State's one-stop career centers offer training vouchers, other aid

By Joan Cirillo | March 25, 2007

Q. I am a very youthful 67-year-old retired from the telecommunications industry. For the past five years, I have worked in a stock room at a private boarding school on the North Shore but was recently laid off. I am interested in employment and training opportunities with nonprofit organizations. My communications skills are strong, and I'm eager to learn new things. Any information or advice that you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

A. I would encourage you to go to the One-Stop Career Center in your area and see what they have to offer. To find the center closest to you, go to mass.gov/dwd and click on "Find a Career Center Closest to You" in the center of the screen, under Online Services. That will take you to a list of all the centers in Massachusetts. You can find a counselor to speak with, sign up for unemployment insurance, find out about training and development opportunities that you may qualify for, attend job search workshops, search online on their premises, etc. It is well worth a visit for all job seekers.

Since you worked for five years before being laid off, you may qualify for what is called a workforce investment act (WIA) training voucher. However, in order to qualify for long-term training and continue to receive unemployment insurance, you must sign up for training by the 15th week of your unemployment. So if you have been out of work for several weeks, watch your time. The Division of Career Services is very strict about this rule. I find many job seekers miss this rule because they are so focused on their job loss and not on these rules so pay attention and watch the number of weeks/months you are collecting unemployment. You do not want to lose an opportunity for training at no cost to you if you qualify for a WIA voucher.

Finally, I cannot miss an opportunity to suggest a visit one Friday morning at 10 to my organization, Operation A.B.L.E. of Greater Boston (131 Tremont St., 3rd floor) for one of its information sessions. I mention it because our mission is to serve workers 45 and older and get them back to work. You may find a training or job opportunity tailored to mature workers mentioned at the information session that you were not aware of.

The work is fine, it's the look they don't like

Q. I work for a large real estate developer as a "hostess." It is like a paid apprenticeship. I get paid $10 an hour to support two brokers as I learn the business. I do have my real estate license but very little experience. I have been doing this for about a year now and I really like the business and I'm good at it. If the company likes how the "hostess or host" handle themselves, they will eventually give you your own development and the opportunity to make serious money. That is what I am working for. Yesterday, one of my supervisors pulled me aside and told me the company really likes my work but they find my look a little too "edgy." She proceeded to say that if I want my own development project that I needed to tone my look down since this development sells mainly to families. I was flabbergasted. I thanked her for the information and walked away. Can they do this?

A. Yes, they can. They have a certain profile of what a successful sales agent looks like. I am sure they did expensive research on this. You have a choice to make here. You can ignore the feedback and see what happens; you can leave the company and go to another, but you've already put in almost a year in your internship; or you can make some cosmetic changes to yourself that might get you the promotion .

I would take this little talk with your supervisor as a positive step. The company obviously likes what they are seeing and they feel with some alterations, you have what it takes to be successful. Look around you at the next staff meeting. What are the brokers wearing? Business suits? Pants and jackets? Lots of make-up or more natural look? Hair short or long? Lots of jewelry or not much? See if you can model yourself after a few successful brokers that you have identified. I would guess that you will have to make only some slight adjustments to your look to make you fit in with the others. All of us have had to change -- whether it is our hair, dress, work habits or personality -- to fit in with the existing work culture that we have selected. The question is whether you are prepared to make those changes .

Jobs value a degree more than experience

Q. I was a financial analyst for 24 years for a large retail company that recently folded. I tried finding a similar job at another retail company but now, they are looking for a degree in finance for the job that I used to do, which I do not have. I recently completed a training course that updated my computer skills, particularly MS Excel. I got a lead that another retail company was looking for a financial analyst and I applied. I got called in for an interview and we hit it off. However, they are offering me $20,000 less than I used to make because I don't have my degree. Can they do this?

A. I am afraid so. This has been a hard lesson for many mature workers who got where they were with lots of elbow grease, rather than with educational credentials. When they are laid off, they cannot get comparable jobs or salaries because they are missing the credentials that would make them eligible.

I would ask myself whether you could live on the salary they are offering you. Be sure to consider the benefits as well. It is often another 25 percent of salary. If this job sounds like a good opportunity, I would seriously consider it. I know a 20 percent cut in pay is not easy to swallow, but if you can live with it, it will get you back to work earning a salary and having those all important benefits.

There is an important message here for our young readers. Finish school. Get your degree. You may not feel it is important now, but 20 years from now, it may be the deciding factor of who gets the job you want and who doesn't.

Healthcare offers many opportunities

Q. I am 57 years old and need to go to work. I recently lost my husband and simply don't make enough money to live on. I nursed my husband through a long illness and found I was quite good at it. I was thinking I could help others who are ill and need personal care. Any ideas how I could get started in this field.

A. Healthcare is a great field to get in to, particularly with all the aging baby boomers who will eventually need care. You may want to start with a certified nursing assistant certificate. The American Red Cross offers this program continuously, as well as many other organizations, including many community colleges.Most programs are four weeks in length and you will need to pass an exam at the end of the course to practice in Massachusetts.

However, once you have your CNA certificate, you will have many options. You can look for work in a nursing home, assisted living facility or perhaps, a home health aide agency. Salaries generally start at $10 to 12 an hour. However, once you get more training and experience, salaries will increase significantly. Hours can be flexible. If you only want to work a few days, most long-term care facilities will accommodate you.

There may be ways to get this training paid for as well. There are many opportunities out there to get people started in the healthcare field. Many programs will provide an allowance for transportation, uniform, shoes, and equipment .

After you have been practicing for a while, you may want to look at additional training that will allow you to be a licensed practical nurse (LPN) or even a registered nurse (RN). One nursing home that I spoke to has an arrangement with a community college that can provide the training to be an LPN in a year's time. There is such a shortage of nurses and nursing aides today that hospitals, nursing homes and other long-term care facilities have become very creative about promoting training opportunities for their existing staff. If you like taking care of people and you are good at it, this could be a wonderful field for you to get into.

Joan Cirillo is the executive director of Operation A.B.L.E., a nonprofit that provides employment and training opportunities to adults age 40 and older. E-mail questions to jobdoc@globe.com or mail to Job Doc, Boston Globe, Box 55819, Boston, 02205-5819.