Grey-haired workers on the rise in Australia

SGGP 10/25/2023 05:36

80-year-old Vesela Grujoska (Vesa) still shows up at Sydney Central Station, Australia, every day at 6am to sweep and clean the train cars and says she "won't retire until she's 100".

80-year-old Vesela Grujoska still doesn't retire

Vesa was born in 1943 in a small village in Macedonia (now North Macedonia) and immigrated to Australia with his family in 1970. At a rare age, he is still among those participating in the workforce in the land of Kangaroos.

SBS channel cited statistics from Australian authorities saying that in 2021, there were more than 600,000 workers aged 65 and over, doubling after 20 years.

The Australian government has recently announced legislation allowing retired seniors and veterans to work if they want to.

Social Services Minister Amanda Rishworth said many older Australians who retire want to re-enter the workforce and make a difference. The new law helps reduce barriers to older people getting paid work.

“We need to ensure that the system encourages older Australians to work if they want to. No one should be financially disadvantaged by staying in the workforce longer, or returning to work after a period away,” Ms Rishworth said.

Financial security in old age is not easy for many Australians. A survey of 1,063 people by Finder found that 23% of respondents admitted they did not have enough money in their superannuation or other investments to cover their living expenses in retirement. 27% were unsure whether they would have enough money to live on when they stopped working, while 22% believed they would have enough but would have to cut back on their spending.

The newly announced law has received great support from the elderly as well as employers' organizations.

NSW TrainLink, the company where Vesa works, recently honored her for her 50 years of service to NSW TrainLink. A representative of NSW TrainLink said they “want more Vesa” in the future and affirmed that the company does not discriminate against employees by age.

“If you are physically able to work, the company welcomes and welcomes you,” said a NSW TrainLink representative.

The move by Australian employers to create opportunities for older workers comes amid a labour shortage in Australia. Earlier this October, Acting Commissioner for Jobs and Skills Peter Dawkins warned that Australia was facing its worst skills shortage in 60 years.

According to JSA data, in Australia, 36% of occupations will face a shortage of skilled workers in 2023, up from 31% in 2022. Along with a large shortage of technicians and tradespeople, professional occupations such as medicine, engineering and science are the most affected.

The JSA recommends that the Australian Government implement broad strategies across higher education, vocational training and migration to ensure workers have the skills employers need. In fact, the Australian Government has implemented a number of solutions to address labour shortages, including a recent agreement to fund vocational education and training (TAFE) institutions in Australia over five years, worth AU$12.6 billion (over US$8 billion)…

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