Why Workers Over 45 Are Being Left Behind

Why Workers Over 45 Are Being Left Behind

From The Job Hunting Podcast by Renata Bernarde

April 21, 2026 · 1h 1m · Episode 333

About this episode

This episode discusses the challenges faced by workers over 45 in the job market despite a demand for experienced talent.

Episode 333 - Workforce participation drops sharply after 45, despite strong demand for experienced talent. In this episode, we explore the structural barriers, age bias, and outdated career models holding professionals back, and what individuals, employers, and governments can do to better support longer, more productive working lives. We have all fallen in love with NASA's crew for its Artemis II mission , the first crewed mission to orbit the Moon in more than half a century. What stood out to me was the composition of the team. Every astronaut selected was Generation Xer, in their 40s and 50s. When the stakes are high, we do not default to youth. We choose experience. That's what NASA did . They choose judgment. They choose people who have navigated complexity before and can do so again under pressure. And yet, in the labour market, we continue to behave as if the opposite were true. This contradiction sits at the heart of what has been described as the “longevity paradox”: We are living longer, healthier lives, but participating less in the workforce as we age. For the corporate professionals I work with, this is not an abstract concept. It is a lived experience, often…

People in this episode

Host: Renata Bernarde

Topics covered

  • age bias
  • workforce participation
  • experienced talent
  • structural barriers
  • longevity paradox

Keywords

  • workers over 45
  • age bias
  • career models
  • workforce participation
  • experienced talent

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: NASA

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