July 26, 2011

Commonwealth Corporation recently hosted “Planning for an Aging Workforce in Massachusetts: A Forum for Businesses and Workforce Professionals,” an event which brought together workforce practitioners and business and industry leaders to discuss issues associated with labor supply challenges resulting from an aging workforce. The event was held Wednesday, July 20 at Holy Cross in Worcester from 9:00-11:30am.

Joanne Goldstein, Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development, opened the event with welcoming remarks alongside Ann Hartstein, Secretary of Elder Affairs.

Paul Harrington from the Center for Labor Markets & Policy at Drexel University presented findings from the new report “The Increased Presence of Older Workers in the Massachusetts Labor Market: Implications for Workforce Development Policies, Workplace Accommodations, and Universal Design.”

After the presentation, two panels – one from the business perspective and one from the workforce development perspective – shared their approaches and challenges to managing issues related to an aging workforce.

Commonwealth Corporation co-sponsored the event with The New England Council, Center for Labor Markets & Policy at Drexel University, The Executive Office of Labor & Workforce Development, The Executive Office of Elder Affairs, Department of Career Services, Massachusetts Workforce Investment Board Association, and Massachusetts Workforce Professionals Association. 

Presentations from the event:

The Increased Presence of Older Workers in the Massachusetts Labor Market Presentation - Paul Harrington, Center for Labor Markets & Policy at Drexel University

Boston Centerless/AccuRounds Presentation - Diane Ferrera, Boston Centerless, AccuRounds

Download the reports:
 

The Increased Presence of Older Workers in the Massachusetts Labor Market

Retaining Older Workers

(left) Workforce Practitioner Panel: (left to right) Don Anderson, Workforce Central Career Center; Joan Cirillo, Operation ABLE; Valerie Fletcher, Institute for Human-Centered Design; and Leslie Parady, MassMEP.

(right) Business Panel: (left to right) Diane Ferrera, AccuRounds & Boston Centerless; Jim McCaffrey, Mercer;and Joanne Pokaski, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.