ERIC Number: EJ1032791
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0360-1277
EISSN: N/A
Effective Strategies for Educating Older Workers at Community Colleges
Cummins, Phyllis A.
Educational Gerontology, v40 n5 p338-352 2014
Workers are remaining in the labor force at older ages; and, despite their desire to work, those without jobs face unprecedented durations of unemployment. Many of the unemployed lack current skills for jobs in demand and need to either upgrade their skills or be trained for a new occupation to become re-employed. An aging workforce combined with concerns about the long-term viability of social welfare programs has increased the importance of identifying strategies to encourage working at older ages. In recent years there has been increased focus on training that results in a credential; much of this training takes place at community colleges. The present study examined community college involvement in educational programs for older workers. This involved interviews and site visits at 14 community colleges to gain an understanding of the role community colleges play in linking older students to credential or certificate programs. Effective strategies for community college involvement in workforce training were identified and include outreach programs for older students, providing advice for specific programs of study, support during the program to ensure completion, job placement services, and continuing education for skill upgrading.
Descriptors: Older Workers, Community Colleges, Educational Strategies, Adult Education, Adult Learning, Job Skills, Job Training, Interviews, College Faculty, Teacher Attitudes, Outreach Programs, Educational Counseling, Academic Persistence, Job Placement, Continuing Education, Educational Practices, Educational Needs, Andragogy, Delphi Technique
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Two Year Colleges; Postsecondary Education; Higher Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A