Many baby boomers faced with finding seconds careers turn to local educational outlets to update their skills.
Denyce Carrillo was an HP/Agilent workers’ compensation benefits specialist for 27 years in the company’s environmental health and safety department. After taking early retirement in 2005, she spent some time traveling. Then, not ready to stop working entirely, and seeking a fresh start, she enrolled in the Tourism and Hospitality certificate program at Empire College in Santa Rosa.
“Going back to school was terrifying, because I didn’t know if I could keep up with younger kids,” says Carrillo, now 62. “I can understand a person’s hesitation to return [to school] after a certain age.”
In hindsight, she believes it’s one of the best decisions she ever made. Within three weeks of her graduation from Empire’s accelerated program, which took less than a year to complete, Carrillo began her first job in hospitality at Holiday Inn Express in Windsor. Following a stint helping coordinate front desk activities at the opening of Hampton Inn & Suites in Windsor, she now works at Hilton Garden Inn on Aviation Boulevard near the Charles M. Schulz-Sonoma County Airport, where she’s the p.m. shift front desk supervisor.
“I think being an older student worked to my advantage,” Carrillo says. “I had a renewed interest in going back to school even though I hadn’t been a particularly good student when I was young. It just made me more determined.”
The road to retraining
Major cutbacks in the North Bay several years ago at such large employers as Agilent, Medtronic and Optical Coating Laboratory (OCLI)—along with the recent deep downsizings in the mortgage, construction and retail industries––resulted in many older workers suddenly jobless and with few prospects of finding new employment to match their skill set. Other mature workers, who were retired before the recession hit, went in search of second careers to help prop up their shrinking portfolios.
Lucille Inman, director of career services for Empire College in Santa Rosa, counseled many of those downsized employees––some with 25 years or more of service––when they came to the school for retraining sessions paid for by the companies. “My biggest challenge with experienced workers then––and it’s the same today––was to get their heads turned around,” she says. “Some of them said, ‘This is all I know, and now I have to start over.’ When I’d take a red pen to their three-page résumé and cross out most of it, a few reacted like I was stabbing them in the heart.”
After a certain age, deciding on a new career path isn’t always easy. So Inman tells older workers to turn each aspect of the long-term job they once had into what they are going to do. “Many job skills can be paralleled into a new career,” she explains. “And many employers who look for stable employees really do believe that mature workers are more desirable.”
Mature workers tend to not ask questions or challenge authority as much as younger staff members, according to Inman. “They will say, ‘I’ll follow the rules and do what I’m supposed to do.’ Sonoma County still has a lot of companies that want rule-followers. We don’t have a large population of employers like Google and Facebook that are looking for free thinkers.”
The fear of going back to school for retraining can stop some people in their tracks, “But it’s the best thing you can do, because it gets your brain thinking again, especially for those who were downsized,” says Mary Ellen Pastorino, assistant director of education at Empire College. “It reenergizes them and builds confidence, and in many cases, they get to pursue a career they may have always wanted to try.”
Inman finds that older students enrolled at Empire have a sincere desire to learn new skills. “They also tend to work diligently to make good grades, and their attendance record isn’t a problem because they’re pretty dedicated to studying and getting through their chosen program,” she adds.
Older students on campus
College of Marin in Kentfield enrolls a number of students over the age of 50, according to Cathy Summa-Wolfe, the school’s executive director of communications, community relations and advancement. “In part, that’s reflective of the demographics of Marin County, and many in that age group are coming back to school to retool their skills and find gainful employment in new fields,” she says.
During the fall 2012 semester, for example, more than 400 students age 50 and older were enrolled at the college in such programs as auto collision repair technology, court reporting, early childhood education, medical assisting and solar technology. In the same semester, Napa Valley College had 376 students born between 1945 and 1962 (ages 51 to 68) who were pursuing certificates in career technical programs such as child and family studies, digital design graphics technology, welding technology, machine tool technology and viticulture and winery technology.
