Transferable Work Skills
Joanne Waters, executive director of Modesto’s Center for Senior Employment, part of California’s One Stop, says “There is a job for everyone.”
The people who come to see her come from all walks of life, all career paths. They come to the center because they are out of work. Joanne claims they come with all sorts of questions, “Why did I loose my job? Is it my age? My skill sets? What is wrong? Is it about me?”
When this program was started in 1976 it was geared towards women who had never worked outside of the home. Older and divorced or widowed they sought help and found it in “transferable work skills”. Their work at home, childcare, baking, shopping or their work as volunteers at church or community had value.
Waters has great success with this program, which evaluates and trains individuals then matches them up with work. Now there are many different people who seek help and find it at the Center for Senior Employment. Hear what Joanne has to say about changing the “philosophy within and learning how to talk differently and walk differently.”
She advises job seekers to be appropriate and pattern the industry. “Ageism is a state of mind…workers who have skills and know how to present them learn to overcome [ageism]. Presenting our skills correctly will give more success,” Joanne states.
Some observers believe Waters’ success comes because she controls all the key senior employment services in her region, including the One-Stop employment center, and therefore has a rich array of resources to leverage as she seeks to meet the needs of the clients as well as the requirements of all the programs. Others say her listening ability and willingness to empower others uniquely shapes her success. Denise Wallace, SCSEP specialist for California’s Department of Aging, suggests an additional fundamental factor. “She believes in them,” says Wallace. “She believes in them so much. This is a big deal with older worker programs.”
Taken from Changes for Life, a publication of Senior Service America, Inc.
