The average aging rate in Colombia reached 40.9% between January and June 2023.
42% of pensioners in Colombia want to start a business and remain active, while 33% of older adults stop getting a job because they retire or retire.
This is revealed by the study ‘Challenges and opportunities for employment and entrepreneurship for older adults’, a result presented by the president of the Porvenir Pension and Severance Fund, Miguel Largacha Martínez, within the framework of the launch of Rosario Senior University, “a bet of the Universidad del Rosario that seeks to be a formative and enriching experience to meet the needs of this important group of people in the country,” said the rector of the institution, Alejandro Cheyne.
This is the fourth study carried out by the Observatory of Employability and Entrepreneurship for the Elderly, the main center for analysis and knowledge of this population in Latin America, led since 2019 by Porvenir and the Universidad del Rosario, which was recently awarded the award Babson Collaborative Spotlight in Mumbai, India.
The report – which included the business sector – revealed that 60% of companies are interested in carrying out programs for senior employability and value the experience of older adults.
As relevant data from this study, it was identified that the average aging rate in the country reached 40.9% between January and June 2023. Armenia and Pereira reached some of the highest records in Colombia with 83.4% and 75. 9%, respectively. This demographic transition invites us to work on the development of public policies focused on older adults.
At the event Alejandro Cheyne said that, “according to the study, currently in Colombia older people represent 14.5% of the population, by 2030 they will be 20% and it is projected that by 2060 they will be 35%. , approximately. The university, with Rosario Senior University, makes this comprehensive commitment to academic services for older people available to society, through a model that promises to break generational barriers.”
In turn, the president of Porvenir announced that through the Observatory for the Elderly, training, entrepreneurship and employability programs will be strengthened, expanding coverage and beneficiaries. For this purpose, a business incubation platform will be created where training tools will be found and people will be able to participate in business roundtables to promote and carry out entrepreneurial projects. During 2023, more than 600 older adults benefited from this program and 243 ventures were developed that contribute to the Colombian business fabric.
Largacha highlighted that “all these initiatives will materialize thanks to the joint work that we have carried out with the Universidad del Rosario since 2019. This alliance has allowed us not only to generate knowledge about the older adult population in Colombia, but also to carry out initiatives that encourage participation active of this group in the social and productive life of the country.”
Focus of action of the Observatory in 2024
As part of the actions that Porvenir will lead within the framework of the Observatory, the manager highlighted the implementation of alliances with employment platforms with the purpose that Porvenir members who are close to retiring find job offers that allow them to achieve their goal. pension.
The AFP will also recognize the efforts of companies with the Innova Mayor Award to highlight the commitment of Colombian organizations in promoting the labor inclusion of older adults in their productive chain, whether as workers or suppliers.
In terms of research, the Senior Inclusion Business Monitor will be developed, a tool to measure the impact of entrepreneurship of older adults in the regions and their contribution to development, as well as to identify the benefits that companies obtain by implementing labor inclusion actions. for this population.
Rosario Senior University for a more inclusive society
The rector of the Universidad del Rosario indicated that he firmly believes that older people represent an incalculable source of experience on which society has been built. Rosario Senior University will surely address the challenges faced by this population in the country.
“Rosario Senior University addresses existing gaps in education and skill development for seniors by offering programs tailored to their specific needs and interests,” Cheyne said.
“By empowering our elders through learning, entrepreneurship and community participation, we not only promote their comprehensive well-being, but we also contribute to the strengthening of a more inclusive and enriching society for all,” said the rector of the Universidad del Rosario .