I thought I'd retire from Intel. Then I got laid off in my 60s — and I'm still struggling to find a job.

• Brad Jenkins was laid off from his technician job at Intel last year.
• He's been struggling to find work for the last six months.
• Jenkins, who's in his 60s, said the layoff has disrupted his retirement plans.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Brad Jenkins, a job seeker in his early 60s who lives in Oregon. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

I knew there was a chance I could be laid off, but I was surprised when the news came.

In 2021, I started working as a technician for Intel, based in Hillsboro, Oregon. I was 59 at the time, and I remember thinking: "Why are you hiring some old fart like me?" Over the next few years, I survived multiple rounds of layoffs.

Then, in March 2025, Intel brought on a new CEO, and it seemed like there was more of an emphasis on reducing management layers. I figured, "Well, I'm not a manager, so I should be safe." I thought I'd retire there, but I was wrong.

On July 7, I learned that I'd been laid off — and my last day of employment was July 31. Since then, I've been struggling to find work, and retirement isn't feasible for me right now.

I took some time off before job hunting

The layoff hurt because I worked really hard for the company and really liked the job. I didn't start looking for work right away. I had some savings, several weeks of severance pay, and I knew I could collect unemployment benefits. This bought me some time.

One of the first things I did was take a monthlong road trip to Colorado, but I wasn't there just for a vacation. I took a multi-week class on electric vehicle charger maintenance through a free program organized by Goodwill.

My thought process was: The class is free, I've never been to Colorado, I have an interest in electric vehicles, and it might help me find a new job. I knew the Oregon state government had plans to add more EV chargers across the state, so I thought it could be a lucrative area to get into.

After the class, I decided to extend my break from the working world, spending about a month in California for what I thought of as a post-layoff trip. I still had some savings and hadn't started collecting unemployment benefits yet. From what I understood, I wasn't eligible for unemployment if I wasn't in the state.

Around last November, I started collecting unemployment and actively looking for work on LinkedIn and Indeed, including for semiconductor specialist roles. I tried tapping into my Intel network for opportunities, but nothing came of that. While I've landed some interviews, I've struggled to land an offer.

As my search has dragged on, I've also started exploring entrepreneurship opportunities in the electric vehicle space.

I'm not sure if my age has worked against me in my job search

When Intel hired me at age 59, they were ramping up hiring, and it seemed like if you were competent, they'd consider hiring you.

Once I got to Intel, there were people in their 70s still working there. So maybe age is less of an issue in the semiconductor industry.

I think the bigger issue is that there's less demand for the type of work I did at Intel. There are many technicians who are currently looking for work, whether due to cost-cutting or other factors.

Retiring doesn't make sense for me yet

I've thought about retirement, but the biggest obstacle for me is healthcare. I can't apply for Medicare until I'm 65, which is a few years away, and the Affordable Care Act isn't as helpful with the subsidies expiring. Having a job provides healthcare benefits, so it's pretty crucial that I get back to work.

I could also use a bit more savings in my retirement account, and my plan has been to collect full Social Security benefits, which would mean working until age 67.

In recent months, I've tried to cut back on my spending — specifically on fancy vacations. Even before I was laid off, I'd begun cutting back on non-essential spending because I sensed the economy could be headed in a bad direction. My unemployment benefits have helped me get by, but they don't last forever.

Unemployment sucks, but don't give up

I've been through all kinds of economic upheavals and downturns in my roughly 40-year career, including multiple layoffs. During the Great Recession, I had a long unemployment stint until contract work helped me get back on my feet. It always sucks to be laid off.

My top advice for other job seekers is don't give up. Tap into your resources, tap into your network, don't burn bridges with your past employer, and accept that you might not get the same pay you were making before. Yeah, it sucks. But there is still work out there.