Operation A.B.L.E. Honors Massachusetts’ Best Workers Age 50 and Older

Boston, Mass. –  Operation A.B.L.E. of Greater Boston, in conjunction with AARP Massachusetts, will pay tribute to Massachusetts’ best workers age 50 and older at its 5^th Annual Outstanding Worker Awards Breakfast, set for October 2 at the Boston Radisson Hotel. The 8:00 – 9:30 a.m. event recognizes outstanding mature workers for their excellent performance and inspiration to other employees. 

Honorees are nominated by their employers and represent a wide range of business, government, non-profit, and education organizations.  This year’s event will be hosted by New England Cable Network’s R.D. Sahl.

According to Operation A.B.L.E. Executive Director Joan Cirillo, honoring mature workers as strategic assets will become increasingly important over the next five years, as nearly 80 million Baby Boomers born between 1946 and 1964 begin to retire.  With only an estimated 48 million Generation X and Y workers in line to fill job openings, recognizing mature contributors will become a critical factor in retaining them. 

“Workers age 50 and over typically act as mentors and trainers to younger workers and possess the institutional knowledge and memory that are fundamental to long-term growth,” Cirillo said.  “As employers begin to plan for the impact of the coming demographic shift, events such as the Outstanding Worker Awards Breakfast will emerge as opportunities to publicly honor those who symbolize the backbone and longevity of the organization.”

Last year, Outstanding Worker Awards were presented to employees from Citizens Bank, Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital, BlueCross BlueShield of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, DentaQuest Ventures, Citizens Bank, and John Hancock Financial Services.

 About Operation A.B.L.E.

Founded in 1982, Operation A.B.L.E. (Ability Based on Long Experience) of Greater Boston, Inc. (www.operationable.net) is a private, non-profit, 501c(3) organization that provides employment and training opportunities for job seekers of all ages, particularly mature workers 45 and older.  The agency has helped more than 25,000 people return to work through counseling, job listings, referrals, and job fairs; its highly successful Operation EmployABLE computer and office skills training program; the Operation Service! customer service education partnership; the Operation Banking Job$! program that prepares Boston residents for jobs in the banking industry; and the federally funded Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) for low-income workers age 55 and older.  Operation A.B.L.E. serves individuals from economically, racially, and occupationally diverse backgrounds who have been adversely affected by downsizings, mergers, and relocations.