Born between 1946 and 1964, most baby boomers have already reached retirement age. Based on Statista, their population is higher than Generation X at 20.58% and 19.61% respectively. After retirement, they become less active with more free time but many of them lack enough retirement savings. Based on CNBC stats, about 55% of US retirees lack enough savings to sustain them in old age. To continue earning a living, they have to return to school and study to gain new skills.

Why baby boomers are returning to college

Education never stops but there are different reasons why an individual chooses to study. Baby boomers entered the career market more than four decades ago and have not had a chance to improve their skills. Many of them have already left the job market and their numbers in employment have shrunk to 14% based on the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Several reasons make the senior generation want to sit under a teacher and become a student. 

Meeting financial needs

Many retirees today have limited sources of income and more needs for healthcare, housing, and food. CNBC reports that almost 72% of retired people require long-term care which includes financial help. By going back to college, they gain new skills which can help them start a new line of income. 

Baby boomers can enroll in a variety of courses such as nursing, writing, computer, and marketing. The learning pace of seniors is slower compared to the younger generations. Nevertheless, they still need to work on their assignments and complete them on time. Nursing is a popular option across all ages. A service that provides nursing assignment help can help seniors complete their tasks on time. Before choosing an assignment writer, consider factors such as credibility, cost, and fast delivery of services. It ensures you get quality work at a cost that you can afford. 

Updating their skills

Seniors who are yet to reach their retirement age want to stay longer in employment. Due to fast-changing technologies, they could easily be forced out of their career by more skilled and younger people. They seek university education to upskill and remain relevant.

Finding something to do

After retirement, baby boomers might find themselves idle for many days. They return to college to find something to do and keep themselves busy. A Keenan report shows it is the baby boomers who pioneered technologies such as radio, mobile phones, computers, internet, and TV. However, they still have a wide technology gap compared to the current generations. 

What courses are the baby boomers taking?

A report by Forbes shows 87% of people from 50 years to 64 years use the internet. In another report, they spend about 27 hours every week online which is nearly four hours per day. Due to this, many of them choose to enroll in online courses. They do so because they can choose the pace of taking a lesson per day and be guided by a teacher at their pace. 

Online courses offer greater flexibility and can be completed in a shorter period. They can enroll in a college located in any place on the globe and complete their courses without much struggle. A report shows over 600,000 seniors were enrolled in university education by mid-2021.

• Communication. Communication styles across the generations have changed and senior citizens want to learn the modern business communication methods.
• Computer applications and use. Nearly all work today is done using computers.  Baby boomers enroll in computer lessons to learn design software, social media use, emailing, and basic MS Office courses. 
• Languages. Nowadays, people need to learn more than one language to excel in the career and business world. The senior generation return to college to learn languages such as Mandarin, French, Swahili, and English. 
• Business marketing and management. Many older people want to start a business after retirement. They lack business management skills and online marketing in the Internet age. They return to college to learn the skills.
• Training and teaching. Due to experience, the older generation can become excellent trainers and teachers. They can teach a life lesson to younger people or become a teacher in various fields. They enroll in university to learn how to teach and offer training both online and offline. 

What career opportunities are baby boomers looking for?

The main reason why baby boomers are returning to university education is to get new career paths. Having reached their retirement age, they are very particular about the type of jobs they can accept. Most organizations might be willing to hire the younger generation more but career opportunities still exist for baby boomers.

• Education. In the education sector, seniors seek to work as career counselors, academic coaches, camp directors, student coordinators, online tutors, and many more. 
• Healthcare. In the healthcare sector, seniors work as medical interpreters, medical coders, and massage therapists for seniors, technicians, and opticians. 
• Non-profits. They can work as fundraising coordinators, administrators, HR professionals, grant writers, or outreach coordinators. 
• Remote jobs sector. The remote work sector is attracting more seniors today. They want to work as consultants, writers/editors, marketers, bookkeepers, telecare professionals, or travel agents. 

Conclusion

The rate of baby boomers seeking higher education is accelerating. Colleges are offering them accelerated programs to shorten the time they spend learning. They desire to create new career paths both in employment and business. With new skills, they can fit in nearly any business sector and continue to earn a living.