Despite labor shortages, older adults find it hard to get jobs

Despite labor shortages, older adults find it hard to get jobs

2026-03-24

Taiwan is now officially a super-aged society but are workplaces truly prepared? Even though there are labor shortages across various industries, a recent survey found that 60% of middle aged and older worker have experienced ageism. Today we talk to talented retirees about their difficulties in returning to the workforce.

Holding a model airplane, Eade, 73, holds dual bachelor’s degrees from Stanford University and the University of Arizona. He speaks eloquently about the plane’s structure and design. Eade retired from a well-known tech company at the age of 68. He wants to return to the workforce and utilize his talents, but he never thought he’d encounter constant obstacles.

Eade
Retired CEO of Tech Factory
Since we’ve reached retirement age, salary and material things aren’t our biggest concerns. So we maintain a degree of flexibility. But your expertise definitely has its inherent value and I see it as a sign of respect. However, the other party might see it as an issue. On the one hand, they might feel sorry for you; on the other hand, they could hire more people for the same amount of money.

Ms. Chiu used to earn a six-figure monthly income in a traditional industry. She wants to find employment again after retiring but says the job openings available are completely unrelated to her professional background.

Ms. Chiu
Representative of older job seekers
I chose to retire relatively early, but I didn’t mean to stop working entirely. I can find some assistant jobs. Many people think that older people may not be able to humble themselves. Employers might feel that since you’ve held such high-level positions before, it could be difficult for you to take on sales or other lower-level tasks afterwards—they worry you might not be able to handle them.

Tseng Chung-wei
Jobseekers’ website spokesperson
Returning to the workforce is particularly challenging for middle-aged and older people. The top concern is age discrimination, which leads to difficulty finding work. In addition, their roles may be replaced by younger employees, they may lack some of the necessary skills for certain positions, and their employment options are more limited.

When middle-aged and older people return to the workforce, their supervisors may even be younger than they are. Companies also need to consider management and salary issues, as well as the structure of the labor force. There is still considerable room for improvement in how these challenges can be balanced within an aging, low-birthrate society.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#ageism #job #jobmarket #taiwan #society #employment

人力銀行調查 6成中高齡上班族曾遇"年齡歧視"

2026-03-24

台灣步入高齡化社會，但職場環境真的準備好了嗎？明明各行各業缺工，政府也經常舉辦中高齡就業博覽會，媒合、幫助退休族二度就業。但人力銀行最新調查發現，六成中高齡上班族曾遇過年齡歧視。如何在產業缺工與中高齡人才再利用之間取得平衡，成為當前勞動力結構轉型的最大課題。

拿著飛機模型，針對構造和設計講的頭頭是道，73歲的Eade，擁有史丹佛和亞利桑那大學雙學士學位，68歲從知名科技大廠退休，想再重返職場發揮長才，沒想到頻頻卡關。

[[退休科技廠執行長 Eade]]
“既然到了退休的年齡，其實薪水薪資，物質上的東西，不是我們最大的考量，所以其實我們是保持一種彈性，但是你的專業的確有它，本來就專業該有的價值，我把它當作是一種尊敬，但是對方可能認為是個問題，因為好的方面來講，他會覺得對不起你，另外一個角度來講，他用同樣的錢他可以請到更多的人”

曾在傳產，月入達6位數的邱小姐，退休後要再就業，但能挑的職缺，跟專業背景，根本對不上。

[[中高齡就業代表邱小姐]]
“我會選擇比較早退休，但是我並沒有想要說停止工作，我可以找一些助理的工作，很多人會覺得高齡的人，可能放不下身段，（企業主）他會覺得說，你可能之前做了這麼高的職務了，那之後來叫你做業務，做一些比較低階的工作，他們會擔心你可能沒有辦法勝任”

[[人力銀行發言人曾仲葳]]
“重返職場，其實中高齡認為是蠻有困難度的，排名第一是年齡歧視找不到工作，接下來職務可能會被年輕人給取代，同時職能可能會不足，工作的選擇也會變少”

