Lack of computer skills holds over 50s back

PEOPLE
aged 50 and above face a range of challenges in accessing the labour market, a
new report by a Southside group has found.

D8CEC,
a community education centre based in the Digital Hub in the south west inner
city, also found that a lack of familiarity with contemporary office systems
and working procedures was holding them back.

At
its annual awards ceremony, Marie Mulvihill, director, said older job seekers
were more likely to have poor IT skills and low literacy levels than their
younger counterparts.

“The
challenges faced by older job-seekers have been exacerbated since the onset of
the recession,

? she said.

“Over the past three years, we have seen more
and more people aged 50 and above enrolling in courses in D8CEC with the aim of
gaining skills that will help them to re-enter the workforce.

“Many
of them, particularly the men, had worked in the same jobs since their teenage
years. If their jobs were physical in nature they have had virtually no
experience of working in an office environment or of using computers in their
day-to-day work.

?

She
added:

“It is a huge challenge for somebody aged 50 or older to compete with
younger job seekers. And the recession has dealt many of these people a double
blow. Not only have they lost their jobs, but they are also now faced with the
prospect of having to work for longer than they originally anticipated.

?

Ms
Mulvihill said D8CEC and community education centres throughout Ireland were
responding to the needs of older jobseekers by offering courses aimed at
enhancing their employment prospects.

“We’re offering ICT courses at a range of
levels now, beginning with a new, expanded introductory course that starts at
the basics and gives the learners a comprehensive introduction to information
technology, and going on up to FETAC Level 5 qualifications,

? she added.

“There
is huge awareness amongst our learners of the importance of being computer
literate when looking for work, and demand for our computer classes continues
to rise, particularly amongst those recently unemployed.

?