Had to take (very) early retirement from my last job due to an injury... nothing disastrous - just can't do that particular job anymore.
So, thought it was an opportunity to learn new skills and head off on a different career tack.
Always enjoyed fiddling with tools, so started looking at engineering apprenticeships.
Saw one fairly locally that really grabbed my attention - called them and they told me that my application would be rejected becuase I'm too old.
I'm 33 FFS!
I've another 32 years of working life left in me!
Really pissed off!
They arnt allowed by law to reject you on the grounds that you are to old
but then there is the old saying you cant teach old dogs new tricks ( joke )
its very rare for anyone to be taken on as an apprentice over 21 due to them having to be paid more
Yes age discrimination is now illegal in this country - certainly when it comes to employment law. But as usual there are a 1000 different ways for companies to get around that.
comedy moment, you have to be careful with your job description, I was told you can't ask for 10 years experience in a role as it discriminates
against someone who's 23 (who can't have 10 years experience) & therefore is ageist.
having a laugh or what.
quote:
Originally posted by MikeR
comedy moment, you have to be careful with your job description, I was told you can't ask for 10 years experience in a role as it discriminates against someone who's 23 (who can't have 10 years experience) & therefore is ageist.
having a laugh or what.
Why not try another avenue of re-training? just because you got knocked back from apprenticeships doesn't mean you should give up.
I'm 32 and seriously considering going back to uni. The course I am taking will mean I will fully qualify at 39 
I suggest you look at something like a BTEC or NVQ or even a HND or Degree. As a mature student you will find that your experience counts for a lot,
and your acedemic qualifications are less important, (not saying you don't have any qualifications) so entry is easier.
Its a stupid thing for them to say as that is not the real reason at all, which is really they are looking for cheap labour under the guise of
'apprenticeship, we are training you so don't expect a lot of money...' usually these are grabbed by cash strapped teens.
I keep getting told that the Open University is extremely good and worthwhile.
[Edited on 30/5/08 by Mr Whippy]
You are lucky that they are even offering an apprenticeship to anyone these days.
With cheap eastern european labour, employers are yet again being let off the hook and instead of training this contries school leavers, have opted
to go the cheapest route and employ people from abroad 
my brothers now a time served mechanic - but he was 20 when he started and had little chance of an apprenticeship then - so he just started a 2
year full time version mechanics course at the college (the same one the apprentices get sent on part time), he even got some funding because he went
to Dumfries.
Of course he still needed to get a placement in a company to finish the practical parts of the course, but this can be allot easier than trying to get
them to take you on as an apprentice and its a foot in the door when you want a job at the end of the day (after the first placement or two they took
him on as an apprentice anyway)
Im 21 and im doing an 'IMI National Certificate / Diploma in Automotive Engineering Technology' (still have to google it to see what it is
called 
) in september. I was told i could have done an apprentiship.
What you looking to do ?
I looking for someone to train up as a waterjet machine operative and help out on sites and in the workshop.
interested?
we are based in west lothian
Sounds interesting Andy - any chance you could PM your number over?
Maximum age for apprenticeships isn't really to do with employers discriminating on age (although it does go on) its down to Government funding for the training, over 25 they don't pay so either you or your employer has to.
quote:
Originally posted by Brook_lands
Maximum age for apprenticeships isn't really to do with employers discriminating on age (although it does go on) its down to Government funding for the training, over 25 they don't pay so either you or your employer has to.
i'm 25 and feel too old for all this job hunting, too old for apprenticeships, feel too old for going back to college (although i guess i'm
not, but i think it would be silly to go back to to college for 3 years or so after training for a particular job (plant maintainace for example) then
find out i don't actually enjoy the job.
got no useful expericence (worked in shops and call centres, do NOT want to be doing that for the rest of my life. didn't ever want to work in a
call centre anyway)
safe to say i'm pretty miserable at the minute, on the job hunt, and can't find anything that doesn't want 3 years experience or
qualifications...
the company i work for have in the past taken on 2 untrained people both into there 30's and given them both the oppotunity 10 years later one still works for the company he is a good mechanic allthough he can be over the top at times doesn't seem to have the ability to determine when something has a bit of wear but is servicable so replaces the parts any way and has very few problems the other guy left our company about 2 years ago he came to us as a farmer and we trained him (think he was 32 when he started) as a landrover mechanic he progressed became a hgv mechanic and got his class 2 hgv licence as said he left about 2 years ago now working on all sorts of equipment from earth movers to trains and has become an excellent mechanic and earning nearly £2.00 pound an hour more than me (i have all my qualifications and 18 years eperiance) so never let anybody tell you your too old to retrain keep ya chin up and keep looking somebody will give you the oppotunity