中高齡重返職場，主管甚至比你還年輕，企業也得考量管理、薪資問題，勞動力結構，如何與高齡化、少子化社會，取得平衡，還有很大進步空間。

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Decades-old Shilin restaurant serves classic flavors while cooking for charity

Small food stands are a Taiwanese staple. Aside from well-known spots frequented by students and tourists, there’s no shortage of hole-in-the-wall joints dishing up local favorites. Take the Shilin area in Taipei for example, where a shop has been selling fish cakes and squid soup for over 60 years. With their distinctive southern shacha flavor and generous portions, the shop has become a hidden gem favored by locals. Even during off-peak hours, the seats are full. Not only that, but the owner is a secret good Samaritan. She provides meals for the underprivileged, and donates her time and money whenever there’s a major natural disaster, joining with other volunteer cooks. Let’s take a closer look at this mainstay of the community...

A chef blanches cuttlefish and squid, careful to get the timing right to avoid overcooking them to mush. It’s a skill honed through extensive experience.

This store has been selling handmade fish cakes, squid soup, and cuttlefish soup for over 50 years. With their deliciously gummy texture, generous portions, and distinctive southern shacha flavor, this spot is a hidden gem beloved by the locals.

Their fish cakes taste very fresh.

The fish cakes are particularly good. The thickness of the soup is also nice. It’s not too starchy.

Chang Wan-chi
Restaurant owner
We use fresh squid, not the fish paste that other places use. As for the cuttlefish, most people just put it directly into the soup. But we don’t do that. Since it keeps cooking while inside, if left too long, it’ll fall apart. Our fish crackers are also different from the ones typical in Spanish mackerel soup. Ours are more like the cracker-like ones sold in Tamsui.

Substituting basil for cilantro gives the soup a distinctive favor that’s won over the local crowd. After nearly 60 years in operation, the shop is now run by the founder’s adopted daughter.

Chang Wan-chi
Restaurant owner
The shop was started by my adopted mom and her partner. When they got older and wanted to retire, I took over. People like this classic flavor. You can’t change it. Most of our customers are regulars. Some families have been coming here for generations.

Apart from preserving classic flavors...

... the owner also quietly does good deeds. Every time a major natural disaster strikes Taiwan, she will donate her time and money, going with her husband to volunteer as cooks.

Lai Yen-wen
Charity meal organizer
When the Mataian River flooded, by 7 I had already decided to go and organized a team to head out there. Of course I’ll go first, but later on we made another trip, and my wife came along.

Chang Wan-chi
Restaurant owner
Most of the time I’ll cover the expenses, like when they go to daycares or nursing homes. I’ll say OK, you go this month and I’ll support you. There really are people who come here saying they don’t have anything to eat. So I’ll make something for them like anyone else. Noodles, whatever they want.

Quietly doing good for their community while preserving beloved classic flavors, this small restaurant is carrying on the legacy of those who came before.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#restaurant #squidsoup #fishcakes #charity #Shilin #Taipei #GoodSamaritan #community #localfavorite #hiddengem

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Canadian-born singer wins over fans with songs in Taigi

The latest viral sensation is a group of foreign-born musicians performing in Taigi, also known as Taiwanese. Polish drummer Slawek and Canadian singer Brandon from Taipei are part of the group Adoga. Their song Back Here Again sounds even more local than if it were performed by musicians born and raised in Taiwan, earning them fans online. And it’s not their only Taigi song, either. The singer also performs the classic song Dancer, as well as Bold for my Love by A-Mei, using his own homemade notation to pronounce the words.

He doesn’t exactly look Taiwanese, but he’s singing his heart out in Taigi. Originally from Canada, Brandon is putting his all into this rendition of “Back Here Again.”

He’s skilled at conveying the melancholy of the lyrics, which made their group, Adoga, go viral online.

Slawek
Adoga drummer
He asked if I wanted to join his band. But I already had my own band, so I suggested he join mine. When we got together, he started singing in Taigi. I thought it was a great idea.

Other band members have come and gone, but Brandon and Slawek have stuck it through for 18 years. They’re also known for their cover of the classic song “Dancer.”

