Nicholas Craig column

Jun 8 2007 By Nicholas Craig, The Journal

If it weren't for the energy of more mature workers who decide to stick it out at the office way past the age of 65, economic growth worldwide would slow to 1.7% during the next 30 years.

There seems to be little chance of a slowdown as 70% of baby boomers plan to work past retirement age. Some are not just refusing to retire but are instead starting new careers.

A friend of mine retired from teaching maths at 50, took a degree in horticulture, got top results and is now designing gardens for a living. A Southampton woman, Lillian Brimelow, started her new job as an exercise instructor aged 72, and 83-year-old Christina Thomas still works as an extra for TV shows. Camomile Lawn author Mary Wesley was a mere 70 when she published her first novel.

The trend seems to be that people increasingly graduate to a new career, rather than retire.

They move from one long-held job to things often more aligned with their hobbies. The pod of experience built up over 20 or 30 years of a career colours rather than constricts their future job choice. The over 60s are able to build an enviable portfolio of attributes as they train and move on. Ironically they could be seen to be more nimble on their feet compared with younger, more entrenched long-term employees.

It is interesting to see that a growing number of second careerists are opting for job shares, or working from home.

There are, of course, far too many older people who find it difficult to win the job of their dreams, and many others who would dearly like to give up all connections with work, but have no choice but to carry on.

The agility, productivity and usefulness of the over 60s, however, seem to be having some effect on employers.

Given the fact that there are millions of baby boomers heading for retirement age there may soon be an exceptionally powerful lobby to push forward the need for flexible working practices.

The skills and the spirit of the over 60s could be a considerable force in shaping future economic success. Their ability to handle change should be replicated by employers, who need people with the proven ability to restructure, downsize and succeed.

One of my future careers may be to create a recruitment agency for the over-50s - it seems like an obvious winner.

Nicholas Craig is a partner at Watson Burton law firm in Newcastle