Ageism is on way out

AS a nation we are getting older. Already people aged 50 and over account for 40 per cent of the adult population. That is around 19 million people.

The post-war baby boom means that by 2020, according to the government's own estimations, the 50-plus age group will have increased by a further three million.

Yet many in this age bracket feel that they are discriminated against when seeking work.

A whole raft of recruitment agencies have set up in recent years to try to counteract age discrimination - their very existence proof that there has been a problem.

The government itself is working hard to stamp out age discrimination before it enacts legislation which will make it illegal.

It is also already working hard to persuade companies to get ready now for the change when it comes.

The Age Positive Awards scheme, which we ran in Prime Time in conjunction with the Department for Work and Pensions, is just part of a wider campaign to get companies to sit up and realise that they may be discriminating, however unwittingly, against a valuable section of the workforce.

At the recent awards ceremony in London, pensions minister Malcolm Wicks said: "It is clear that employers and individuals are challenging ageist stereotypes and showing that it is ability not age that counts in the workplace.

"Many people over 50 want to work and are prevented from doing so by ageism. The government is committed to working with employers to provide opportunities to those older individuals who want to work, for as long as they are able to do so."

The British Chambers of Commerce is likewise urging companies to carry a policy review now to see where age bias might be lurking in their company before the legislation comes in.

l Nine years ago, Jill Barnes, who describes herself "as well into pensionable age" set up 40+ Recruitment.

The company now has four branches - not yet in Wales - and Mrs Barnes says she is "absolutely inundated" with jobs and applications and believes that at last more employers are favouring the more mature applicant.

"There is a lot less ageism out there than people think," she said.

"Our experience is employers are bending over backwards to get people they know have maturity and experience."

Ms Barnes said she would love to open a branch in Gwent but so far cannot generate enough Welsh interest.

"I think some more senior people are their own worst enemy in the sense that they believe themselves to be unemployable," she said.

"We need to convince potential clients that the jobs are there if they want them.

"Experience tells me we would have no trouble finding employers."

Visit www.40plusrecruitment.co.uk

l At the Age Positive Awards in London, Wales was well represented. The national outstanding employer award went to Bridgend council for its strategic approach to tackling age discrimination.

Magor-based First Motorway services were rewarded for their policies which sees them employing people from age 15 to 80 and Paul Walters, aged 27, from Newport, was presented with an award after overcoming age discrimination which denied him a place on a management training scheme.

l Kappa Packaging, of Abercarn, is proud of the value it places on its older workers.

The company employs nearly 100 people and three quarters of its workforce are over 40 and one third over 50.

"Older workers bring maturity and consistency to the business," said quality manager James Wilde.

"They are capable of maintaining high levels of output, resulting in continuing profitability.

"Age is never a criterion used to determine an individual's suitability for any Kappa posts. We have a zero staff turnover in terms of resignations, so we must be doing something right."

For more information on Age Positive issues log onto www.agepositive.gov.uk