[Born in '58, Sunja] "Jobs, Quality Over Quantity... Understanding Job Seekers' Preferences First"

<Feature> Women Baby Boomer Report
Experts Say "Elderly Jobs Should Expand Options for 'Livelihood' and 'Self-Realization' Work"

[Asia Economy Reporters Kim Hyun-jung (Sejong), Lee Hyun-joo, Son Sun-hee (Sejong)] "Even those who were newly learning to work lose their motivation when they experience getting paid by the government for picking up a few pieces of trash."

"I hope a separate standard employment contract, which organizes seniors' physical strength, available working hours, and conditions, will be created."

Baby boomer women met during the reporting process generally expressed skepticism toward existing senior-targeted job policies. Although they have higher educational levels and abundant social capital compared to older generations, they find it difficult to find retirement jobs that match their abilities, and the government's pace in revising related laws and systems is slow. They particularly pointed out that accurately understanding the 'desires' of the demand side is more urgent than focusing solely on the 'quantity' of jobs. The more options available?such as livelihood work, self-realization work, and work requiring expertise?the better.

Lee Do-hyun, director of the Sejong Senior Club, pointed out, "The senior job project started in 2004 and it has been almost 20 years. Nevertheless, the existing paradigm and curriculum have not changed significantly," and suggested, "It is necessary to shift policies focused on welfare to employment and provide customized jobs for the highly educated baby boomer generation, who will increasingly join senior jobs." Jung Tae-hyo, CEO of Barosign, said, "I understand that the government is making great efforts in vocational and digital education for seniors," but added, "Education is needed not only to help them understand 'digital devices' but also to understand the 'digital generation' and 'digital culture.'"

It is also urgent to create new jobs that utilize the characteristics of the female baby boomer generation. Older women who want to work said that the 'amount and time of work' are the most important factors in choosing a job. According to the supplementary survey on the elderly in the May Economic Activity Population Survey recently released by Statistics Korea, half (59.6%) of women aged 55 to 79 and above hoped to work in the future. Among them, the most common criterion for choosing a job was 'amount and time of work' at 36.5%. This contrasts with men of the same age group, who most frequently chose 'wage level (23.4%).'

Professor Lee Sang-hwa of the Korean Institute for Gender Equality Promotion and Education said, "It is necessary to actively utilize the high-quality individual human resources possessed by the baby boomer female generation and provide social and policy support to upgrade fields traditionally considered female-concentrated labor such as care, health, and education (child-rearing)." She added, "In the past, labor performed by older women was dismissed as informal, low economic value private labor, but as domestic labor becomes more specialized, appropriate education, training, workforce development, and improved treatment are needed."

The government is also preparing measures for senior jobs. The inter-ministerial Population Task Force (TF) will announce job measures to prepare for the aging and population decline era at the end of this month. Park Hwa-jin, Vice Minister of Employment and Labor, said in a phone interview with Asia Economy, "To enhance national competitiveness in the era of low birthrate and aging, it is important to promote labor market participation of middle-aged and older women," and added, "To this end, we plan to provide customized employment support services linked to the National Employment Support System, regional specialized job creation support for career-interrupted women’s employment and entrepreneurship, and various vocational training programs."