ready participants will also undertake paid work placements to assist them in re-engaging with the workforce.

More information on Work Ready including eligibility and program locations can be found on the Experience+ Work Ready website.

The Experience+ package also provides assistance to employers of mature-age people through the Corporate Champions and Jobs Bonus programs.

The Experience+ Corporate Champions program is the first of its kind in Australia. This program supports employers who commit towards best practice in the employment and retention of their mature age workers (aged 45 and over).

Employers who are accepted into the program may receive up to $20,000 of assistance from an industry expert to help them improve their workforce planning and recruitment strategies for mature age people. The industry expert will take the employer through a professional assessment of their organisation’s workforce demographics and recruitment and retention practices and can provide advice on topics including positive age management, superannuation, occupational health and safety, career planning, training and age discrimination. 28 employers have already joined the program and are reaping the benefits of industry help, including Bunnings, Catholic Homes and Suncorp.

The Experience+ Corporate Champions program is supported by a series of national seminars to promote the benefits of employing mature-age people. These seminars are a time when employers can connect and share their examples of best practice or learn more about the program. Further information on these seminars and the Corporate Champions program is available on the Experience+ Corporate Champions website.

An employer who becomes Corporate Champions also receives priority access to the Experience+ Jobs Bonus.


The Experience+ Jobs Bonus is an incentive for employers who offer a genuine, on-going employment opportunity for mature-age job seekers. Payments of $1,000 (GST exclusive) will be available each financial year for up to 2,500 employers for each eligible mature-age job seeker they employ for at least 13 weeks.

Job seekers eligible to attract the Experience+ Job Bonus for an employer must be at least 50 years of age at the

commencement of employment and must also be unemployed and registered with a Jobs Service Australia provider.

The employment must have commenced on or after 1 July 2012, and be on-going fulltime or part time (minimum 15 hours per week) position.

For information on eligibility and how to apply for a Jobs Bonus go to the Experience+ Jobs Bonus website.

There are so many advantages when you work for DIAL-AN-ANGEL :

Top Rates

Insurance Cover and Superannuation

Privacy & Security

Flexibility

Prestige

®

�

�

�

�

�

If this sounds like you,

simply call your local office

or visit

to apply today!

www.dialanangel.com

1300 721 111

Our Angels are not just carers, babysitters or cleaners, they are Angels

who go above and beyond the call of duty.


The age of wisdomTapping Into Expertise of Older Workers Gathers Momentum

The website olderworkers.com.au oozes wisdom and understanding for all the right reasons.

At 57, owner Shane Higgins -- a successful sales executive -- had struggled for two years to find work after leaving a previous employer.

“You get to the stage where you think you won’t ever work again, even though there are jobs,” he said.

“I was very experienced in my career, meeting and exceeding sales targets. It was humiliating to say the least.”

In a story that should give hope to others, Mr Higgins’ setbacks not only led to a new job, but also the creation of a successful business that is opening doors for mature workers Australia-wide.

Today, the website is a market leader with 1580 age-friendly employers that advertise regularly.

Woolworths, CGU, Bunnings, ING Direct, Origin Energy, Coles and Accor are all enjoying the direct access the site offers to more than 21,000 older jobseekers.

Company director Judy Higgins -- Shane’s wife and a former executive in a Victorian Government department -- says employers are finally realising the benefits of employing older workers.

Mrs Higgins was behind the Queensland Government’s Experience Pays program, which promoted the benefits of workers over 45.

Older workers typically stay more than

THe age Of WisdOM|paula BeaucHaMp

“the future will look a whole lot better for

workers over 50”


twice as long with an employer when compared with people under 45, are valuable mentors and are problem solvers.

Mrs Higgins believes the future “will look a whole lot better for workers over 50” and suggests age discrimination will wane.

The number of older apprentices is also rising as government incentives for adult apprentices grow. MEGT Australian Apprenticeships Centre general manager Jan Griffin says employers are showing more enthusiasm for older apprentices.

Studies show people over 45 have low levels of absenteeism and are more flexible in their working conditions. Hiring older workers can save recruitment, training and productivity costs, she says.

Machining apprentice Stuart Mylne, 46, says he is committed to working hard.

At 16 he did an apprenticeship as a motor mechanic, but his employer’s business has evolved.

“I had a lot of other things on my mind when I was 16,” Mr Mylne said. “I’ll make sure I pass the tests and take more notice of everything I learn this time around.’”

Sarino Russo Apprenticeships general manager Steve Wyborn says employers increasingly regard mature-aged workers as a good option. “Employers know mature-age apprentices are often making big financial sacrifices and they are committed,” he said.

