50+ might be a good time for a career change, says AARP CEO

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Many companies are reluctant to higher older prospective employees, while the elderly who are still a ways off from retirement face the challenges of finding available positions. However, those who can still work well into their middle years may have more opportunities than they think.

Jo Ann Jenkins, CEO of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), said that the organization has been running a “50+ Program” to help Americans over 50 learn about potential job positions that suit them.

Jenkins noted that she sees the program as a training opportunity for people who might want to change careers or jobs, and views the experience as a trial session for both employer and applicant.

“We are really pleasantly surprised with the number of people who have applied to come in,” said Jenkins, who spoke to CGTN on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos. “We are also surprised about how well they actually worked with other interns.”

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In the past, people worked in the same place their entire lives, but now they have a chance to experience two or three completely different careers thanks to self-education and continued learning, said Jenkins.

“People tell us they don’t want retire but to take a break,” said Jenkins. “They love the work they are doing and want to add value to the place they have worked. I think it’s going to be exciting to see how we can use these experienced [members of the] workforce to engage with other younger generations and how we transfer the knowledge so that we are getting the best of both generations.”

AARP is an organization based in Washington, D.C. that focuses on the elderly, especially on how they can continue to live well after retirement. Jenkins said that her association hopes that people may live longer and healthier, and that their quality of life won’t deteriorate in their aging years.