Share your thoughts on helping older workers to be successful!

Vol. 8, Issue 4, August 23, 2018

Hamilton's Labour Market Connection

Your weekly news & updates from WPH!

In this week's edition: Employment service providers, complete our 3 minute survey to aid mature workers; Job insecurity hits professionals; CERIC Report on the status of senior entrepreneurship

How can we aid mature workers to reach their employment goals?

Workforce Planning Hamilton has heard the concerns of employment service providers regarding the challenges of finding meaningful employment for mature workers (people 50+)

for a number of years.

On March 21, 2018 Workforce Planning Hamilton in partnership with Mohawk College Enterprise and the Hamilton Council on Aging hosted a focus group with employment service providers to explore ways that Employment Ontario employment service agencies can better meet the needs of marginalized or multi-barried mature workers.

After the focus group WPH agreed to reconvene those in the group that wanted to continue working on the issue to explore possibilities and develop an action plan.

A meeting took place on July 18/18 with representatives from the EO employment services community. Next steps from the meeting included the suggestion to hold a Professional Development event.

We are inviting employment services staff (both front-line and management) to complete a three minute survey to gauge if there is need and interest among the EO employment service community to hold the event and the form that it would take.

Please click here to access the survey.

Growing number of professionals face job insecurity, study finds

A higher education and professional career can be the gateway to many privileges — but amidst Canada’s shifting economic tides, job security isn’t always one of them, according to a new study.

A survey released on August 21/18 of 1,000 professionals across the country found that one in five are in precarious jobs, working contract-to-contract, part-time, or freelance.

More than half of those in insecure employment said their income varied significantly, and 60 per cent said they don’t have pension plans or sick pay.

Conversely, 85 per cent of professionals with secure jobs had pensions and 94 per cent said they got paid if they were ill.

Regardless of job status, the study conducted by progressive think tank the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives found a “widespread sense of economic insecurity,” with 58 per cent of all professionals surveyed reporting their job used to be more stable.

Read the article here.

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A study on the status of senior entrepreneurship in Canada

In 2011, an estimated five million Canadians were 65+; that number is expected to double to reach 10.4 million by 2036. By 2051, about one in four Canadians is

expected to be 65+ (Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, 2011).

A subset of older adults represented by these numbers is the cohort known as “senior entrepreneurs.” In 2012, individuals 50+ made up the fastest growing age demographic for start-ups in Canada, accounting for approximately 30% of the total number of start-ups in the country. Since 1990, the rate of entrepreneurs 50+ has more than doubled itself, and the trend continues to rise.

Despite knowing these 2012 statistics, very little is known about the characteristics of older entrepreneurs in Canada – their needs, challenges, interests and their contributions.