COTA employment workshops

COTA employment workshops

Workshops for older workers on workforce change

Working life has changed dramatically over the past 10 years in line with changes in the Australian economy. Many industries have downsized, restructured or been taken over. Much job growth has been in part time, casual and contract work rather than full time work. Management structures are flatter and management itself is younger.

As we know from what our members tell us, the new world of work holds a number of challenges for mature age people. Some of the challenges include:

- finding a niche in the new job market after retrenchment or a long period out of the workforce

- knowing how to look for work

- coping with age discrimination

- finding a balance between personal priorities, income needs and employment goals

- putting together a “portfolio” of part-time, casual and contract jobs when full time work is not available or by preference.

Four highly successful workshops exploring the issues of the new world of work including the possible benefits of portfolio employment were held in June 2002 in Brisbane, Adelaide, Melbourne and Bundaberg. A further workshop was held in Adelaide in December 2002.

Due to the positive response to the first round, COTA National Seniors Partnership is continuing these events in 2003 with the Commonwealth Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.

Where and when?

Between February and June 2003 workshops will be held in the following locations – the provisional time-table and locations of workshops are as follows:

Darwin late February-early March

Logan March-April

Hobart March

Launceston March

Wagga Wagga March-April

Gosford-Wyong area April

Fairfield-Liverpool area April

Woollongong April

Perth May

Albany May

Dandenong/Frankston area June

Geelong June

Who?

The workshops are aimed at people who are actively interested in employment. You may be currently in work, out of work or have retired early but are contemplating a return to work. You may be actively looking for work at the moment or you may be a discouraged jobseeker and have given up looking although you would like to work.

What?

The workshops are one day events which consist of a range of expert speakers in the area of workforce and economic change and also in terms of looking for work. There is a very strong local content to the workshops. They are geared to exploring local labour market conditions, opportunities and challenges including the possible benefits of portfolio employment.

We have a strong philosophy that you as the participants have much to contribute to the workshops from your own experience. There will be ample opportunities for you to speak, ask questions, network, relate your experience and tell us what you think are the key issues and what would most help.

We aim to ensure that you will be linked to some useful services following attendance at the workshop.

There are no charges for the workshop.

How?

If you would like to receive more information about the workshops please ring the following numbers of your State or Territory Council on the Ageing.

COTA NT (08) 8948 1511

COTA TAS (03) 6228 1897

COTA NSW (02) 9286 3860

COTA QLD (07) 3221 6822

COTA WA (08) 9321 2133

COTA VIC (03) 9654 4443

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2002 Workshops

COTA ran workshops in June 2002 for mature aged workers providing information on the changing nature of the labour market and portfolio employment. This exciting project was funded by the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations.

The brochure about the COTA workshops is available for downloading in Portable Document Format. (PDF) files can be printed using any graphics printer. To read and print a PDF publication, you must have the Adobe Acrobat Reader software installed on your PC. If you do not have this software, then please follow the instructions on how to download it for free at the Adobe Acrobat Reader internet site

Part-time work can lead to a full-time career: the job market is changing...make it work for you - download brochure as pdf (147kb)

COTA to research older workers needs' - article in Fifty-Plus News, June 2002
Older workers have their say - Sunshine Coast Seniors Newpsaper, July 2002
Solutions for mature age job seekers, Sunshine Coast Seniors Newspaper, September 2002

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COTA National Seniors Policy Secretariat [formerly Council on the Ageing (Australia)]
Level 2, 3 Bowen Crescent, Melbourne Vic 3004
Tel (03) 9820 2655 Fax (03) 9820 9886
email cota@cota.org.au
www.cota.org.au