Identifies societal trends increasing the need to retrain older workers for second careers. Sees community colleges as an important resource for retraining older workers and describes some pioneering programs. Identifies key program components (e.g., employment skills for mature adults, ties to regional employers, achievement expectations), and…

Colleges and universities throughout the United States are faced with the new mission of offering comprehensive educational programs designed to strengthen the employment skills of mature adults. In the coming decades, as the number of young people entering the labor force decreases by an expected one-third, the number of available workers aged…