Older Professionals Updating Degrees for New Jobs

The Sun Sentinel of south Florida reports that workers 55 and older are underemployed at a higher rate than any time since 1948, and those who are unemployed are experiencing job searches of six months or longer. Florida has an exceptionally high population of residents in the older age groups, many of whom are looking for employment opportunities as their retirement plans have been turned upside down by the recession.

One of the benefits for many of Florida's newly un-retired is the fact that they have career experience to fall back on. Linnea Schmidt is studying for a business degree in healthcare management at Kaplan College, using a Pell Grant like many college students and also relying on a student loan. She closed up her pottery shop when the recession ruined the tourist trade in her area and is committed to spending tens of thousands of dollars on this degree. However with her thirteen year history in healthcare administration, she has the experience to match her newly acquired training.

"They're coming back to solidify their credentials or transition to a new career," she says Betsy Richards, director of career development at Kaplan University, whose online enrollment of 55-plus students has increased from about 200 in 2007 to more than 2,200 today. It's also worth noting that Pell Grants, for which Linnea Schmidt qualified, are usually granted to high-need or low-income applicants. Would-be workers who find themselves unwanted because of age are now being recognized as a social sector that needs educational support.

Many people who successfully managed businesses for decades are finding that the lack of formal credentials along with the age issue makes it difficult to get interviews for positions that their experience has prepared them for. Not all of them are seeking a bachelor's degree like Linnea Schmidt. An associate's degree in accounting has helped one Floridian with a background in bookkeeping obtain work with a respected firm. In her case, a history with cash management helped but so did the fact that people in her age group are often looked on as more trustworthy.