A Grey Apprentice?

nowaynever

Hi.
I'm a currently in a run of the mill, dead end clerical job and have been mulling over the idea of a change.

My question is. How old would you consider too old to take up/apply for an apprenticeship?

What sort of area are you interested in?
Something manual, technical, factory, lab, office based?

We are heading back to full employment so skills shortages will become an issue again.

I have known a few people who have gone back to college and retrained as accountants or in IT in their middle age.

They needed to work hard to sell themselves first but once established their age mattered less.

Explore all opportunities like springboard if you can get started at no cost to yourself.

nowaynever

Deleted User wrote: »

What sort of area are you interested in?
Something manual, technical, factory, lab, office based?

We are heading back to full employment so skills shortages will become an issue again.

I have known a few people who have gone back to college and retrained as accountants or in IT in their middle age.

They needed to work hard to sell themselves first but once established their age mattered less.

Explore all opportunities like springboard if you can get started at no cost to yourself.

Something Manual/technical as I'd be looking for a complete change in environment(currently office based).

salmocab

nowaynever wrote: »

Hi.
I'm a currently in a run of the mill, dead end clerical job and have been mulling over the idea of a change.

My question is. How old would you consider too old to take up/apply for an apprenticeship?

I’ve known some electrical apprentices in their mid late 30s, I’ve always liked having older apprentices as they have the edges knocked off. It’s not ideal as especially for the first 2 years the money is terrible but if you think you can manage that it might be worth a look.

OMM 0000

I think you're never too old to make a change.

The only issue is how to handle your existing financial responsibilities. For example, if you would need to go on a lower wage for a few years, will your family be able to get by. But if this isn't an issue, I say go for it.

We only have one life. Why hold yourself back?

knipex

nowaynever wrote: »

Hi.
I'm a currently in a run of the mill, dead end clerical job and have been mulling over the idea of a change.

My question is. How old would you consider too old to take up/apply for an apprenticeship?

It really depends on the apprenticeship.

You are looking at site \ technical based trades.

Wet trades, teens \ early 20's. They are hard physical work with a limited time in which your body if physically able.

Electrical related trades (instrumentation, electrician, etc) , then as Salmocab said late 20's early 30's wouldn't be unknown. They can be far less physical so longer careers are normal.

However a 1st year apprentice will make around €6.20 per hour. a 2nd year around €8:50 (I could be out as its been a few years but not far off) Can you afford to do that ??

If its something you would like to do then you need to find an employer who is willing to take you on and train you.

The downside for the employer is you are a 1st year apprentice woudl be the lowest of the low, get all the scut work, sweep floors, carry this, run here etc. If you are in your late 30's early 40's what impact is that going to have ? Put you out with a guy in his early 20 to mid 20's possibly 4 or 5 years post qualification experience and his new rookie first year apprentice \ laborer is the same age as his dad..

StupidLikeAFox

How old are you? Might be hard to get someone to take on a 50 something (even if it is illegal to discriminate on age)

nowaynever

knipex wrote: »

It really depends on the apprenticeship.

You are looking at site \ technical based trades.

Wet trades, teens \ early 20's. They are hard physical work with a limited time in which your body if physically able.

Electrical related trades (instrumentation, electrician, etc) , then as Salmocab said late 20's early 30's wouldn't be unknown. They can be far less physical so longer careers are normal.

However a 1st year apprentice will make around €6.20 per hour. a 2nd year around €8:50 (I could be out as its been a few years but not far off) Can you afford to do that ??

If its something you would like to do then you need to find an employer who is willing to take you on and train you.

The downside for the employer is you are a 1st year apprentice woudl be the lowest of the low, get all the scut work, sweep floors, carry this, run here etc. If you are in your late 30's early 40's what impact is that going to have ? Put you out with a guy in his early 20 to mid 20's possibly 4 or 5 years post qualification experience and his new rookie first year apprentice \ laborer is the same age as his dad..

Some good points, thanks.

nowaynever

StupidLikeAFox wrote: »

How old are you? Might be hard to get someone to take on a 50 something (even if it is illegal to discriminate on age)

43, male.

salmocab

nowaynever wrote: »

43, male.

