Execution period: 1.10.2009 - 30.9.2011
Chief financier: The EU Lifelong Learning Programme, LLP

• Project headed by PIKES Ltd.
• Partners in Finland, Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, Turkey, Slovenia, Ireland
• Training, guidance, learning environments, study programmes
• How employers can take into account the special needs of aging workers and
• How employers can better benefit from experienced workers
• How employees can use their experience to benefit the work community,
• How employees can adjust to aging.

Europe's population is aging quickly. In 2007, 35.2% of the EU's population was over the age of 50. The proportion of citizens over the age of 80 will increase from the present 4 per cent to over 10 per cent by the year 2050. At the same time, the dependency ratio will rise from the present 25 to 50 by the year 2050. (Data: Eurostat).

The international project headed by PIKES aims to slow down the radical change in the dependency ratio by schooling the older population. Schooling will be used to improve the chances for older people to extend their careers for longer than before. The project aims at finding a new type of cooperation between adult education professionals, employers, labour administration and employees, through which new schooling methods and programmes will emerge, helping to keep the skills and expertise of aging workers up-to-date.

The project will also create a training programme for adult education workers, which will teach them to take the special needs of aging employees into account. Through cooperation between different parties, we will aim to develop adult education to meet each area's specific needs. The project will also develop a special entrepreneur model for aging workers.

Project work will be carried out in work groups of which there will be three established in each partner country. The work groups must have a broad expertise of compiling training programmes and knowledge of the real practical needs of training professionals and employees. These work groups are in the process of being established.

In addition to PIKES the project has other partners in Finland as well as in Lithuania, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Turkey and Ireland. PIKES is the project's overall coordinator. The project began in October 2009 and will run for two years. The overall budget for the project is €400,000. The EU's Lifelong Learning Programme will fund 75% of the budget.

For more information:

http://pawt.pikes.fi

Veli-Matti Hurskainen, Coordinator
Mobile: +358 50 303 1211
veli-matti.hurskainen(at)pikes.fi
Skype: vmhpuhelin

Ari Tarkiainen, Project Manager
North Karelia University of Applied Sciences
Tikkarinne 9, 80200 JOENSUU, FINLAND
Mobile: +358 50 310 9871
Fax +358 13 260 6401
ari.tarkiainen(at)pkamk.fi
Skype: aritar