A career transition program for older persons

The Second Careers program undertaken by the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences during 1975–1976 was designed to help older persons seeking second careers in the health care field make realistic career decisions. The program grew out of an awareness that persons over 45 are not adequately served by American educational institutions and frequently are denied opportunities to embark upon second careers in which they can make significant contributions. The age group 45–65 now makes up 20% of the American population. This group of persons is increasingly well educated, politically active, and relatively healthy; many are not inclined to settle for retirement or continued participation in jobs they may have outgrown. This population includes the early retiree; the homemaker returning to the marketplace either from choice or necessity; and the individual who seeks counseling, training, and education to support a midlife change to a new career. Second Careers was established for this large and educationally underserved group. This article describes a model program, conducted over a one year period, which combined classroom work and field experience with individual and group counseling. It involved twelve part-time students, all of whom made significant career decisions by the end of the year. Although this effort focused primarily on exploring career opportunities in the health care field, the model can be adapted to almost any educational setting. This paper is offered as a guide for individuals and organizations involved in or contemplating similar educational, counseling, and/or service programs for older persons.This article reprinted with permission fromEducational Gerontology An International Quarterly Vol. 4(1) Hemisphere Publishing Company.