Cecily O'Connor
RedwoodAge.com

Boomers interested in pursuing an encore career in these difficult economic times are finding that community colleges can be their greatest networking tool. 

For the past year, 10 US community colleges have been piloting new approaches to their career-transition courses, curriculum development, student services and job placement to help match boomers' experience, skills and interests with encore careers in fields such as education and healthcare.

The colleges, which include Baltimore City Community College in Maryland and GateWay Community College in Phoenix, Ariz., received $25,000 grants in 2007 as part of a program developed by boomer think tank Civic Ventures and supported by the MetLife Foundation. 

As more older Americans choose work over retirement, it's important that they have training available to them to prepare for second careers. Community colleges are increasingly helping boomers bridge their work gaps by engaging local employers and helping older students participate in meaningful work opportunities.

Outside of the Civic Ventures program, some colleges also are focusing their efforts on other critical training areas such as caregiving, which has a shortage of qualified workers. 

Half of adults aged 44 to 62 - the boomers - are interested in work that achieves three objectives: combines greater meaning and social impact with continued income, according to a Civic Ventures and MetLife study released in June. But the survey also uncovered concerns about the skills boomers will need to acquire and succeed in such positions.

"Our schools, hospitals and community service agencies need talented employees, and research shows that boomers want meaningful work," said Marc Freedman, chief executive officer of Civic Ventures. "This report finds that community colleges can clearly be successful matchmakers."

Beyond Cookie Cutter
To gauge how colleges are preparing boomers for work in education, healthcare and social services, Civic Ventures profiled last year's grant winners in a new report. It found that colleges with the most successful approaches offered greater flexibility in scheduling, convenient locations as well as online options, fast-track programs, streamlined procedures, adequate support services, peer mentoring and networking opportunities. 

"Innovative colleges succeeded with boomers not by implementing a cookie-cutter approach, but by focusing directly on the specific needs of local employers and experienced students," said Judy Goggin, a vice president at Civic Ventures.

For example, Collin College in Allen, Texas targeted boomers who have been laid off or retired from engineering and technology careers, helping them to get fast-track certification to become certified high school math and science teachers.

Broward Community College in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida provided free seminars and career counseling for two months to help boomers explore local encore career and service opportunities.

"Community colleges play an invaluable role in our communities, particularly during tough economic times," added Sibyl Jacobson, president and chief executive officer of MetLife Foundation.

 In Your Area
In addition to Collin and Broward colleges, the other eight colleges profiled include:

• Baltimore City Community College (Baltimore, Md.), which used an executive outplacement model to help African American women over 50 develop the skills they need to transition to encore careers.
• Central Piedmont Community College (Charlotte, NC), which provided experienced managers and executives with career coaching and peer networking opportunities to help them transition to the nonprofit sector.
• Coastline Community College (Fountain Valley, Calif.), which offered courses for older students interested in gerontology and eldercare careers.
• GateWay Community College (Phoenix, Ariz.), which joined forces with local employers to help develop courses that train boomers for careers as caregivers.
• Owensboro Community and Technical College (Owensboro, Ky.), which encouraged experienced nurses to become adjunct nursing faculty at the community college level - filling a critical need to train the next generation of nursing students.
• Portland Community College (Portland, Ore.), which established a peer mentoring program for students over 50 who are enrolled in the college's gerontology certificate or degree program, to improve student support and boost retention.
• Virginia Community College System (Richmond, Va.), which launched a recruitment effort to attract more boomers with college degrees to their existing fast-track teacher licensure programs.
• Washtenaw Community College (Ann Arbor, Mich.), which offered all-day encore career workshops for mid-career professionals who have lost jobs, white and blue collar, and want retraining to find social purpose work.