Baby Boomers Join Drexel Online for an Encore
The days of carefree retirement are long gone for most, but today's baby boomers have found a way to continue earning well into their golden years. The answer is encore careers; a trend growing by leaps and bounds according to Marc Freedman, the author of Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life. Many of these career changers need additional or advanced education to transition into a new profession. Drexel University Online offers convenient online education options for those looking to go back to school.
Philadelphia, PA (PRWEB) September 19, 2008 -- The days of carefree retirement are long gone for most, but today's baby boomers have found a way to continue earning well into their golden years. The answer is encore careers; a trend growing by leaps and bounds according to Marc Freedman, the author of Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life. Many of these career changers need additional or advanced education to transition into a new profession. Drexel University Online offers convenient online education options for those looking to go back to school.
Drexel Online student Jack Anderson is a career changer who chose education as his path to job transition. Anderson spent the first 30 years of his career working in the banking industry. He quickly rose through the management ranks and concluded his banking career as the Chairman and CEO of a regional Pennsylvania bank holding company. In 2001, he decided to try a new career path and became the vice president for Institutional Advancement at Mount Aloysius College. He chose Drexel Online to help ease the transition from the business world to the academic arena because of its high quality online programs and convenient online format. "In order to be an effective manager in higher education, one must understand the industry, its challenges and its opportunities," said Anderson. "Drexel has been very comprehensive in filling this void for me."
According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the number of workers between the ages of 65 and 74 and those aged 75 and up are predicted to increase by more than 80 percent. By 2016, workers age 65 and over are expected to account for 6.1 percent of the total labor force, up from their 2006 share of 3.6 percent.
"The convenience of reading and listening to lectures at any hour of the night or day, and doing research on your own time was essential," Anderson said. The online program was especially beneficial for Anderson during his career transition since he faced a family health crisis. "My wife had cancer which caused me to miss two terms," Anderson said. "The director of the program was most understanding and followed-up with me personally throughout. I will graduate from Drexel this December and I am happy to share this success with my wife who has since recovered."
Due to numerous family and life obligations, many boomers list convenience and flexibility as a reason for staying active in the workforce, according to Ken Dychtwald, author of Workforce Crisis. Dychtwald states that over 76 percent of baby boomers report that they will continue to work past retirement age, and there is a chance that a large percentage of these will opt to change careers.
To discuss this topic and more, visit the Drexel Online blog. Drexel Online offers over 60 fully online programs ranging from education to healthcare or business. For more information about Drexel's online programs, visit Drexel's online degree website, e-mail info@drexel.com or call (877) 215-0009.
About Drexel University Online
Drexel University Online, winner of the 21st Century Best Practice Award for Distance Learning from the United States Distance Learning Association, is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Drexel University, specializing in innovative, Internet-based distance education programs for working professionals and corporations in the United States and abroad. Drexel University is continually ranked one of the best national doctoral universities by U.S. News & World Report and enjoys regional accreditation by the Middle States Association of Colleges & Secondary Schools. A pioneer in online education, Drexel has offered programs online since 1996. Visit our website or blog to learn more about our programs and online learning.
Media Contact:
Shawnee Brown
215-895-0513
sb572(at)drexel.edu
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