“In Napa, we always have to look at what our regional market demands and where the needs are,” explains Beth Pratt, associate dean of career technical education at Napa Valley College. “So a wine tasting room sales certificate is one we’ll be providing. We’ve also created an entrepreneur certificate to help independent contractors better run their businesses. NVC also offers educational programs and curriculum that prepare students for career in the medical field, including course work for transfer to four-year universities for pre-med, nursing and bioengineering, as well as certificates in nursing, psych tech, respiratory tech, EMS an EMT.”
At Santa Rosa Junior College, most students ages 50 and older have been enrolled in business and professional studies and health sciences programs, according to Mary Kay Rudolph, vice president of academic affairs and assistant superintendent. In the 2010 to 2011 school year, 16 percent of SRJC students were age 50 and older. “That dropped to 11 percent in 2011 to 2012 because of program cutbacks, particularly in the noncredit, older adult portion of the schedule—a direct result of schedule cuts that eliminated about 23 percent of our courses,” she says.
The passage of Proposition 30 last fall means that some of those courses can be restored at SRJC and other community colleges for the 2013 to 2014 school year. “If Prop 30 had failed, it would have been a $12 million problem for Santa Rosa Junior College,” says Rudolph. “Cuts would have been in every area, and we wouldn’t have been able to serve our community. The good news is, we aren’t cutting any more courses and will be adding some back as we continue to evaluate the needs of our students.” For the upcoming spring semester, SRJC has already added back about a dozen “absolutely essential” courses, even though it’s not yet receiving state funds to pay for them.
Stephanie Thompson, interim dean of career and technical education and economic development for SRJC, says anyone considering a second career should first attend the college’s “Counseling 270-Introduction to College” session. The nine-hour course walks students through everything they need to know about going back to school. “Signing up for Counseling 270 is really the smart thing to do, and I recommend it for anyone who’s been out of school for a long time,” she says. “You can talk about finding a career and determining the best fit.” Individual counseling is also available year-round at SRJC on a drop-in basis.
So will an older student feel old at SRJC? Not likely, says Rudolph, particularly if they’re enrolled in the health sciences courses. “We have many students in their 50s and 60s in these programs, and they usually stay together throughout several classes and are assigned into study groups, so they build relationships. An older student in health sciences classes will absolutely feel in good company, age-wise.”
Medical assisting jobs on the rise
As Rudolph’s comments indicate, one popular second career for older workers is medical assisting, a booming occupation that’s expected to produce a 31 percent increase in job opportunities through 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. “I understand that more and more routine medical procedures are happening at the medical assistant level, which frees nurses and physicians to provide more focused patient care,” says Rudolph. MA programs are offered at all three North Bay community colleges and at Empire College. Pharmacy technician is another career in the medical field where job opportunities are forecast to increase by as much as 32 percent in the next few years.
“Medical care can’t be outsourced,” adds Pastorino. “So, many students who are returning to school for retraining look at the medical field because they know the jobs will be there.”
More than a decade ago, Dianna Rodriguez began taking classes in the medical assisting program at SRJC but was forced to drop out due to family commitments. She later went to work in retail because of its scheduling flexibility, but the recent economic downturn sent her back to college. “The store where I worked kept cutting employees’ hours and letting people go,” says Rodriguez, now 52. “So I decided to finish what I’d started and signed up again for the medical assisting program at the JC. I wanted to get back into an office setting, and I knew a medical career was the way to go because of the availability of jobs.”
Rodriguez admits going back to school was more difficult the second time around. “It took longer than I expected because it was hard to get into some of the classes I needed,” she says. Though she’s one credit short of earning her certificate, Rodriguez landed a job with Redwood Family Dermatology in Santa Rosa last year. “There’s just one more class I need to take to finish, and even though nobody is pressuring me to get that last credit right away, I do still plan to in the future.”
Soft skills are desirable
Like Inman, Pastorino tells older students at Empire to appreciate the basic skills they already possess. “They have a work ethic, they understand customer service, and they know how a business runs. These are the soft skills employers need.” She often meets with new students who last attended college in the 1970s. “They aren’t sure what they need to do first, so I ask what they’re good at and what they want to do. Once they identify a job, they identify the skills they’re lacking—and it may not be very many.”
As examples, Pastorino says a former police officer enrolled in Empire’s paralegal program because, as a veteran of law enforcement, he already understood how the court system operates. Another paralegal student, a 70-year-old man who’d worked in the mortgage industry, graduated from Empire last year and found employment almost immediately. (The job market for paralegals is expected to increase by 18 percent between now and 2020, according to the Department of Labor.)
