Older workers are a priority for North Carolina’s workforce. To that end, each year, we recognize “Older Worker Week” to enhance awareness of what these experienced workers bring to a job. Gov. Perdue has worked very hard recently to go beyond our press release and her proclamation, stressing to businesses and industry around the state the value these workers — who are 55 years of age or older — have to offer. Year-in and out, Employment Security Commission staff work to assist those people in this category of our workforce to provide placement services which match what each worker’s skills and abilities are. The ESC has Older Worker Specialist in many of our 89 offices statewide to make sure we meet a critical need and make sure these older workers’ talents are active in our state’s workplaces. In just a couple of years, older workers will make up over 21% of the U.S. workforce.