On March 28th, 14 older adults graduated from “Job Searching in the Digital Age,” a five-week course offered at the Senior Planet Exploration Center.  The course was sponsored by AT&T, an OATS funder that understands the importance of technology education for all ages.

In a ceremony at the Exploration Center, Marissa Shorenstein, President, AT&T New York, presented the graduates with certificates of completion. “Providing older adults with these kinds of classes empowers them to present themselves in new ways to potential employers, and that can open up exciting new career opportunities,” Shorenstein said.

Seniors are increasingly aware of the need to understand and use online tools like Monster.com, LinkedIn, and Facebook for professional purposes. As lifespans continue to lengthen, more and more older people, either through necessity or by choice, continue to work well beyond traditional retirement ages. (See more on the topic of seeking work and working while older in the Senior Planet “Guide to Life.”)

“Today, more older adults than ever work beyond the age of retirement and require professional development to maintain their competitive edge,” Thomas Kamber, Executive Director of OATS, says. “Job Searching in the Digital Age has been one of our most popular classes this year. Thanks to our partnership with AT&T many more older New Yorkers will be able to learn the basics of hunting for a job online.”

One student has already landed a job and another has secured an interview. The other graduates are also eager to put their newfound skills to work. “To get into the workplace and stay there nowadays, you have to know how to use social media,” class participant Wanda Withers said.  “This class has been very helpful in getting us all up to speed.”

The job searching class will be offered on a regular basis at the Senior Planet Exploration Center, as will a variety of other courses and workshops.