'Grey-matter' job seekers in the cold

A Stockport man, who launched a small business to help older job seekers find work, blasted large employers for their lack of commitment to the over 50s.

Rowland Jones, 54, says his 'grey-matter website' attracted hundreds of people looking for work but despite 12 months of effort he could not get employers interested and so he has been forced to pull the plug on the operation.

Grey-matter was set up as an Internet notice board where baby boomers looking for work and employers looking for experienced staff could advertise themselves, in order to make initial contact.

Rowland Jones, who has run his own video and events production company for more than 25 years, said: "It is with regret that I have closed the site. I know from the response that I received that there are thousands of people of my age, with no aspirations to retire, who are being forced out of their mainstream occupation by companies seeking younger talent.

"In addition, many organisations say they are crying out for experienced, knowledgeable staff but, despite all my efforts, I could not interest them in using my site for recruitment.

"If I was cynical person, I would think that large employers are just paying lip service to the problem of unemployment amongst the over 50's. If that is the case, I believe we are sitting on a social time bomb which is set to explode in the near future."