North West CDC launches new programme to help seniors return to work

The North West Community Development Council (CDC) has launched a new programme to help seniors return to work. 

On offer are specialised courses, experiential learning and a job facilitation skills workshop to increase the seniors' employability. 

The CDC has also partnered eight employers and will be organising a job fair later this month to provide some 400 senior-friendly job opportunities. 

About 35 per cent of residents in North West District seeking employment are seniors who still want to contribute to the workforce. 

About half of them have said they prefer to work part-time. 

Companies have also adopted practices to help seniors assimilate to their new work environment. 

Managing Director of Remnant Holdings Sarah Lee tells us about the practice in her firm. 

"The buddy system is basically to let someone to be with them and to guide, motivate and encourage them so that they can make it and to also ease them into the job so they have confidence in doing the job." 

Take 65-year-old Choon Huat for instance. 

He quit his job as a taxi driver after suffering health problems, and now works in a sandwich outlet due to its flexible work hours. 

"Initially, during peak hours when there's a crowd, you will feel a bit nervous and then after some time we learn and we know everything and there's no problem." 

Under the programme, senior job seekers will first attend a job preview to learn more about the job sector. 

Once they have selected the industry they are interested in, they will undergo Workforce Skills Qualification courses to equip themselves with the necessary skills. 

Mayor of North West District Teo Ho Pin with more. 

"We identify suitable employers who are willing to redesign their jobs for seniors and who are able to provide flexible and part time jobs, and different work processes where they have identified vacancies suitable for seniors.What they do is they work with the CDCs and the job seekers to allow jobseekers to get some experience as to what is the actual work environment like and from there, we go through the job matching and employment."

North West CDC aims to provide 70 per cent job placements for senior job seekers every year.