The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations is assessing responses to a tender for panel members for a mature-aged job seeker program.

This article was featured in the Herald Sun Newspaper April 2013

THe age Of WisdOM|paula BeaucHaMp


dial-an-angel|We lOve Older WOrkers

dial-an-angelWe Love Older Workers

at first glance, DIAL-AN-ANGEL seems an unlikely example of a recruitment company but look deeper

and you will find a nationwide company fulfilling the recruitment needs for tens of thousands of home-based clients. DIAL-AN-ANGEL personally selects Angels for their skills and matches them to clients’ specific requirements for cleaning and housekeeping, childcare, in-home nursing, disability or aged care.

The business itself is unique but how the business was commenced is even more interesting. Dena Blackman started the business in 1967 on a $200 bank loan whilst caring for her three young children. When Dena placed her first advertisement in the North Shore Times she hoped for a ‘warm’ response but the response was overwhelming! Before Dena was able to interview and screen the first ‘Angels’, she had a waiting list of 22 clients!

So it was out of a need that DIAL-AN-ANGEL was born and the first office was opened at Lindfield. DIAL-AN-ANGEL has always been family oriented, family owned and operated. Four generations of Dena’s

family have been involved in the business over more than four decades.

Danielle Robertson (Dena’s third daughter) has worked in the company for more than 26 years and as CEO for 10 years this year.

After 46 years DIAL-AN-ANGEL knows how to spot talent


Dena remains a Consultant to the DIAL-AN-ANGEL Group of Companies. Danielle knows better than anyone the value older workers bring to the workplace. In times of full employment in every state of Australia, like most recruitment companies, they struggle for candidates. Danielle believes that a vital ingredient in the continued success of the business is the company’s assertion that Angels should regard their vocation as being honourable, valuable to the entire community and as a real skill. There are no “down-trodden Sadies” registered with DIAL-AN-ANGEL because DIAL-AN-ANGEL requests that clients treat the Angels with consideration and courtesy.

The Angels are not just cleaners, babysitters or carers, they go above and beyond those tasks to become what we know as ‘Angels’. They are a special breed of person and take pride in the DIAL-AN-ANGEL brand and the work they do! DIAL-AN-ANGEL assists many women and men

back into the workforce after a change in career or life changing issues (widowed / divorced or children have moved out of home). We absolutely love older workers due to their reliability, determination to succeed, loyalty and caring attitude. DIAL-AN-ANGEL is hoping to become a Corporate Champion of older workers. Our oldest Angel is 86 years of age and she cares for a client who is 89 years. Age is no barrier to working at DIAL-AN-ANGEL.

Now as the economy changes again they are seeing a stream of high calibre older candidates come through their doors. Danielle believes “One of the most fascinating aspects of this business is the “people” part. To see older workers come in for an interview and realise that we really value and want their skills and life experience makes it all worthwhile.”

www.dialanangel.com

dial-an-angel|We lOve Older WOrkers


“The thing that sets Telstra apart from all other organisations I have worked for in my 47 years in the workforce is that it is the only true equal opportunity employer that I have worked for.

In my 50’s when I found myself having been made redundant in the Banking Industry, I had a lot of confidence in my ability as a people leader, and someone who had constantly been recognised as being able to achieve amazing results. I had a lot of trophies in my cupboard to prove it. Branch Manager of the Year, Sales Manager of the Year...

When I applied for any new positions, and not just in the banking industry, I was happy to have a job anywhere, I constantly got the replies of “over qualified,” “we’ve filled the position internally,” or in hundreds of cases, just no reply at all.

After I removed about 15 years of work time off my resume, I actually got to a couple of interviews, but again I got the same replies once they met me and saw

that I was somewhat past my 20’s.A friend suggested I apply for a position in Telstra, and after a phone interview with the agency, I went for testing and to my amazement was accepted for a consultant position, as an agency employee.

Telstra made me permanent six months after that, and I applied for and was successful in obtaining a Team Leader position three months after that.

I have acted as a centre manager and was offered the position, but I was happy in my role as a team leader, and again have been very successful.

Telstra restored my self esteem, and I have been most grateful for the opportunity

By Alicia Mathews, Senior OD Specialist, Diversity & Inclusion at Telstra

Late last year employees at Telstra were asked to share with their colleagues what it meant for them to work with us. This is what Robyn Entrich from our Customer Service team had to say:

a career at Telstraconnect with what you love

a career aT TelsTra|cOnnecT WiTH WHaT yOu lOve


to work with teams of people to provide exceptional service to our customers.

