Would you employ a 40 year old graduate?
Discussion
After a period of fairly unsuccessful self employment, it's looking like I'll have to return to my industry, probably take a pay drop compared to what I was last on and build my career from lower down again. I must say that it doesn't fill me with enthusiasm that it once did and the financial rewards, although not terrible compared to some careers, are probably not going to get me out of the rental trap. I'm increasingly thinking of going back to uni and completing the engineering degree I dropped out of when I was a moronic teenager.
Trouble is, if I go back next year (and it would need to be next year as my finances are wrecked and I can't remember what the difference between calculus and algebra is, let alone do either right now!), I'll likely be pushing 40 by the time I come out the other side and competing with fresh faced guys nearly 20 years my junior.
Are employers looking for Engineering grads going to be particularly age conscious? Or is "engineering" such a broad field that there will be some areas where it won't matter and others where it'll make me a complete non-starter?
Has anyone actually encountered ageism when graduating a bit later in life in any field? I'm used to being fairly young for my profession and have only just about come to terms with not being in my 20's anymore, so the thought of ageism is still a bit academic right now, but fear of it is something that discourages me a little from putting in the effort and expense involved.
Trouble is, if I go back next year (and it would need to be next year as my finances are wrecked and I can't remember what the difference between calculus and algebra is, let alone do either right now!), I'll likely be pushing 40 by the time I come out the other side and competing with fresh faced guys nearly 20 years my junior.
Are employers looking for Engineering grads going to be particularly age conscious? Or is "engineering" such a broad field that there will be some areas where it won't matter and others where it'll make me a complete non-starter?
Has anyone actually encountered ageism when graduating a bit later in life in any field? I'm used to being fairly young for my profession and have only just about come to terms with not being in my 20's anymore, so the thought of ageism is still a bit academic right now, but fear of it is something that discourages me a little from putting in the effort and expense involved.
I have hired a lot of people over my career and I do not think ageism is the major issue.
Its relevant experience, drive,appropriate self-confidence . In the end, at 40 the question for me would me more about what you had achieved in your career than the formal qualifications. At the very beginning of a career the degree(s) and level matter as there is not enough else to gauge the capabilities of a person, but later it is a much broader assessment.
Its relevant experience, drive,appropriate self-confidence . In the end, at 40 the question for me would me more about what you had achieved in your career than the formal qualifications. At the very beginning of a career the degree(s) and level matter as there is not enough else to gauge the capabilities of a person, but later it is a much broader assessment.
What is your work experience to date? Can the skills gained be transferred and complement a move into engineering. If you were in sales for example you may not want or need to go into a design engineering role but something in sales engineering, bid management, technical sales etc may be achieveable.
Do it.
Start as soon as you possibly can.
If you're going with the OU, you're just in time to register for courses starting in September. An installment plan is available if you don't have the readies upfront.
The 'recommended' schedule is 30-60 module credits a year, for a total course duration of 6-12 years, but if you insist you will be allowed to go faster.
I graduate (BEng) in October, it's taken me four years. My only regret is not starting sooner; I'll be 42.
Start as soon as you possibly can.
If you're going with the OU, you're just in time to register for courses starting in September. An installment plan is available if you don't have the readies upfront.
The 'recommended' schedule is 30-60 module credits a year, for a total course duration of 6-12 years, but if you insist you will be allowed to go faster.
I graduate (BEng) in October, it's taken me four years. My only regret is not starting sooner; I'll be 42.
The problem is the term you're using - graduate. While it's accurate, it's generally something you'd see as a program from employers (usually to lowball some unsuspecting fresh out of uni person with the promise of jam tomorrow). If you think of it as retraining, then it's a different proposition.
What you've got to be careful of, and it's oozing out of your OP, is that you're not looking at this job (the going back to something you've done before) as a second, third or fourth best option. Like the many waiters who tell everyone they're actors (between jobs at the mo) it's easy to slip into a way of thinking that what you're doing isnt what you want to do. You wont enjoy it thinking like that. And life and it's many great moments will pass you by while you get more pissed off about what you're doing and how thats limiting you
Either do it, and commit to enjoying it, or go do something else that you'll really get in to.
What you've got to be careful of, and it's oozing out of your OP, is that you're not looking at this job (the going back to something you've done before) as a second, third or fourth best option. Like the many waiters who tell everyone they're actors (between jobs at the mo) it's easy to slip into a way of thinking that what you're doing isnt what you want to do. You wont enjoy it thinking like that. And life and it's many great moments will pass you by while you get more pissed off about what you're doing and how thats limiting you
Either do it, and commit to enjoying it, or go do something else that you'll really get in to.
Thanks for the thoughts and comments all. I will definitely look at the Open University even if as a means of bringing my Maths back up to scratch, friends who have used it have been almost entirely positive about the place. It seems that the bigger question is one of choosing something you love enough to make the commitment to work through the tougher days.
An engineering degree is a good thing to have, opens up a lot of other routes. I never went to university. "Get a trade and you'll be set for life" they said, yeah until the point comes that you detest it.
Anyway, I digress. My other half did mechanical engineering, she was never going to work a lathe or do CAM/CAD stuff, but because it's such a broad spectrum she had her choice of roles once she graduated. She eventually chose to go into construction industry. Started as a coordinator but has rapidly progressed into a project manager. The hours she does vs pay received makes me kick myself for not doing something similar all those years ago.
Of course, if that's the background you've come from you can completely disregard all of that!
Anyway, I digress. My other half did mechanical engineering, she was never going to work a lathe or do CAM/CAD stuff, but because it's such a broad spectrum she had her choice of roles once she graduated. She eventually chose to go into construction industry. Started as a coordinator but has rapidly progressed into a project manager. The hours she does vs pay received makes me kick myself for not doing something similar all those years ago.
Of course, if that's the background you've come from you can completely disregard all of that!
Gassing Station | Jobs & Employment Matters | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff