It has been five years since we retired, and nearly forty years since we left formal education behind. The way mathematics was taught during our student days was completely different from the methods used today. Sometimes, when young children at home come to us with a mathematics problem, we find ourselves looking here and there for help. The reason is simple — the method we use to solve the problem is unfamiliar to today’s children. Except perhaps for language subjects, similar difficulties arise in many other areas of learning as well.
The education we received in college once helped us secure jobs and build successful careers. But after retirement, many of us realize that if we wish to use that knowledge again in today’s world, we must update ourselves through upskilling and reskilling. Retired people can remain relevant only by learning and adapting continuously.
Upskilling and reskilling are two closely connected ideas. Upskilling means enhancing or improving your existing skills, while reskilling means learning entirely new skills. Both play a very important role in expanding the scope of what we can do in our current phase of life.
It is not necessary to update ourselves only for the sake of getting another job. There are many situations in life where modern knowledge and updated skills become extremely useful. Not every retired person wants to work again, and even those who wish to may not always find opportunities. One major reason is that we are often unable to work according to present-day systems and methods.
Take accounting as an example. The fundamentals we learned forty or fifty years ago are still useful, but today, if a person does not know software like Tally, it becomes difficult to function efficiently in any modern office. However, by reskilling ourselves and learning such software, finding employment or consultancy opportunities becomes much easier. And learning these tools is not as difficult as many of us imagine.
Today, the smartphone in our hands alone can perform countless tasks. Not only senior citizens, but even many young people are unable to use their phones to their full potential. Proper training in using smartphones and digital tools can prove immensely valuable.
Fifty years ago, engineering students used slide rules for calculations. If you ask today’s children about a slide rule, many may not even know what it is. Now, every calculation can be done easily on a mobile phone within seconds. Times have changed, and we must change with them.
Another important point is that today is the age of specialization. Every technical field now has specialists trained exclusively for that area. Earlier, education provided a broad overview of many subjects, but now one must decide in which field one wishes to specialize.
Learning new technology or updating oneself is certainly not easy. First, there are very few institutions that offer such training to senior citizens, even for a fee. Second, if you try to learn these things from the younger members of your family, it often becomes difficult because of differences in patience, communication, and schedules.
However, there is one wonderful solution available today. YouTube offers educational videos on almost every subject imaginable. If a person is willing to devote time, patience, and sincere effort, almost anything can be learned today from the comfort of one’s home.
Many retired individuals think of taking coaching classes for children, even if only as voluntary service. But for this too, one must reskill according to present-day educational methods. The teaching style and techniques of our time may no longer suit today’s students. Yet, one great advantage seniors possess is their strong foundational knowledge and life experience. Once they begin reskilling, they can understand modern techniques much more easily.
Similarly, if you wish to work as a consultant after retirement, upskilling and reskilling become extremely important. Even for contributing effectively to voluntary organizations or social institutions, being updated with modern tools and systems can be highly beneficial.
Many among us may also be experts in teaching soft skills — such as time management, language classes, communication skills, or public speaking. We may feel that such subjects have not changed much over time. But imagine how much more effective these courses can become when combined with technology. Today, online platforms allow us to teach from home itself. With a little learning about how online classes work, we can conduct sessions for people anywhere in the world. The students may never even know the age of the instructor.
This not only keeps retired individuals mentally active and meaningfully engaged, but can also become a source of income, self-respect, and continued contribution to society.
Author
The author is the founder of the Never Say Retire mission. In order to achieve this goal, he also runs this website and his Facebook group Never Say Retire Forum has Hundreds and Thousands of members today.
