GetSetUp and NICOA: A Partnership for Empowering Older Job Seekers

The National Indian Council on Aging (NICOA) has partnered with GetSetUp, an online learning platform, to provide educational and training opportunities to older job seekers. NICOA runs the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), which is funded by the Department of Labor. NICOA's SCSEP participants are able to benefit from using GetSetUp.

Terri, a 64-year-old resident of North Dakota, was introduced to GetSetUp through NICOA and had a positive experience learning through the platform.

"When I started, I had no training with NICOA. They paid me to learn and train with job skills classes on GetSetUp. I learned a bit here and there including some useful stuff," Terri says.

While initially Terri found out about GetSetUp through NICOA, she has since left the NICOA program and excited to learn that her health plan offered GetSetUp at no additional cost through her SilverSneakers membership, so she’s now looking forward to seeing the new classes on the platform like Tai Chi.

Terri recalls taking classes in various topics such as handling difficult conversations, networking, and using Microsoft Excel and Word.

"I took an Excel class this past summer, which was super helpful. I ended up using lots of spreadsheets in my work with NICOA," Terri says.

One aspect of GetSetUp that Terri particularly appreciated was the opportunity to participate in live classes and ask questions.

"I really enjoyed the classes from Bernadette from Canada. She’s a psychologist and she does nice classes. She allows questions and answers them to her fullest.”

Not only did Terri find the classes to be helpful for her personal and professional growth, but she also sees GetSetUp as a valuable tool for other NICOA participants.

"GetSetUp is definitely an asset to the NICOA program," Terri says. "A lot of participants used it when they weren't ready to go directly into training programs. They would use it to just learn things that interested them, especially computer skills.”

Terri notes that GetSetUp has been especially beneficial for participants who may not have computer skills, as it helps to reduce frustration levels and makes learning technology more enjoyable.

"A lot of the NICOA participants don't have computer skills. GetSetUp helped with frustration levels by helping them learn these computer skills. Computer skills make them more employable."

In addition to the business and technical classes, Terri notes that GetSetUp also offers personal interest classes, which can be beneficial for people who are homebound or have limited mobility.

NICOA's partnership with GetSetUp has provided a valuable opportunity for the elderly community to learn new skills, both personally and professionally, through a platform that is accessible and user-friendly. With its wide range of class offerings, GetSetUp has been a helpful resource for participants in the NICOA program, empowering them to continue growing and developing their skills.