This content was published: April 4, 2014. Phone numbers, email addresses, and other information may have changed.
Workforce conferences target 50-and-older crowd
Photos and story by James Hill
Portland Community College is hosting two conferences on employment and training aimed at the 50-and-older crowd.
The half-day conferences titled, “Finding Work at 50 Plus: Yes You Can!” are set to go from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesday, April 22, in Beaverton at the Willow Creek Center (241 S.W. Edgeway Dr.) and again on Thursday, April 24, at the Portland Metro Workforce Training Center (5600 N.E. 42nd Ave). The free conferences are for members of AARP who are age 50 or older. The purpose is to give information, offer networking opportunities and help create a “next steps plan” for AARP members on employment and training options targeted specifically for their age group. In addition to PCC, AARP and the Small Business Administration are co-sponsoring the events.
The conferences, which are co-sponsored by AARP and the Small Business Administration, will feature workshops on how attendees can run their own business, learn more about solo entrepreneurship, take advantage of the hidden job market, re-careering, and discover specific tools and techniques on finding employment. Keynote speakers include Kevin Cahill with ECON Northwest and Malcolm Boswell from Oregon State Employment. Both will present data on the 50-plus workforce to show where the jobs are, employment trends and data on entrepreneurship. Panel speakers will talk about how they have re-created their lives.
Organizations providing information at the conferences include PCC’s Small Business Development and CLIMB centers as well as the college’s Career Pathways, Community Education and Life by Design programs. Plus, SCORE, Mercy Corps, Small Business Administration, Worksystems Inc., Experience Works, Easter Seals of Oregon, AARP and Dress For Success will also be on hand.
To register, call toll free at (877) 926-8300, or visit the registration pages for each event – Willow Creek Center, or the Portland Metro Workforce Training Center.
About James Hill
James G. Hill, an award-winning journalist and public relations writer, is the Director of Public Relations at Portland Community College. A graduate of Portland State University, James has worked as a section editor for the Newberg Graphic... more »
James,
I am on the planning team for Finding Work at 50+ meetings on April 22 and 24. I wanted to make a correction to the content of this posting. The forum is NOT only for AARP members. It is open to the public.
Hope you can make this correction!
Thank you Debbie Durham, Life by Design NW