transitions in the south waikato labour market: an ethnographic study

Eventually he was ready to return to working in a workshop. In the shortest episode, apoliceman who had retired because of ill health felt ready to return to work after twoyears recuperation. His case was examined in the previous section. The casual workinvolved a short stint of community work.(iv)(a)ThemesAgeing and Paid EmploymentThough only a small proportion of those interviewed considered themselves “older” –their word – and made some comment regarding the issue of age in relation toemployment. One couple, whose youngest child was about to leave home at the timethey were interviewed, considered this time of their life very positively. Havingmanaged their self-employment on farms with close regard to the needs of theirchildren, they now felt able to act solely in their own interests. Whilst their cautiousapproach may have reduced the gains they could have made earlier in their selfemployment,they felt it was necessary.We could have been bigger then we are now but we started when we were29 and I already had children then and so we took each one of our steps andwe probably weighed it up more because I didn’t want the kids to suffereither. So we probably took less of a risk then we could have to be a bitmore secure for the kids but now we don’t have to worry about them. …thenext place that we go to we only have to worry about us two. For me itsalways been I’ve got to look at this and see if the kids would fit in. And allof sudden I think we’ve only got to worry about us.Although the others who commented on the issue of age may have also enjoyed thefreedoms that children leaving home provided, they were more negative about theimplications of ageing. Though the husband did manage to get work, when forced toclose their business because the company they were sub-contracted to took back theprocessing they had been doing, one couple were clearly very concerned about theiremployment prospects. The wife, because of injury, was not looking for a job wheninterviewed. Despite the husband’s success at getting work – a result of his strongsocial networks – both perceived the job situation and the circumstances of older jobseekers quite negatively.Husband: And I’m getting older too. People don’t like to employ peoplemuch over 40.Wife: I say it would be harder to get a job as you get older.Another man, though he was securely and happily employed running his own farm,recognised that trying to get work when people were older could be difficult.Once you get around 50 years of age, it is not easy.Despite not having yet reached this point himself, another man enjoyed the freedomthat his trade provided to change jobs quite frequently, so as to maintain an interest in42