Back to News and Events Menu

NEWS RELEASE

October 6, 2009

Media Contacts:

50+EXPO Offers Workshops to Help Guide Older Adults in Today’s Job Market

ELLICOTT CITY, MD – With Howard County’s unemployment rate at 5.7 percent and many older adults seeking post-retirement careers to boost their incomes, this year’s 50+EXPO’s new recareering and retooling workshops couldn’t come at a better time. Back for an 11th great year, the EXPO will take place on Friday, October 16 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Wilde Lake High School, 5460 Trumpeter Road in Columbia. Admission is free.

According to AARP, those who work beyond traditional retirement age tend to be happier and healthier. For the approximately 76 million “baby boomers” who continue to defy retirement, this is good news. New at this year’s EXPO and in conjunction with the Office of Workforce Development (OWD), there will be workshops to help older job applicant’s jumpstart a successful job search, write a résumé and use technology to help them find a job.

“Social Networking for Dummies” workshop from 10 to 11 a.m. will be led by Ken Godden, a member of Computer Seniors of America, a dedicated group of volunteers who offer beginning and advanced computer classes at our senior centers throughout the year. Social networking is one of CSA’s newer offerings to help older adults get and stay connected through social networks on the internet.

When it comes to finding and applying for jobs in today’s job market, older applicants will discover that things have changed; the new norm includes e-mail and cell phone communication, online job postings and internet job searches. From 1 to 2 p.m., learn how to navigate through today’s technology-driven job market in the “Returning to the Job Market in the Age of Technology” workshop hosted by OWD. Finally, for those interested in learning how to build a great resumé, there will be a workshop entitled “Resumés that Open Doors,” presented by the OWD from 2 to 3 p.m. Participants should bring a copy of their resumés.

The 50+EXPO is presented by Howard County’s Office on Aging and targets adults age 50 and older, younger adults with disabilities, their caregivers and family members and features over 140 exhibitors, workshops, a health fair, a “Living Green” area, educational seminars, great entertainment and food. Free shuttle buses will run continuously between the 50+EXPO and the Mall in Columbia (near Sears’ lower parking lot) throughout the day, with the first bus departing the Mall at 8:45 a.m. and the last shuttle leaving the 50+EXPO at 4:30 p.m.

For more information, visit the Office of Aging’s webpage at www.howardcountyaging.org or contact the office at 410-313-6410 or TTY: 410-313-5927. Sign language interpreters are available for those who have a hearing impairment, but requests must be received by October 9 by contacting Maryland Access Point (MAP) of Howard County at 410-313-5980 or TTY 410-313-5927, by e-mailing map@howardcountymd.gov, or calling Maryland Relay at 7-1-1.