Employ the Older Men
Page 26
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AREGRETTABLE tendency is observable in the matter of filling vacancies in the various classes of occupation classified under the generic title of road transport. " Too old at 45" is unfortunately changing to "No one required over 35." The reason for this may, at first, seem obscure, but it is largely the result of pressure by the insurance companies which cover superannuation schemes for many of the bigger .concerns.
Some of our friends who either require positions, or wish to change those which they hold at present. have reached as high as the last three or so from which the final choice can be made, only to be turned down time after time on this matter of age, until certain of them have come to the conclusion that it is hopeless to apply to companies in which pension schemes are in operation.
The Professional Engineers' Appointments Bureau has stated that whilst there is a real shortage of first-rate engineers with highly specialized experience, more vacancies might be filled if the upper age limit specified by many employers could be increased. The difficulty may be aggravated by the present factor of shortages of important materials. Whilst this may be a passing phase, the age problem will always be with us, and we must remember that the average number of people of mature years is steadily increasing as the consequence of two major wars and the greater expectation of life. Competition for younger staff amongst employers is, therefore, likely to grow, and some way must be found to overcome this difficulty.
Men up to 50 are mature in experience, have usually developed a sense of balance frequently absent in those much younger, and if they maintain good health can often prove more valuable to employers, particularly in positions demanding sage counsel and extensive knowledge. We have referred in particular to engineers, but similar remarks apply to many others eligible for a variety of occupations.
It is a sad reflection upon modern conditions that fully qualified men in the prime of life find themselves relegated to the scrap heap, although aware of the excellent service that they could still give. It seems that only politicians, in whom we have increasingly to place the virtual control of all our activities, are to be considered as supermen when in the vicinity of, or even beyond, what used to be regarded as man's allotted span