Felisa Martín is 64 years old, and in two years she will retire, but a year ago she made a decision that few dare to make at her age: to change her professional path. She left behind her job as a hotel maid—a role she held for 15 years—and dove headfirst into the culinary world. In an industry where workers typically end up where they started, her story is the exception.
Driven by the need for change, by a personal loss that marked her, and by an undying vitality, Felisa proves that it’s never too late to start anew. Martín lives in the south of Tenerife, in the municipality of Adeje. There she raised her children, worked, and decided to reinvent herself. Her life hasn’t been easy: after studying nursing, she ended up in hospitality.
For 15 years, she was a hotel maid, a job she describes bluntly: “It’s really hard; you have to lift a lot of weight and make many efforts.” This physical toll was compounded by a personal tragedy: the loss of one of her children. “That blow left me shattered,” she says. “It made me stop.”
For a while, her future became uncertain. The arrival of COVID-19 only heightened her fears. “I became hypochondriacal and went through a very tough time,” she recalls. Dazed by the situation, yet driven by the need to move forward. While unemployed, she began taking mandatory courses. “Adeje’s City Council encourages these types of courses, so I signed up for as many as I could.”
Although she had never “cooked without loud music and in a kitchen that wasn’t hers,” she says, the training helped her develop her culinary skills. In one of these, a teacher saw something in her. He recommended that she take it a step further: sign up for a vocational training course to obtain the Level 1 Professional Cooking Certificate.
“At my age, I didn’t feel capable. I thought: another job now?” she says. But her teacher’s insistence and her restless spirit pushed her to try.
What came next confirmed that she had made the right decision.
After completing the training, she began her internship at a hotel in La Caleta. There she connected with the kitchen team. “They are very considerate with me,” she comments.
A SECOND YOUTH
“I’m in a second youth, like a girl with new shoes!” she confirms.
Martín doesn’t just appreciate the opportunity: she observes, analyzes, and advises, in a role that also requires significant commitment and effort.
“I’m an active person and healthy. I see the young girls at the hotel getting burned out, and I, although older, find the tasks new and am very eager.”
She also offers advice to those who still have time to change: “Jump from one side to the other, learn, gain experience,” she says, concluding that, “the solution is not to stay still waiting for death.”
“In these Islands, there are many jobs where you are required to develop creative freedom daily. In this hotel, there are people with a lot of level, potential, and eagerness, but young people must be ready. Look beyond.”
AGEISM
Felisa criticizes ageism in the sector. “If we continue to extend the retirement age and live longer, we’ll have to open our minds at some point,” she says, noting that it is increasing, which will force older workers to occupy a growing portion of the labor market.
The kitchen has given her more than just a job. “Social relationships are important to age with quality.” And when retirement comes, she’s clear: “I’ll travel and continue going out with my friends. I thank God for making this change.”
For the first time, more than 5 million seniors over 55 remain active
In Spain, the labor participation of people over 60 has experienced a significant increase in recent years. According to data published by the National Institute of Statistics (INE), in 2024, for the first time, active people over 55 exceeded 5 million, reaching 5,089,500, representing a 4.6% increase compared to 2023. Furthermore, it is observed that half of the workers in Spain are already over 45 years old, increasing ten points in the last decade. This aging of the labor market poses challenges, highlighting the need to value senior talent.