But they can’t just cater to the senior crowd. They have something for their younger fans, too. Launching into A-Mei’s “Bold for my Love” turns the atmosphere on its head.

Without prior exposure, it’s hard to learn Taigi. So Brandon made up his own notation, laboring over the details to master the pronunciation.

- This is my notation. What I’m writing is “Brandonese” so I can read it.

But to truly learn Taigi, it’s not enough to practice on your own. Every taxi ride is a chance for one-on-one practice.

- Hurry up, I’m hungry. I learned that in a taxi. And then I know they hurry up. You eaten? Have you eaten? I like that.

To leave an even stronger impression on their Taiwanese fans, the band also made their own custom vests emblazoned with their names.

Slawek
Adoga drummer
Other countries don’t have these vests. When people see it, they ask how we have it, where we got it. Did you make it yourselves?

Even though they weren’t born in Taiwan, they wanted to learn Taigi music out of love for their adopted home. Luckily for them, this labor of love has also forged new opportunities for their band.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#band #Taiwanese #Taiwanesemusic #Hoklo #foreigner #singer #AMei #music #Adoga

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Jay Chou releases new album in 3 years

After three years, the “King of Mandopop,” Jay Chou is releasing a new album, on March 25. The music video of the title track, “Children of the Sun,” was premiered on Tuesday afternoon. The screening and presser at Muvie Cinemas in Taipei was attended by a cozy audience of 100 lucky fans, selected by lottery, while the livestreamed video was watched by nearly half a million.

Mandopop superstar Jay Chou takes the stage, looking sharp in a black blazer.

- Everyone should watch the music video, many times.
- It’s also ok if you watch only once.
- What? Just once?
- ‘Cause it’s quite long.
- Is just once enough?
- No!

The last time Chou held such a cozy event was more than ten years ago. This time, it’s all on him. He’s booked a cinema and invited 100 lucky fans, selected by lottery, to mark this new milestone.

Jay Chou
Singer-songwriter
Many of my fans started listening to my music while still in school. But now you’ve joined the workforce and matured, you know, and have become more vulnerable, no?

Chou says he hopes the title track “Children of the Sun” will offer support to fans if they ever feel down. But joined by his longtime friend Ken Lin on stage as co-hosts, the audience feels anything but in their presence and joy.

- The sun is too bright, way too bright.
- You can get down now.

Lin greatly amused the audience when he imitated Gollum from “The Lord of the Rings.” He even briefly sidetracked, giving a shout-out to his donut shop, which only opened last year. Chou didn’t mind sharing the stage though. He also surprised the press, agreeing to take questions directly from reporters after the screening.

Jay Chou
Singer-songwriter
I have an idea. Maybe I’ll do a record-signing at a tennis court. Not bad, right? Maybe next time.

Chou entertained the idea of holding a record-signing event at a tennis court. He also teased that there will be a screening of the video taken when he proposed to his wife. The new album, his 16th, is dropping on midnight of Wednesday on streaming platforms.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#JayChou #周杰倫 #mandopop #celebritynews #entertainment

2026-03-24

Woman leaves leg dangling out of car driving along freeway

If you want some fresh air in your car while on the highway, roll down the windows, but you should absolutely not do what a woman in Hsinchu did. A driver captured a video of another car on Freeway No. 3 speeding along with the door wide open. What’s more, a woman in the vehicle swung her leg out and dragging her foot on the asphalt for about 15km. The stunt continued even after the car got off the freeway. Some say the woman may have argued with the driver and was thinking of jumping out, while others say maybe drugs were involved. But something that everyone can agree on is that it is a dangerous stunt indeed.

Cars zip along the freeway at more than 100km per hour. But this silver car ahead has a door wide open! A woman is holding it in place while letting her feet dangle outside. The driver behind was stunned.

You would think that the door would close after getting off the freeway… but no! The car door stayed open.

The stunt alarmed everyone around, fearing for the passenger’s safety.

Member of public
Commenting on incident
It’s not OK. The car is also going so slow that if a motorbike passes by at a faster speed, it could easily cause a crash. I think she might have stepped on something, because it doesn’t look like she’s going to jump out.

