62-Year-Old Printing Master Retires and Returns! Northern Branch's Job Redesign Program Helps Companies Introduce Assistive Tools with Annual $100,000 Subsidy to Eliminate Heavy Labor

Many workers over the age of 45 who wish to re-enter the workforce or change careers often hesitate due to concerns about declining physical strength or high-intensity labor. To address this, the Northern Branch of the Ministry of Labor’s Workforce Development Agency is promoting its 'Job Redesign Service.' Through this initiative, companies receive up to NT$100,000 per year to help introduce labor-saving assistive tools and optimize work processes, allowing middle-aged and older job seekers to return to work without being limited by physical demands and enabling them to fully utilize their years of accumulated expertise.

Facing structural labor shifts due to low birth rates and an aging population, traditional industries frequently encounter challenges related to skills transfer and talent gaps. The Northern Branch points out that many middle-aged and older workers are not incapable of performing their jobs—their muscular endurance and physical capacity simply change with age. By moderately adjusting work methods and environments, companies can enable experienced talent to continue contributing steadily on the job.

To build more inclusive workplaces, the Northern Branch’s Silver Talent Resource Center dispatches professional consultants to conduct on-site visits to companies, providing tailored improvement recommendations based on individual workers’ physical conditions and operational needs. Since 2024 (Year 113), the Northern Branch has assisted 779 companies in implementing job redesign, substantially improving the working environments for over 3,000 middle-aged and older employees, helping industries retain critical technical expertise.

Jia You Industry, a long-established printing company with over 30 years of experience located in New Taipei City, employs approximately 70% middle-aged and older workers aged 45 and above. Facing a shortage of younger entrants into the printing industry, the craftsmanship of veteran masters has become essential to maintaining product quality. Protecting the physical well-being of senior staff while extending the value of their expertise has thus become a key strategy for talent retention.

This year, Jia You Industry applied for assistance from the Northern Branch’s Silver Talent Resource Center. Following expert assessment, the company fully introduced fully electric pallet jacks and fully electric forklifts, completely transforming the previous manual process of pushing and pulling large quantities of heavy paper materials. This significantly reduced employees’ physical burden during transportation and effectively lowered occupational safety risks.

Mr. Cheng, a 62-year-old veteran printing master, has been employed at Jia You Industry since 2008 (Minguo Year 97). After retiring last year, he decided to return to his familiar workplace after a six-month break, hoping to balance family life while continuing his professional career. He stated that while his physical strength has indeed declined with age, making heavy lifting increasingly difficult, the introduction of electric equipment has greatly reduced his workload and made operations smoother, allowing him to continue applying his expertise in ink mixing and printing techniques in a safer and more comfortable environment.

For middle-aged and older job seekers considering re-employment or career changes, whether the workplace is inclusive and equipped with measures to reduce physical strain is a key factor in assessing employment willingness. The Job Redesign Service promoted by the Northern Branch serves as a crucial channel—through government subsidies—to alleviate workers’ physical concerns and enhance employers’ willingness to hire.

This service targets middle-aged and older workers aged 45 and above, with government-appointed experts conducting on-site assessments. Specific support available to companies and employees includes:

- Introduction of labor-saving work aids: Subsidies for purchasing fully electric pallet jacks, electric lifting equipment, special lighting, or ergonomic tools to reduce heavy labor burdens. - Adjustment of work processes and environments: Assistance in redesigning material flow paths, improving work heights, and flexibly adjusting physically demanding procedures. - Fixed annual funding subsidy per person: For each eligible middle-aged or older worker hired, companies can receive up to NT$100,000 annually to improve workplace equipment.

Individuals wishing to re-enter the workforce can leverage these supportive environments to extend their careers. Companies seeking to retain middle-aged talent or improve their work environments can contact the Northern Branch Silver Talent Resource Center hotline at (02) 7730-8878 or visit the '45+ Employment Resources Network' and the official 'Job Redesign' webpage for application information.