Seminar of Project Promoters, Brussels 02'12'05

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• Seminar of Project Promoters, Brussels 02.12.05
• Workshop 2 Older workers skills
• ESF Article 6 Innovative Measures
• Project VS/2004/0372
• www.ifoa.it/acting

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The Project in short

• PURPOSES
• Preserving, enhancing and transferring
  competencies heritage of older workers within
  enterprises
• Promoting seniors adaptability and employability
  by re-qualification on new, innovative
  competencies
• Raising the awareness of the potential of older
  workers and of active ageing policies by
  socio-economic actors, decision makers
• COUNTRIES AND ECONOMIC SECTORS
• Italy textile and fashion France plastic and
  construction
• Spain steel Northern Ireland (UK) food
  technology
• MULTI-STAKEHOLDER PARTNERSHIP
• Regions, Chambers of Commerce, Trade Unions,
  Employers Associations, Enterprises, Training
  agencies.

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The Project Cycle
Survey of needs and competencies
Dissemination and Mainstreaming (exchange of
European best practices)
Development of tools and practices for
transferring competencies from seniors
Development of tools and practices for enhancing
seniors competencies
Pilot Training
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Project Guidelines

• Focus on distinctive competencies set of
  knowledge, skills, attitudes owned by senior
  workers
• Sample of older workers mastering key processes
  within enterprises
• Focus more on valorisation of competencies and
  potentiality of seniors rather than gaps, needs
  and re-qualification
• Company approach for raising the awareness and
  understanding of the value of seniors within
  enterprises (actions tailored both on companies
  and seniors needs, mix of top-down bottom-up
  approaches etc.)
• A truly transnational dimension methods, tools
  and products are developed, transferable and
  comparable in the 4 countries

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The Survey warning

• The survey does not claim to provide a general
  overview or to draw conclusions on active ageing
  issues in the workplace
• because of the limited sample of companies and
  people, specific target of skilled/high skilled
  workers different sectors, nationalities,
  organisations, etc..
• nevertheless, some important common outcomes
  arose, which might be useful for developing and
  piloting approaches, methods and tools on active
  ageing.

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The Survey - purposes

• to survey and describe seniors professional
  profiles strategic for companies
• to identify seniors distinctive competencies
  which make them important and not so easy to
  replace
• to identify competency gap of senior workers
  (e.g. new organisation/ production methods)
• to record the point of view of stakeholders
  involved
• to provide a reliable baseline for further
  activities methodologies for competencies
  transfer, pilot training, mainstreaming and
  dissemination

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The Survey methodology

• Development of transnational survey tool
  recording points of strength to
  improve/competencies owned - missing, time and
  means for the acquirement, behavioural features
  
• Interviews to managers and senior workers
  top-down and bottom-up approach
• Analysis of quantitative and qualitative data
• Matching of outcomes and job descriptions
• Design of methodologies for transferring seniors
  competencies within enterprises and for their
  re-qualification

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The Survey - data overview

• E F I UK Total
• Companies involved 4 9 6 3 22Small - 4 - 1 5Med
  ium 3 2 3 0 8Large 1 3 3 2 9

Total no. of people involved 17 42 43 24 126
Profiles surveyed 5 11 16 23 55
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The Survey general findings

• Ageing and competencies related issues are
  acknowledged as very important by the actors
  involved
• nevertheless no clear, systemic ageing policies
  are in place (public or private), or are
  perceived as so
• Interest and positive attitude dialogue and
  collaborative approach of actors at all levels
• Hard manual workers or people very close to
  pension are less interested in some kind of
  active ageing scheme or active retirement
• Seniors expertise is not only technical wide and
  deep vision on organisational issues, production
  processes, improvement of company performances

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The Survey specific findings I

• COMPETENCIES OWNED
• Though management recognizes their importance
• seniors often feel their competencies and work
  underestimated
• Acquisition through years of experiential
  workplace or qualifications received prior to
  employment
• Not perceived a gap strictly related to technical
  competencies seniors even own the most
  innovative and up-to-date ones related to their
  role
• COMPETENCIES NEED
• General lack of soft competencies rather than
  hard, technical ones (IT applied on production
  process, communication, problem solving, team
  building )
• Re-qualification on organisation, production
  processes (planning and control, re-design of
  phases and responsibilities, security issues,
  negotiation with teams and individuals,
  contribution to the selection of staff )

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The Survey specific findings II

• TRANSFER OF COMPETENCIES
• Lack of tools/practices within companies
• but high perception of the need of a transfer
  of competencies policies
• Demand of an on-going, systemic strategy
  investment in time usable, effective tools and
  methodologies participated approach, train the
  trainers
• Individual personality as a crucial factor
  sometimes seniors are reticent, sceptical,
  unwilling or simply unable to transfer/receive
• Best tools and methods tutoring/mentoring,
  coaching, demonstration, shadowing (one-to-one,
  or small groups)
• Others focus groups, counselling, interviews,
  residential, on off site courses/ training,
  intranet/ on-Line training
• Importance of seniors/juniors relationship
  communication, mutual perception, tools and
  methods available