- The data taken from the Active Population Survey for the first quarter published today indicate an increase of 30,800 new people unemployed in the +50 bracket, taking the percentage to 29.6%, more than double the average unemployment rate of 13.26%.
- Almost one in three unemployed people in Spain is 50 or over. These figures reflect the need for measures to eradicate employment discrimination based on age and the importance and timeliness of awareness-raising initiatives such as Senior Worker Day.
- For the past three years, Generación SAVIA, the Endesa Foundation's project to promote senior talent in cooperation with the Máshumano Foundation, has been promoting the holding of Senior Workers' Day on 30 April, with a view to enhancing the visibility and valuing the talent and experience of professionals aged over 50.
- Generación SAVIA is celebrating five years providing solutions to improve the employability and return of senior professionals to the job market. This is the case of Manuel Illar, who after several months of unemployment has managed to rejoin the job market: "My 54 years of experience are still very useful for companies".
The Active Population Survey (EPA) performed in the first quarter of 2023 reveals the need to continue promoting a cultural change when it comes to senior talent in Spain, with the rate of unemployment in those aged over 50 accounting for 29.6% of total unemployment in Spain. And that's not all, the number of long-term unemployed people, or people who have been looking for work for more than 12 months, is equally worrying in this segment of society, since, from the 1,305,000 long-term unemployed, 326,400 belong to the senior bracket.
With this in mind, Generación SAVIA, a project run by the Endesa Foundation in collaboration with the Máshumano Foundation, is calling for 30 April to be recognised as Senior Workers' Day for the third consecutive year. The objective of this initiative is to end age-based discrimination in employment and enhance the visibility of the experience and wisdom of these professionals, who, although demonstrating that they are highly prepared and have an important contribution to make to the business world and society, continue to be removed prematurely from the job market. Since its launch in 2021, more than 4,600 people have signed the manifesto published on the project's website.
FIVE YEARS, FIVE STORIES, FIVE WAYS TO BOOST SENIOR TALENT
People over 50 have the necessary experience and knowledge that are of great help when it comes to overcoming times of instability. With this in mind, Generación SAVIA has been providing solutions for five years to improve employability and contribute to the return of professionals who know the job market best, seniors.
It is not only essential to help senior professionals in the search for employment, but also to accompany them mourning their loss of work and provide them with adequate and updated training to adapt to their new work environment.
This is the case of Manuel Villar who, after 27 years at the same company, became unemployed at the age of 54. After 7 months of looking for work, he was hired as a company's CEO last year thanks to the intermediation service provided by SAVIA. "Thanks to SAVIA, I have received the emotional support I needed to keep my spirits up and move forward until I rejoined the job market. This programme provided me with a new professional opportunity and I am feeling useful to society again," says Manuel.
The "Talento SAVIA" intermediation service also connects companies and organisations with senior professionals with a view to promoting job opportunities between them. Santiago Nistal, 52, was one of the first seniors to make use of this programme, ultimately receiving a job offer in 2019 as coordinator of educational projects at a foundation, where he currently works. "Senior talent and experience is the perfect complement to the preparation and strength of young people; we have walked the paths that others are now beginning, making us a voice that can help them."
Self-employment is also another professional opportunity that is most sought after by companies and senior professionals. Martina Bote, 62, rejoined the job market as a human resources consultant thanks to the visibility given by SAVIA to unemployed professionals. "I decided to go freelance after participating in a mentoring programme, which gave me the final push I needed to start out on my own professional path," says Martina.
The +50 Emprende Awards are an example of Generación SAVIAs commitment to entrepreneurship amongst senior professionals, since this is usually an area that is associated with young profiles. The awards aim to promote and enhance the visibility of high-potential innovative projects, as well as encourage other senior profiles to start their journey in the creation of projects. Promoting entrepreneurship in professionals aged over 50 is essential when it comes to helping them refocus their professional career and strengthen the workforce, as these are professionals who have essential skills when it comes to entrepreneurship, such as perseverance, adaptability and resilience.
According to the Map of Entrepreneurship in Spain South Summit, only 20% of women decide to embark upon their own project. Promoting female entrepreneurship amongst seniors is also one of the objectives of the SAVIA project. Sara Lozano, aged 57, and Yolanda Ruiz, aged 57, are the third and second winners of the 1st and 2nd edition of the +50 Emprende Awards, are two examples to follow.
Sara won the award for the 'PanicProtector' application to fight anxiety. Furthermore, this medical researcher developed a COVID-19 respirator adapted to female lungs and has launched her own company dedicated to technical medicine exclusively for women, named 'FemininApp'. "Ageism is illogical, just like it is to suggest that women do bad at science and men do bad at arts, there is no foundation to these claims," she says.
Yolanda, on the other hand, wo the award for her 'Spiquer' project, aimed at the creation of professional videos with Artificial Intelligence at the service of Corporate Communication. After more than 20 years working for large companies, she decided to take the plunge and create her own company. In her words, "it is very important for there to be projects that promote senior talent like SAVIA, which work to combat age discrimination, generating a change in society".
Anyone, regardless of their age, can join the campaign, demonstrate their support for senior talent and contribute by signing up to the fight against age-based employment discrimination.
Sign the manifesto.
About Generation SAVIA
Generación SAVIA, the Endesa Foundation project in collaboration with the Máshumano Foundation, has been promoting the employability of workers over 50 for five years, providing solutions through training and networking activities and promoting recognition of the value of these professionals, who suffer high unemployment rates. SAVIA is a platform and community in which collaborative spaces are created and initiatives come together to create job opportunities for senior professionals. It also offers human resources solutions for Spain's social and business fabric. 42,000 senior professionals and 660 companies are registered with SAVIA. 200 entities also collaborate on the project.
About the Endesa Foundation
The Endesa Foundation is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. A quarter of a century of social work that enables us to look to the future with the challenge of continuing to progress, with a broad and conscious outlook on human beings and the rest of the species that surround us to build a world in which there is room for everyone. With this in mind, the Endesa Foundation contributes to social development and the conservation of biodiversity through education, training for employment, culture, volunteering and urban biodiversity projects so that there is a future in which we can all live together and in balance with each other.