What are the chances for employment for mature graduates?

Stella66

My friend is 45 and has been made redundant. He wants to go back to uni and study for an M.Sc in Management and then apply for graduate schemes. I feel he is too old and employers might not bee too keen on older people with a lot of 23 year olds around. He does not have an business experience, his first degree was in education. Do you think its worth it? Especially with the £9,000+ fees?

Sammyantha

Personally I do not believe any degree is worth it unless you are doing it purely out of interest, or your employer is paying for it. It won't improve your job chances in and of itself, and there are far cheaper ways to do that if it is his primary concern.

In regards to grad schemes - he will be competing with much higher qualified people (phd and masters grads are often now applying for entry level and training positions, along with 1st degree holders). It's a saturated route.

He'd be better off simply applying for managerial positions, and via a targeted area/ industry approach which would match his current skill set. Life experience, common sense, and transferable skills will stand him in better stead.

If it's possible for him to study part time on a flexible basis while he works in, or towards a managerial position, then that would be the ideal solution.

I hope there are good things in the future for him whatever he decides.

Sambucus_Nigra

Chances for employment are so up in the air at the moment anyway...

I'd say, if he can afford it and wants to do it and it's the right area for him and he can get a place - then go for it. He could end up on JSA for the duration so why not get more qualified.

However, he'd not be applying for graduate schemes when he gets out - he'd be looking for management roles. So - try and get some management experience whilst studying. I assume that the management positions he would be looking at would be educational establishments so who known what contacts he can make over the next few years? He needs to do alot of networking.....

asc99c

To partially contradict some previous posters, I would say some jobs are really helped by a degree - mainly technical jobs IMO, or ones that rely on people having extensive knowledge of various areas. However, as you get more experienced, a degree is less important in any job. Regarding management, a lot of the job is really people skills and I don't see it as something that can be learnt. However, if you're talking about process management, I suppose there is quite a lot of theory in areas such as linear optimisation which can definitely be learned.

I would agree with Sambucus that the graduate schemes aren't what he'd be applying for. I'd say they're normally fast-track schemes and they're trying to get people to where your friend presumably already is. i.e. give them various real management experiences in addition to their education.

Oldernotwiser

In my experience, employers in the private sector are loathe to employ older people in junior roles and the chances of someone nearing 50 getting a place on a graduate scheme are negligible. The public sector may be more flexible, particularly if he looks for management roles in sectors where he has experience or where his first degree is relevant. Apologies for being negative.

Hammyman

Stella66 wrote: »

My friend is 45 and has been made redundant. He wants to go back to uni and study for an M.Sc in Management and then apply for graduate schemes. I feel he is too old and employers might not bee too keen on older people with a lot of 23 year olds around. He does not have an business experience, his first degree was in education. Do you think its worth it? Especially with the £9,000+ fees?

I can't understand why you think that. There's a massive difference between a 45 year old coming out of Uni with a management degree and a 23 year old and thats TWENTY YEARS REAL WORK EXPERIENCE to use with that degree. Yes it wasn't necessarily in management however he has done work, knows what pitfalls are etc and would have had responsibility placed upon him in the past. Compare that to someone who probably has never ever had a job.

I know in my industry, IT, experience counts for way more than any bit of paper being bandied about.

bristol_pilot

Chances of him getting on a graduate scheme are virtually nil. Graduation is not an end point it is a beginning. By the time he is fully-trained up and gained post-graduation experience he will be almost at minimum retirement age. This does not mean he will be unemployable - he may, for example, be able to gain a management or admin position in education. But a graduate scheme with a major company - he can forget it.

flea72

i think as a mature student you need to have a set career goal, that doesnt require you having to move up through the ranks, or start on the job training once you have graduated, as you just dont have time on your side, before you hit retirement

you should really be aiming for a role, that means once you graduate you are on a level pegging with more or less everyone else in your preferred profession, so age wont be such a big factor, and life experience is looked upon more favourably

is there any reason why he doesnt want to use his first degree and go back into education?

F

folkestonelisa

I am a 40 year old women, in her third year (5 months till the end :j) at uni. I have to say that i dont believe that without some form of qualification that i would be able to do the jobs that i want to do. Even though i have 20 odd years life experience, i need a qualification to get the job.
Its been hard going, very hard going at times, but i have learnt so much from going. Love the other students, they have treated me well, not many call me mum:rotfl: As well as finding a confidence that i never realised that i had.

dawyldthing

There are training schemes available, and more will be in the next 3 months or so through some of the major retailers, and most want a 2.1, so if you have a 2.1 it might be worth applying direct as although you won't have another qualification through doing it it will give you more experience in the field and i think we are going back to the past years of working your way up through the ranks as degrees now are not worth the same as before

Stella66

dawyldthing wrote: »

There are training schemes available, and more will be in the next 3 months or so through some of the major retailers, and most want a 2.1, so if you have a 2.1 it might be worth applying direct as although you won't have another qualification through doing it it will give you more experience in the field and i think we are going back to the past years of working your way up through the ranks as degrees now are not worth the same as before

Where are these schemes advertised?