Focus on South Australian Mature Age Workforce

Mature age workers were in the spotlight at a recent Corporate Champions breakfast held in Adelaide to promote the benefits of employing older workers.

Employment Participation Minister and Member for Adelaide Kate Ellis said the breakfast looked at the Government incentives available to recruit older workers.

“Corporate Champions really do ‘champion’ the employment of Australians aged 45 years and over,” she said.
“Research shows mature age workers save their employer $2,000 a year compared with their younger counterparts because they are more reliable and loyal and provide a greater return on investment.”

Ellis said there was a need for direct programs to support mature age workers in the [South Australian] region.
“We know that mature age job seekers in South Australia aged 55 and over are on average unemployed for a staggering 81 weeks – that’s over 18 months looking for work,” she said.

Member for Hindmarsh Steve Georganas said businesses who become Corporate Champions benefit from assistance including:

• Priority access to the Jobs Bonus of $1,000 available to 2,500 employers who recruit mature age job seekers each financial year until 2016.

• Up to $20,000 worth of services from an industry expert to help improve their workforce planning and recruitment strategies.

• Up to $4,400 per employer for a skills assessment and training through the Investing in Experience—Skills Recognition and Training program.

Ellis also hosted a Mature Age Employment Forum which saw a focus group, including jobseekers, job service providers, employers and mature age workforce specialists look at the barriers older people faced in the job market and the support available.

The forum focused on the recruitment and retention of mature age workers, as well as the barriers older people face when trying to break into the job market after a long period of unemployment.

The Corporate Champions program supports employers who commit to moving towards best practice in the recruitment and retention of mature-age staff (aged 45 years and over). Eligible employers receive tailored support and assistance valued up to $20,000 provided by an industry expert.