More people over 50 years old finding work

The number of unemployed workers aged 50-and-above is falling, according to new numbers published by the UWV benefits agency on Wednesday. Nearly 26,000 individuals in that category found work in the last four months. UWV expects this trend to continue in 2015 and 2016. Simultaneously, analysts expect the number of jobs to grow in several sectors. "Only when employment opportunities recover stably over several years do older workers have a possibility to experience those changes in everyday life," said Rob Witjes, head of labor market information at UWV. The agency predicts that the growth in business services, retail and wholesale will be the most favorable for older job seekers. Presently, those individuals work primarily in healthcare, public administration and financial services. Sectors with the least older workers are retail and hospitality industry. The aging population in the Netherlands in increasing, according to figures provided by the UWV. Within four years, half of the adult population will be older than 50. Research shows that older customers prefer to receive assistance from people with experience. Employers in sectors with older customers adjust by employing more workers aged above fifty.