Job programmes for over-50s

If you're out of work, whether voluntarily or through redundancy, it can take time to find another job, regardless of your age. However, your wealth of experience in the workplace is highly valuable and you can use your knowledge and skills to find employment.

Help for older jobseekers

There are specialist programmes and resources available to anyone over 50 to help you find work or learn new skills. If you're unemployed or thinking about a change of career, it's a good time to review your experience and CV. Think about the skills you have to offer and if you need some extra training for the job you want.

There are many recruitment and advice agencies that offer help for older people looking for work.

• Improving your CV after 50
• Writing a CV (education, learning and skills section)
• Cover letter for your CV (education, learning and skills)

Steps to Work

Steps to Work is another approach to helping you find a job. It offers a flexible menu of work related activities that can be tailored to suit your employment needs. When taking part in Steps to Work you will be allocated an adviser who will provide ongoing support and guidance to help you take the right steps towards getting a job.

Some of the help available includes work experience through high quality job placements, an opportunity of a subsidised job with an employer, access to advice and guidance on self-employment and improving your chances of securing work by getting a qualification.

• Steps to Work (employment section)

Careers Service

For careers information, advice and guidance to help you make informed choices about your future career path you can contact a careers adviser. Professionally qualified careers advisers are based in Careers Resource Centres, Jobs and Benefits Offices and JobCentres throughout Northern Ireland.

• Find personal learning and careers advice (education, learning and skills section)

Jobs & Benefits office/JobCentre

Jobs & Benefits offices/JobCentres provide help and advice on jobs and training for people who can work. An adviser at your local Jobs & Benefits office/JobCentre can discuss the type of work you want and training opportunities that may be available.

• Find your local Jobs and Benefits office (employment section)

Find a job now

The Department for Employment and Learning's (DEL) JobCentreOnline website lets you look for jobs available throughout Northern Ireland. and the Careers Service website offers careers information to help you decide your career path

• Find a job (employment section)
• Careers Service NI (contacts section)
• JobCentreOnline - DEL website

Starting your own business

The decision to embark on a new business venture by starting your own business is a big step. Indeed, it's important to be aware of the full implications of becoming self-employed and of where to go for help and advice.

• Becoming self-employed if you are over 50

Age discrimination

Direct or indirect discrimination, harassment, and victimisation on the grounds of age is against the law in the following areas:

• recruitment
• selection and promotion
• service-related pay and benefits
• retirement
• occupational pensions
• unfair dismissal
• redundancy

Employers are free to continue employing people beyond the default age of 65.

Employers may treat people differently on the grounds of age if they can satisfy the objective justification test in court – if it is a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.

• Age discrimination (employment section)

More useful links

• Adult return to work provision (employment section)
• Benefits and financial support (money, tax and benefits section)