There are many reasons why Telstra stands alone as a great corporate entity, but this is the reason that stands out for me, and the reason I share with anyone who will listen.”

Telstra is a company of connection.

Every day we help millions of Australians connect to the people and things that matter most to them, because we believe the more connected people are the more opportunities they have.

That’s why we build technology and content solutions that are simple and easy to use – including Australia’s largest fully integrated IP network and Australia’s largest and fastest national mobile network. But it’s also our diverse people who make this connection possible.

At Telstra, we place huge importance on diversity and inclusion. We value the diversity of our people – it helps us to know and connect with our customers so we can provide them with exceptional products and service. It also fosters greater innovation and contributes to our people feeling more engaged at work.

The diversity of our workplace reflects the diversity of our customers and the communities in which we operate. Around 38,000 people make up the Telstra family. We’re based all over the country, as well as international locations. We’re from diverse cultures and backgrounds – over

25 in fact. Together, we have a range of life experiences and talents. For example, 40 per cent of us are aged 45 years and over, and about a quarter have been working at Telstra for more than 20 years.

Ian McMillan from our Network and Access Technologies team joined Telstra in March 1950. “I’ve had lots of interesting challenges and locations working here, but above all, I’d say it’s a happy environment to work in. Best thing about working here are the conditions and the environment – where else could you meet such interesting and knowledgeable colleagues?”

We have a range of internal networks to help our people connect with those who have similar interests or experiences, as well as programs like flexible working arrangements that support our people based on their life stage and individual circumstances.

We continuously strive to attract, recruit and retain a diverse team of talented people. If you’re interested in a career with us, visit our Telstra Careers website. You’ll find more information about what we do and the people who work here. We also have a section about our recruitment process, including tips for CVs, cover letters and interview preparation. We would love to hear from individuals who share our passion for diversity and connection.

a career aT TelsTra|cOnnecT WiTH WHaT yOu lOve


employee of the Month

1. How long have you been out of work?

KC. I have been seeking permanent work for four months. I am currently doing temp work casual hours but am keen to get full time permanent work.

2. ideally, what sort of job would you like?

KC. Administration in a large organisation because I really enjoy working in large teams and I like the opportunity to learn and do a variety of jobs that you often don’t get the opportunity to do in smaller organisations.

3. The federal government has several programs to assist older job seekers, is there anything else you would like to see them do?

KC. The Government should promote through various media, Australia wide, the many proven benefits of employing older workers. They should also showcase some of the employers who are employing older workers and why they recruit people over the age of 45.

4. What are the skills and qualities you have to offer an employer?

Administration skills:

Typing 65wpm,

Data Entry 11000 ksph;

MS Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook - Advanced;

Qualities:

Fast Learner, Flexible, Friendly,

Reliable, Honest, Life skills

eMplOyee Of THe MOnTH

Karynne Crump


For your chance to win Ita Buttrose new book “A Passionate Life” please go to our Facebook page,

like OlderWorkers on Facebook and join the conversation with lots of other fantastic older workers


guest Blogger

among the 80 of us who took voluntary redundancy from the Sydney Morning Herald, only one was brave enough to say he was

retiring to read books and smell the roses. He was always a contrarian.

He was taking the rest-and-reading approach to the third age. But to the question everyone was asking, “What are you going to do next?” most of us took the high-achiever approach. We’d work,write the novel, change career.

Those under the age of 60 had to get jobs. But even the older ones with grown-up kids and solid finances felt the word “retirement” was taboo. In the third age, nearly everyone intended to be very busy indeed.

Australia is a world leader in the longevity revolution. We’re up there with Japan, France, Hong Kong and Switzerland. Thank Medicare, our public health system, our low smoking rates….

It means if we’re aged around 60 today, men are likely to live till 83 and women to 86. That’s a whole other adult life-time to fill.

So how are we going to spend the years from 60 to 85? We have an unprecedented chance to live productive lives well beyond what was possible for past generations. We have longer to achieve our goals and dreams, longer to contribute to society, longer to be activists for the causes we care about.

But how busy do we have to be? Is being over-scheduled and competitive an imperative in the third age as it was when we were younger? At what point is it okay to slow down, become reflective, spend more time with family, friends and books?

