Once they reach the age of 60, some umbrella company contractors will no doubt start counting down the years towards retirement. However, it appears that for some, 60 is the age to learn a new skill by becoming an apprentice.
SHL, the talent measurement and assessment provider, recently welcomed the news that there has been an almost 900% increase in people aged 60 and above taking up an apprenticeship.
Eugene Burke, the chief science officer at SHL, said that the older generation can no longer be classed as set in their ways and unable to adapt to new challenges. It’s also interesting to note that a lot of organisations are actively looking to recruit more mature people.
He went on to explain that baby boomers and Gen Y have complementary skill sets and a lot of businesses may want to take advantage of this by employing apprentices to develop alongside one another. Baby boomers can teach Gen Y some of the softer skills, whilst the over 60s can get the entrepreneurial spirit from their Gen Y colleagues.
According to SHL, baby boomers tend to be good team players and have good workplace relationships, whereas entrepreneurial thinking is the main strength of Gen Y workers.
Vince Cable, the business secretary, said he was not overly concerned that less than a third of apprenticeships in 2010-11 were awarded to people aged between 16 and 24. However, with youth unemployment now standing at over 1 million, maybe more will be done to encourage school leavers to become apprentices.
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