Professor Dr Juhani Ilmarinen
Director, Life Course and Work - Theme, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH)

Dr. Ilmarinen is a Director of a new theme “Life Course and Work” in FIOH, Helsinki, Finland.

The aim of theme in 2006-2010 is to create new social innovations how to extend the working life. It covers the needs of young, middle aged and older workers. Innovations are needed to get the younger generations earlier to work, to decrease the risk of unemployment and sickness absence of middle age groups and improve their possibilities to get back to work, as well as to find solutions for longer work careers for older workers.

Dr. Ilmarinen made his Ph.D. in 1978 in the University of Cologne, Germany. When returning back to FIOH a longitudinal study of ageing workers (45+) was started in 1981, and the subjects has been followed up 16 years. In 2006, the 25-year follow up will be carried out.

In 1990-1996 he planned and conducted the FinnAge-Respect for the Ageing Programme, and was a member of the state Committee, which suggested 40 recommendations to cope with the ageing challenges. Ilmarinen was a key player of the Finnish National Programme on Ageing Workers (1998-2002).

Under his leadership the method called Work Ability Index (WAI) was developed, the comprehensive concept of Promotion of Work ability (PWA) was created and tested in praxis, and the latest innovation was the evidence based concept of Age Management. He is the chair if Ageing committee of the International Ergonomics Association (IEA) and secretary of Ageing and Work Scientific Committee of The International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH).