WESTERVILLE, Ohio — Westerville resident John O'Connor has been retired for 10 years, but he recently re-entered the workforce to earn some extra income. 

What You Need To Know

  • Employment for Seniors is a non-profit that has served central Ohio for 50 years

  • Employment for Seniors matches people who are 50+ with employers who are looking to hire

  • The pandemic saw a surge in retirements, creating a pool of available aged 50 and older job candidates

  • Employers said the flexibility provided by adults age 50 and beyond helps meet a need

O'Connor reached out for help from Employment For Seniors, a non-profit that's served central Ohio for 50 years. 

And last August, O'Connor landed a part-time delivery job for the printing company Minuteman Press in Dublin. 

“Just the need to have a little extra money just to help with normal bills. This is just a perfect amount of hours per week and I like driving and it just fits my needs perfectly,” said O'Connor. 

Bill Adams is the Director of Columbus-based Employment for Seniors.

Adams said employer demand, and the flexibility provided by adults age 50 and beyond are drawing retirees back into the workforce, especially after the retirement surge during the pandemic.  

“I think a lot of people are looking for extra income, and then you also have a lot of people who have retired and they're really looking for purpose in their daily lives. We help with a job board. We help with getting job training for them. We have a career expo every year,” says Adams. 

O'Connor, who worked 35 years in computer programing, said at 69 years old, he still has a lot to offer and plenty of miles left to drive. 

“Staying active is very important. I've got three kids, seven grandkids, my wife just retired last year. So we've just got a lot of activities still going on," said O'Connor. "The over 50, right off the bat made me comfortable with it. I'm not going to get aged out of something. They want something that's over 50.”