Overview

The AARP Skills Builder for Work platform is an online educational resource designed to assist individuals aged 50 and older in acquiring marketable skills to enhance their competitiveness in the modern job market. Launched on September 29, 2021, the platform was developed in collaboration with MindEdge Learning, a provider of online learning solutions. The platform is tailored for older adults seeking to update their skills, transition into new career paths, or enhance their current job performance. It aims to address the challenges faced by older workers, such as age discrimination and the need for continuous skill development in an evolving job market.

Key features include:

• Self-Paced Online Learning
  • The platform offers over 300 courses that users can complete at their own pace, allowing for flexible learning schedules.
• Certification Opportunities
  • Upon course completion, participants can earn certificates from MindEdge Learning, which can be shared with prospective employers to demonstrate continued professional development. Examples of Certificates include:
    • Certificate in Leadership
    • Computer Skills for the Office Certificate
    • Certificate in Online Learning
    • PM Skills Certification for project management
    • HR Skills Fundamentals Certificate
    • Certificate in Digital Marketing
    • Nonprofit Skills Board Fundamentals Certificate
• Diverse Course Offerings
  • Courses cover a wide range of topics, including Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), project management, human resources, nonprofit management, digital marketing, and remote work strategies.
• Discounted Access
  • While many courses are available for free, additional courses are offered at discounted rates by being an AARP members.

By combining flexible learning with recognized certificates, the Skills Builder platform aims to empower older adults to remain active participants in the workforce, enhance their skills portfolios, and provide employers with a pipeline of experienced, credentialed talent.

Background

As the proportion of adults working past traditional retirement age continues to rise, there is a critical need for accessible, flexible, and targeted learning opportunities that allow older workers to upskill or reskill in areas aligned with current labor market demands. Research by AARP and other workforce studies have found that older workers face unique challenges, including age-related discrimination, gaps in digital and technical skills, and barriers to career transitions.

The AARP Skills Builder for Work platform was developed in response to growing need to support older adults in maintaining employability and competitiveness in a rapidly evolving labor market. The platform also is designed to respond to broader societal trends, including technological disruption, remote work, and increased demand for digital skills, all of which disproportionately affect older workers who may have had limited prior exposure to these technologies.

Partners

MindEdge Learning

Resources

AARP. (2021, September 29). AARP launches skill building platform to help older workers compete in today's job market. https://press.aarp.org/2021-9-29-AARP-Launches-Skill-Building-Platform-to-Help-Older-Workers-Compete-in-Todays-Job-Market

AARP. (n.d.). Learn with AARP Skills Builder for Work. https://www.aarp.org/work/skills-builder/

AARP. (n.d.). MindEdge courses. https://jobskills.aarp.org/catalogue/brands/1/courses

AARP. (n.d.). MindEdge course catalog. https://jobskills.aarp.org/catalogue/about

AARP. (n.d.). How do I use MindEdge Learning for AARP Skills Builder. https://help.aarp.org/s/article/aarp-skills-builder-for-work

MindEdge Learning. (n.d.). MindEdge course catalog. https://jobskills.aarp.org/catalogue/siteindex