Member of public
Commenting on incident
Maybe they argued, or something else happened, who knows? It is dangerous though.

The shocking scene was captured on Freeway No. 3. The woman opened the door at around the 94km point on the northbound lane and swung her foot out, dragging it on the floor for about 15km. She left it dangling even after exiting the Guanxi Interchange.

Hsiao Shih-wei
Police officer
We investigated the incident and found no reports made by the public. Attempts to contact the owner of the vehicle have yielded no response. Our brigade will summon the owner, driver and passengers for questioning.

The dangerous stunt not only put the passengers of the vehicle at risk, but also fellow road users. The police say fines will be issued in accordance to traffic regulations. But the mystery remains as to why they would even do that to begin with.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

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Pet store sparks outrage locking dog in storage box after closing

A pet shop in Taichung has come under fire after a passer-by witnessed that staff had locked a dog in a storage box after closing. In the video taken by the eyewitness, the dog could be heard barking loudly and repeatedly forcing itself against the walls of the container, even knocking against the glass panel of the storefront. The dog was obviously distressed, and worse, there wasn’t even water left inside. Last year, another outlet of the same franchise had killed a client’s cat after leaving it in a dryer box for too long after grooming.

Why is this storage box in the pet shop moving?

Turns out, there’s a dog inside frantically pushing against it.

A shopkeeper swiftly returns after being notified of the situation.

- Is it for sale?
- Yes.
- It’s really not nice to treat it so.
- Or perhaps you’d like to take it home?

The eyewitness asked why the dog wasn’t kept in a cage but in a storage box.

- Small dogs have thinner legs. If you leave it in a steel cage and the leg gets caught in the openings overnight, it’s actually more dangerous.

The pet shop is a chain store in Dali District, Taichung. On Monday night, a passer-by noticed that a dog was locked in a storage box.

Chiang Ho-shu
Taichung City Councilor (TPP)
They only punched a few holes through the lid, and none on the four walls. They’ve kept the dog in a closed-off space. This makes the dog nervous.

The pet store was already closed when the eyewitness passed by, so she reported the incident to the city government’s animal protection, and called another outlet of the chain to get in touch with a shopkeeper. When the shopkeeper arrived, he explained that the dog was kept in a storage box so it wouldn’t get caught in the mesh it’s standing on, were it kept in a cage instead. The eyewitness offered to pay for a non-slip mat for the dog, but the store declined, and then brought the dog to another cage with a mat.

Voice of eyewitness
Dali District, Taichung
The pet store didn’t even bother to get a cage for smaller dogs. They could at least place a plastic mat. It’s so simple, but they still didn’t bother.

A vet says that the holes on the lid were too small, which would lead the box to accumulate a high concentration of carbon dioxide. Moreover, there’s no water inside the box, which could cause heatstroke. The dog could also step on its own excrements while confined, leading to high levels of anxiety.

Hsieh Cheng-nan
Veterinarian
What they did to the dog was like locking a person in a prison cell or a brig. It’s more like punishment.

It’s not the first time for this pet store franchise to come under fire for animal mistreatment. Last year, another chain left a client’s cat in a pet dryer box for too long and ended up killing it. Now, it’s caused public outrage again for leaving a puppy for sale in a storage box overnight. The owner of the outlet admitted not adhering to best practices, but otherwise refused to be interviewed. Animal protection officers had inspected the store after receiving a report, and said that the storeowner will be punished according to law.

Voice of Juan Fei-yu
Taichung City Animal Protection Office
Businesses that violate the required facilities regulations may be fined between NT$40,000 and NT$200,000. If they fail to improve the situation within the specified period, they may be fined for each violation. If they are fined three times, their license will be revoked.

Meanwhile, netizens have flocked to the shop’s Google Maps profile, and even changed the name by adding the words “animal abuse” to raise awareness of the store’s and franchise’s malpractices.

For more Taiwan news, tune in:
Mon to Fri at 9:30 pm on Channel 152
Tue to Sat at 1 am on Channel 53

#pets #dogs #cats #animalabuse #adoptdontshop

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