Middle-aged workers do not lack opportunities

The most impactful disease

In the context of a highly volatile labor market, many workers over 30 years old are facing the risk of unemployment or having difficulty finding suitable jobs. However, according to experts, this age does not mean running out of opportunities. The core issue lies in the adaptability of workers and the synchronous participation of enterprises, management agencies and trade union organizations.

In reality, middle-aged workers are the group most clearly affected by the digital transformation process, streamlining the apparatus and changing the corporate governance model. When many intermediate positions are cut, requiring increased skills, the group of workers over 30 years old are likely to fall into a passive position if they do not improve their capacity in time. However, this is not an "end point", but a turning point that forces all parties to look back at the way of using and developing human resources.

Mr. Vu Quang Thanh - Deputy Director of the Hanoi Employment Service Center said that, besides the role of businesses and policies, workers themselves are also a decisive factor. Over the age of 30 is no longer the "absolutely safe" period, when just having to do a fixed job well is enough. In the new context, proactively learning, updating digital skills, foreign languages and being willing to change professional thinking is a vital condition.

Mid-aged workers need to accept going slowly or sideways during a period to learn new skills, instead of trying to keep old expectations and fall into a passive position. Being flexible in choosing a job, being willing to change positions or fields more suitable to their abilities and market trends will help workers extend their "career". In a constantly fluctuating labor market, over 30 years old is not the end, but a turning point. Workers need to realize that opportunities are not lost, but only change the form. Those who adapt promptly will stay in the game, said Mr. Thanh.

Enterprises need to look back at the value of experienced workers

Mr. Le Quang Trung - former Deputy Director in charge of the Department of Employment proposed that to limit the risk of unemployment in the labor force over 30 years old, businesses need to change the mindset of employing human resources. Instead of focusing only on recruiting new young workers, businesses need to correctly recognize the value of experienced workers - those who are knowledgeable about the process, have discipline, sense of responsibility and long-term commitment.

Investing in retrainment and updating skills for existing personnel not only helps retain employees but also saves costs compared to recruitment and new training. In many cases, the cost of training a middle-aged worker is significantly lower than recruiting a new employee but lacking practical experience. In addition, a stable workforce also helps businesses maintain an organizational culture and reduce the risk of personnel fluctuations, Mr. Trung affirmed.

Mr. Nguyen Doan Tung - Director of Anh Duc Import-Export & Fine Arts Manufacturing Company (Dong Da Ward, Hanoi) said that if the enterprise considers training as a long-term investment, instead of short-term costs, middle-aged workers can completely become a "transition pillar", helping the enterprise adapt to the new operating model. According to Mr. Tung, reducing training programs need to be designed in a short-term, flexible direction, linked to the actual needs of the labor market and businesses. Workers need to learn "correct and accurate" skills, which can be applied immediately to new jobs, instead of theory-heavy programs".

On the management side, Mr. Tung proposed to soon complete the policy system to support retraining and job conversion for workers over 30 years old. Currently, most training programs still focus on young workers or long-term training, not suitable for the middle-aged labor group who need a quick solution to maintain their livelihood. In addition, there should be a credit policy and financial support so that workers over 30 years old can feel secure in learning a trade and improving their skills because many people are under pressure from their family finances, causing them to not dare to quit their jobs or spend time re-study, even though they are clearly aware of the risk of being eliminated.

See the original here