Honestly it would be very tough but not impossible, lots of tradesmen have moved into different although relevant roles by their 40s (I’m talking mainly my own trade, electrical) or are working for themselves by that age.
If you think you could manage the money then maybe a small operator would be best, in a large company you would likely be older than the chargehands and most of the tradesmen.

nowaynever

Thanks all, some food for thought.

Financially its possible and that fact id be older than most in my immediate working environment wouldn't really be an issue.

Legally would I be right in saying that my age should not be a barrier i.e. A company couldn't refuse on the grounds of age?

From an employers point of view would an older candidate hold any advantages ?

P.S. I'd be leaning towards the more technical trades, electrical/mechanical and the like.

Thanks again.

salmocab

nowaynever wrote: »

Thanks all, some food for thought.

Financially its possible and that fact id be older than most in my immediate working environment wouldn't really be an issue.

Legally would I be right in saying that my age should not be a barrier i.e. A company couldn't refuse on the grounds of age?

From an employers point of view would an older candidate hold any advantages ?

P.S. I'd be leaning towards the more technical trades, electrical/mechanical and the like.

Thanks again.

Can’t discriminate on age but that’s easily circumvented.
Push your life experience and being able to deal with people.
Don’t forget after about a year you go to a FAS centre that can be anywhere in the country for 6 months so take that into account.

K.Flyer

nowaynever wrote: »

43, male.

I don't think at your age its too old to change direction, it just depends on what exactly you are looking at changing to and your end of apprenticeship financial prospects / career goals are.
The jobs you have in mind, do you have any experience, basic or otherwise, so you know what you are getting yourself into.
I ask, because you don't want to find yourself two years in realizing that the grass on the other side wasn't all that greener.

knipex

nowaynever wrote: »

Thanks all, some food for thought.

Financially its possible and that fact id be older than most in my immediate working environment wouldn't really be an issue.

Legally would I be right in saying that my age should not be a barrier i.e. A company couldn't refuse on the grounds of age?

From an employers point of view would an older candidate hold any advantages ?

P.S. I'd be leaning towards the more technical trades, electrical/mechanical and the like.

Thanks again.

An apprenticeship is a training course and hence exempt from a number of employment laws (minimum wage begin the most obvious example).

I am not a lawyer or employment law expert but should be kept in mind.

Most apprenticeships had a maximum age limit until relatively recently.

nowaynever

K.Flyer wrote: »

I don't think at your age its too old to change direction, it just depends on what exactly you are looking at changing to and your end of apprenticeship financial prospects / career goals are.
The jobs you have in mind, do you have any experience, basic or otherwise, so you know what you are getting yourself into.
I ask, because you don't want to find yourself two years in realizing that the grass on the other side wasn't all that greener.

Yes good points.
I'm after a complete change of direction but you are right, I need to be careful, no regrets and all that jazz.
Maybe a compromise of sorts;
I've considered staying where I am and completing a part time degree, something along the lines of this http://www.dit.ie/studyatdit/part-time/programmescourses/allcourses/engineeringcivildt032.html
This would represent the desired change whilst hanging of the safety net of current employment.
I have some experience of the part time learning lark having completed a H&S Environmental Waste Mgmt. course.

the_pen_turner

Push your ability to be on time, not into Monday club drinking and have own transport etc

eurokev

I'm in my final year E&I.
I'm 32. I'm the oldest in my class of 16, but there is 5 others 27 and above.
Our lecturer made a comment that this is the first class in a long while, that he is the oldest in the room. He's 37 I think.

You wouldn't really get to know other classes who are away on 'block release' at the same time as you, but from looking at another Instrumentation class here at the mo, of the 8 or so in the class I'd say 4 are early 30s and the other 4 late 20s. There's no fresh out of school lad.
Last year when I was here, there was a good few lads in their 40s here.
E&I and to a stronger extent just I, tend to attract a lot of older apprentices - there is also a number of companies who seem to favour the older apprentice from what I have observed.

farmerval

Working in an Electrical contractors definitely contractors would be delighted to get mature apprentices.
School leavers are often feckless/immature etc.
Mature people that know what normal working life is are extremely welcome.