Sixty seems too young to subsist on a diet of coffee, travel and modest volunteering. And with the tax base shrinking, the economy can’t afford to waste older people

guesT BlOgger | adele HOrin

adele HOrinWWW.adeleHOrin.cOM.au

cOMing Of age

life is long: pace yourself


who want to work. But is 70 leaving it too late to smell the roses? At what age can the career-driven, who have already achieved so much, give themselves permission to relax? At what age is it morally defensible to grab a Me Decade before it’s too late?

The new landscape of longevity gives us all a chance to re-think the time-table of life as we have lived it in the 20th and 21st centuries. The usual pattern has been for people to cram as much study and work as possible into their 20s and 30s – get established, climb the ladder, have children; and stretch themselves thin for another 20 years. Then at 60 or 65, workaholics aside, most people retired to cram all the relaxation into the last years.

But with retirement now so elongated, it’s time to start a conversation about a better work-life balance at every stage of life. The new time-table might allow young people to take more time in their 20s and 30s to study, travel, work part-time, do volunteering, and spend more time with young children. In their 40s and 50s they might climb the career ladder, and in their 60s, 70s, even 80s ease back to part-time work if they wish. Professor Laura Carstensen, founding director of the Stanford Centre on Longevity, has said the old time-table was “built for short lives, not long ones. It makes no sense to cram all of

the work into the beginning and all of the relaxation into the end.”

How to achieve a better work-life balance over the life-span is both a personal question and a political one. People are slowly grasping the new reality that “retirement” may last for decades. It no longer marks a point where people put their feet up and keep them there; where older people’s contributions to society and the economy are not needed.

But if the new time-table for life is to become a reality, it will take a change in ageist stereotyping, in employers’ approach to hiring and keeping mature-age workers, in the availability of quality part-time work, and even in the quality of volunteer work on offer. It requires a new way of thinking about the life-span: why can’t men and women have a better balance between paid work, caring, volunteering, fun and reflection at every stage of our lives? This new time-table for life might be a pipe dream that evaporates under the blow-torch of economic realities. But I hope it’s worth considering.

In the third age I know I want what eluded me in my younger decades: to work and to have time to smell the roses.For 18 years Adele was the social issues journalist with the Sydney Morning Herald. Now, in Coming of Age Adele explores how her generation is meeting the challenge of getting older. Whether in paid work or retired, whether caring for elderly parents, adult children and grandchildren or fending for ourselves, once again baby boomers are rewriting the script.

Visit her site, www.adelehorin.com.au and let her know what you think.

guesT BlOgger | adele HOrin


counter thestereotypes about ageing!

Most of us age. It is not a negative thing. And most of us stay active and continue to contribute as we age. It is what keeps people vital and alive.

But negative stereotypes about ageing and older people can influence attitudes in our community and become one of the factors that lead to age discrimination.

These stereotypes can be countered. The more positive stories about older people that get out there, the more the stereotypes are shown to be wrong.

so send us your storiesDo you know an older person, maybe a family member, friend, colleague or neighbour, who is making an important contribution to their community and demonstrates a positive approach to growing older? The person could even be YOU!

I invite you to send in the name, photo and a 300 word story about a person over 50 and their achievements, whether that is another person or yourself

This person may be active in the community, be a volunteer, or be providing important support to family and friends. If so, we’d love to hear their story.

As Australia’s Age Discrimination Com-missioner, I am keen to use these stories to confront negative stereotypes about older people, and to remind the public about how much older people continue to contribute to our communities.

and don’t forget:• our NEWS page, where you can learn

about government and community initiatives that assist us to age positively, as well as

• our Age Positive Facebook page, where you can catch up on even more information about positive ageing and advocacy for older people, as well as read and watch Age Positive stories that have appeared in other media.

Age Discrimination Commissioner Susan Ryan

cOunTer THe sTereOTypes aBOuT ageing!

by Susan Ryan - Age Discrimination Commissioner


Older Workers jobsWoolworths: Various jobs across Australia with Woolworths

Dial-An-Angel: Aged Care Workers

ING Direct: Customer Service Representatives

NexGen: Appointment Setters

Origin Energy: Customer Care Consultants

Integra Systems: Engineering Draftsperson

Brandon Industries: Sales Representative

Telstra: Customer Service

Windsor Smith: Accounts Receivable Clerk

Radio Rentals: Sales and Customer Service

Recognition ID: Office Manager

Accor Advantage Plus: Membership Sales Consultant

OOPS: Mystery Shoppers

Brandon Industries: Sheet Metal Fabricators

Older WOrkers jOBs

To list your job advert on olderworkers.com, please go to www.olderworkers.com.au

Or email us at [email protected]


OlderWOrkersSUBSCRIBE TO

Documents

Owissue01v7