Jobs needed for older workers with lower qualifications

Despite having laws in place, employers can still discriminate against older job seekers. Take, for example, an advertisement for an Accounts Associate (Payable or Receivable), with a diploma required as a minimum.

A diploma is also a basic requirement in many Civil Service advertisements for administrative roles. Many older workers are thus unable to apply, as they might have a wealth of relevant working experience but only O- or A-Level qualifications.

We must have sufficient jobs for this group who are still fit for office positions and not only the service industry. Some advertisements do not specify age, but one learns upon enquiry that, sorry, it is for people in their 40s and below.

Finding a job is already not easy for people aged 55 to 60, let alone those in their 60s. I believe that many healthy older workers are looking for work they enjoy and not big pay packets.

Administrative positions, including customer service, probably have a salary range of S$1,600 to S$3,000, but many employers are not interested in older job seekers, even though their maturity comes with a sense of responsibility.

The mindset is to employ young people with diplomas or degrees.

This was posted on Talking Point’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/TalkingPoint) on the topic, “Raise the retirement age?”