BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- With the economy still struggling and the nation's unemployment rate at 10.2-percent many older Americans are starting to re-enter the work force. But as they do they'll find getting a job isn't as easy as it use to be.

The Career Services Center has seen an increase in folks over the age of 55 looking for work, but then again they've seen an increase in all age groups looking for work.

But for seniors re-entering or trying to stay in the work force it's not like it use to be.

"It's much more difficult, you have to have more skills, more up to date skills," Jan Fisher, who's been looking for work since February, said. And she says she simply can't find anything. "You keep applying, you keep applying and there's a lot of people applying with you and against you, the competition is out there. And at my age I'm competing with engineers, young people and there's just a lot of competition and there's just nothing out there."

Fisher isn't re-entering the work force, but rather trying to stay working and she's among the 7-percent of adults 55-plus who are unemployed, according to the AARP.

The Career Services Center in Downtown Bakersfield has noticed the increase.

"Well, we're seeing a lot of people, but we are seeing more people who have possibly retired and the retirement savings is no longer there and so they're coming back in and looking for work again."

But looking for work these days isn't how it use to be, as you can't simply find work in the local classifieds or send out resumes, as it's all about computers and the Internet.

"A lot of peoppe that have come back into the work force, without necessarily wanting to but having to, they're definitely needing to come in to get some of those skills as it's something that's pretty much predominant out there," said Danette Scarry of the Career Services Center.

"Everything is done with the comptuers now, and at my age we didn't do that," Fisher said. "But I have computer knowledge and skills but not up to someone who is younger than me, but I'm working on it and it's getting better."

The Career Services Center is helping people of all ages get those skills in order to get back to work during this tough economy.

"Defintely it's the economy, without question it's the economy because before I could go out and get a job anywhere ... and now its not that way," Fisher said.

The AARP also says that adults 55-years plus are competing against five other jobless people for every opening.

If you're looking for help getting your skills in order or find a job, the Career Services Center has several locations throughout town.