I cannot find a job in my previous career because of my age. Employers would rather hire a younger worker at a lower wage than an experienced individual. Are there job opportunities for older workers? What are your suggestions to overcome age?

With the baby boomers reaching retirement age, there will be a continuing demand for highly qualified individuals to replace them in a number of Rhode Island employment sectors such as food services, educational services, professional, scientific and technical services, information technology, nursing and residential care facilities, ambulatory health care services and financial services.

If applicants are not found for these positions, companies will have to outsource, hire HIB visa workers or hire less experienced workers. Older workers (45 to 60) are another source of applications for these positions because they can combine their technical knowledge and business experience with strong interpersonal skills gained through experience. The job search for the older worker involves professional and social networking along with the use of internet job search engines and reading company web pages.

The focus should be on the opportunity rather than the income. Many companies hire experienced older employees for short-term projects before they are considered for a full-time position. It is important to make sure your resume highlights your accomplishments rather than your age.

As a graduate of a local college, what are the job opportunities in video and radio production in Rhode Island and the region?

Individuals seeking positions in video and radio production face strong competition in large metropolitan areas like Boston, New York and Philadelphia and less competition in smaller cities like Hartford, New Haven and Providence. It is difficult to get a job in this field without some work experience. When starting out, video and radio production workers learn skills on the job from experienced individuals. Beginners often start their career at small radio and television stations as interns or summer employees and as they gain experience move to the larger stations.

In Rhode Island, you may have to start at a radio community station or at a cable television station. Video and radio production workers often spend several years as an assistant. Continuing education on emerging technologies is critical as radio and television change as a medium. Software on desktop computers has replaced electronic equipment in many recording and editing functions.

Many radio and television stations have replaced videotapes and audiotapes with computer hard drives and other computer data storage materials. There are also corporate jobs available at advertising agencies and sales promotion firms who provide clients with video materials for trade shows. About ten percent of video and radio production workers are self-employed.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U. S. Department of Labor reports that employment in these positions is expected to grow seventeen percent through the decade 2006-2016. Some growth will result from the need to replace experienced people who leave this field. Median annual earnings in this field are about $33,000 a year. The highest ten percent earned more than $60,000 a year.

I am interested in changing careers after being a sales representative for over thirty years. My new career, as a service technician, will require that I go back to school for six to twelve months at an expense of over $16,000. Is this a good investment?

The answer to this question is based on a number of factors. First, an investment in education is a good investment if it leads to a job you enjoy. Second, you should research the job, the job requirements and school expectations. Third, you have the funds or can get the funds to go back to school. And fourth, the salary for the service technician's job is greater than the investment in education.

In Rhode Island, there are many openings for service technicians. After completion of education and on-the-job training, these jobs often provide tuition reimbursement, discount vehicle purchase/lease programs, paid uniform services and great pay and benefits. To be successful as a service technician, you need to mix technical abilities with customer service skills. For some technician jobs, it is important to have knowledge of how components work and interact.

You need to be familiar with computers and diagnostic equipment. The successful completion of a training program is the best preparation for a technician's position. Postsecondary training programs such as those offered by community colleges and special training schools provide intensive career preparation through a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on practice. Experienced service technicians often have to attend continuing education classes provided by manufacturers and others to learn new techniques. In some cases, service technicians must be certified or licensed.

After receiving my master's degree in education and teaching for a number of years, I have decided to consider a doctorate in education which may take from two to four years. I would like to stay in Rhode Island. Do you think there will be job opportunities at the time I graduate?

The estimated jobs requiring a doctorate in education over the next five years is about 90 jobs a year in Rhode Island.. This number includes replacement and growth positions but does not include administrative, research and consulting positions. The quality of the degree program often determines the job opportunities.

There are online doctoral degree programs in education with specializations in teaching leadership, early childhood education, adult education, training, educational technology and community college leadership. If you enroll in an online program, the program must be accredited by a regional accreditation association such as the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

There are demands for doctoral training for administrative leaders at public elementary and secondary schools and at community colleges. If you want to be a principal or a school district administrator, a doctorate in education is often a requirement for these positions.

Is diversity a major consideration in hiring individuals for management positions?

The answer is yes when it is combined with the appropriate education and experience. Major corporations have affirmative action plans and report annually their progress in meeting the targets of the plan. In some cases, the report goes directly to the board of directors of the corporation. Diversity is good for business since 85 percent of consumer purchases in the United States are made by minority groups including women, and minorities are the majority in six of the eight largest metropolitan areas and in 15 states and the overseas success of U.S. companies is dependent on an intercultural workforce. It is a myth today that there are not enough minorities for management positions.

The myth says that not enough minority students are graduating from business and other professional schools to apply for these positions. This is not true when you look at enrollment data at business, engineering and law schools for the last two decades. Hiring diversity in management positions requires diversity in the organization. There are outstanding minority role models of who have achieved the highest positions in their companies in many industries including the consumer goods industry and financial services.