Valuing Australia's Older Workers

1. Valuing Australia's Older Workers Coming Ready or Not!

2. Content • Valuing Australia's Older Workers – an overview • Some facts • Emerging needs • Implications for Employers and Industry • Resources and support • Questions • Close

3. Valuing Australia's Older Workers The Facts • Australian Baby Boomers are retiring • Numbers of young people joining the workforce are declining • Australia’s fertility rate is below replacement levels

4. Valuing Australia's Older Workers Fertility Rates within Australia 1921 to 2051: Source: ABS Cat No 3301.0

5. Valuing Australia's Older Workers ABS Population Projections

6. Valuing Australia's Older Workers Australia’s Working Population • Labour growth rates have risen to around 180,000 per annum • Predicted downturn to an average of 19,000 per annum by 2020 • The decline in supply has already commenced • Will accelerate sharply over the next 10 years

7. Valuing Australia's Older Workers

8. Valuing Australia's Older Workers The Impact • By 2010 serious labour shortages could exist • Some have already appeared in varied industries • TAS, SA, NSW and VIC will be first to feel impact • WA and QLD will be affected slightly later • Marginally employed currently filling the gaps

9. Valuing Australia's Older Workers This decline in growth will result in – • Reduced labour supply • Reduced skills availability • Potential negative impact on ability to produce goods or services in Australia

10. Valuing Australia's Older Workers • Numbers of young people are declining • Numbers of older people are increasing - relative to the population • Many employers are already facing skills shortages • These shortages are predicted to get worse • Employers may face serious labour shortages - especially in small/medium business

11. Valuing Australia's Older Workers The Challenges • Attracting new employees • Retaining current workers • Maintaining a skilled and knowledgeable workforce • Addressing perceptions and attitudes • Promoting an ageless workforce • Encouraging a life-course perspective on work and learning • Older workers will play an important part in meeting the future needs of the workforce

12. Valuing Australia's Older Workers Older Workers are – • Already skilled and experienced • Bring a training investment with them • Possess attitudes of loyalty, persistence, quality • Have a knowledge of products, customers, systems • Represent many of the future customers

13. Valuing Australia's Older Workers Emerging Needs • Work arrangements • Age diversity • Skills, knowledge and qualifications - recognition - life transitions - funded training - career transition - cross-age communication - retraining - technological changes

14. Valuing Australia's Older Workers Implications for employers and industry • Promote a lifetime perspective • Accommodate individuals – - external factors and influences - attitudinal and cultural issues • Work closely with VET practitioners and RTOs in: - promoting a lifetime perspective on employment and ongoing learning - designing and developing ‘user friendly’ resources to support all aspects of skills/knowledge development • Focus on recognition of prior skills and knowledge

15. Valuing Australia's Older Workers RTOs can assist you in analysing – • Roles, responsibilities and staffing requirements • Job design and task breakdowns • Career pathways and qualification mapping processes • The linking of current training materials

16. Valuing Australia's Older Workers They can also assist in the design and development of – • Specific learning resources • Time and cost efficient learning activities and materials • Diversity training • Customised training

17. Valuing Australia's Older Workers and practical approaches to … • Cultural and behavioural issues • Recruitment practices • OH&S requirements Working closely with your HR Professionals, Managers, Employee Relations staff and Recruitment Personnel

18. Valuing Australia's Older Workers They can also offer support and advice on ways you may be able to - • Attract new employees • Retain staff • Manage skills requirements

19. Valuing Australia's Older Workers The older learners in your workforce will expect - • Less formal, more ‘work-based’ learning experiences that are: - tied to immediate work requirements - modified to work circumstances - cost effective and accessible - relevant to their perceived needs

20. Valuing Australia's Older Workers Employers, industry, recruitment and HR managers can work with RTOs to - • Develop and implement strategies for managing the challenges • Reinforce a ‘life-course’ perspective on work and learning • Address entrenched attitudes and barriers • Foster a demand driven approach to skills development • Recognise current skills and experience • Address cultural, systemic or personal factors

21. Valuing Australia's Older Workers Some suggestions – • Identify challenges for your industry and your employees • Analyse current work practices and how they can be used to further develop worker skills • Consider ways in which current staff can be used to mentor, coach, supervise or support • Identify professional development needs for the team

22. Valuing Australia's Older Workers • Any questions? • Close