Before deciding on a particular career, Pastorino recommends job shadowing. “A lot of people only have a vague idea of what a paralegal does, for instance, so seek one out who can tell you how they like [the profession] and what’s involved.”
Another line of work gaining popularity with the older generation is automotive technology and auto collision repair technology, two programs offered at College of Marin’s Indian Valley campus. More than 40 students age 50 and older were enrolled in the college’s automotive programs in fall 2012.
“Automotive work used to be thought of as a ‘dirty’ industry, but it’s really not,” says Summa-Wolfe. “The technology is all computerized and there’s a much higher skill set needed in that field than ever before.” By 2020, the Department of Labor expects job opportunities in auto collision repair to increase by 19 percent, while auto technology jobs may increase by 17 percent.
Court reporting, too, is on the career radar of many older students, and that certificate program is offered in the North Bay only at College of Marin. “Court reporting is extremely focused,” says Summa-Wolfe. “It’s not a physically demanding job, but it can be mentally demanding. But once a student gets his or her certificate, they can usually find a lucrative position with flexible hours.” Job opportunities for court reporters are expected to rise 14 percent by 2020.
Staying relevant in a virtual world
Deciding what to pursue for a second career also depends a great deal on the jobs that are expected to exist within a few years and the skills that employers will demand to fill them. At a recent “Jobs of the Future” workshop at Napa Valley College for school administrators and educators, an unconventional concept was floated: Relevancy is more important than education.
“That surprised a lot of us academics,” says Pratt. “We know we have to provide the tools and certificate programs that students of all ages will need to be relevant, because careers aren’t as static as they used to be. You can’t learn just one skill anymore and be prepared for the rest of your life. Our younger students will end up having five, six or seven more careers than what we boomers have had. It’s a constant learning process that may require going back to school to get new certifications.”
Pratt says there are careers and job titles coming in the future that “we haven’t even put classes in place for. These jobs are still sort of ‘out there’––they won’t be here today or tomorrow, but they’re on the horizon. They may have names like ‘creator of virtual experiences’ and ‘media integrator.’ The older generations, as well as young workers, need to understand that there’s this virtual element that isn’t going away, so there are skills they’ll have to keep upgrading to stay relevant in the workforce.”
Napa native David Gruening, 55, is trying to stay relevant in a changing world. A construction worker for more than 30 years, Gruening was forced to give up his lifelong occupation because of cumulative wear and tear on his back. “I’d always enjoyed drawing and photography, and I have a creative streak,” he says. So, working through the California Department of Rehabilitation and its WorkAbility III program at Napa Valley College, Gruening enrolled in the school’s digital design graphics technology program at the recommendation of his counselor. “Learning these skills can keep me somewhat in the construction industry, using computer-assisted design (CAD) programs, 3D software, digital drafting and animation,” he says.
Being on a college campus after the age of 50 felt strange at first to Gruening. “It was awkward to be older than even some of the teachers of the classes, but my life experience helped me to adapt and adjust. Going back to school has made my mind more active, and I can think straighter and process information better than I did when I was younger.”
Getting interviewed, getting the job
Completing Empire College’s Tourism and Hospitality program was a major milestone for Carrillo, who graduated with a 4.0 grade point average and perfect attendance. “And I received the highest award in my class, and that was even better than my degree––the ‘Outstanding Student Graduate Award.’” The plaque still hangs on her wall, she says, with her graduation day tassel attached.
“I’m very fortunate to have a second career, and I love what I’m doing,” states Carrillo. “I’d never thought about working in a hotel before, but I’ve never been one to say ‘no’ when an opportunity presented itself.”
So with a new certification featured prominently on a lean and mean, retooled résumé, how does a mature job seeker ace the interview? Inman, who works most closely with Empire students when they’re about to graduate, coaches them in refining their interview skills and even how to properly shake hands. “I tell them that when the employer asks, ‘Why should I hire you?’ one way to cinch getting the job is to respond, ‘I’m not bringing any bad habits from another office, and I want to learn your way of doing things.’”
