Senior Citizens Head Back To School

Senior Citizens Head Back To School

Senior Citizens Head Back To School

Americans age 55 and older make up a large portion of the nation's labor forceabout 19 percent in 2009. This rate is the highest recorded since 1948 when the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics began recording the data. But unemployment rates among this age group are also high, around 7.3 percent. While increasing numbers of senior citizens are finding themselves out of work but with retirement beyond their financial means, America's elders are heading back to school to earn additional degrees.

One such nontraditional student is Dortothy Frode of Dubuque, IA, who enrolled at a local community college this past fall at 67 years old. Frode graduated from high school 50 years ago, but found retiring with only her Social Security income to be impossible. Seniors are returning to school to receive new training, in hopes of finding jobs that they can hold into an older age.

Older students often return to community colleges to take leisurely, noncredit courses like cooking or painting. These days, though, with uncertainty in the economy and Social Security, seniors are returning to school to register for and complete majors in subjects like education, business, health care, and information technologyfields which traditionally hire at the highest rates.

While exact data is not available on what's motivating seniors to go back to school, theorists guess that the poor economy and high unemployment are to blame. Bryan Cook, director of the Center for Policy Analysis with the American Council on Education, said that for seniors who have lost their jobs but only hold a high school degree, "chances are any other employment opportunities are going to require some sort of post secondary education."

POST COMMENT

College Scholarships For Mothers - Pay For Your Education For Free Travel is the Best Teacher Scholarships For Young Moms - Get your Education Paid For Private Schools Teaching Education In Delhi Institute For Teacher Training Courses,delhi CLEP is Better for High School Students Than AP Diet Education In Delhi NurseryPrimary Teacher Training Institute Start your own dance school High-quality Interactive Schools The Best Teaching Athomeschooling High School Football Scouting - Play Football Services