Is 32 too old for an apprenticeship?

[ladylalatub]

I am 32 years old and a single mother to one. I am applying for accounting apprenticeships for school leavers as I have 4 A-Levels. However, will I be discounted due to being a lot older than most candidates? I have worked in retail and customer service for the last decade or so after dropping out of university. I have completed AAT Level 2 and got a Distinction.

No, you're not too old at all - apprenticeships are open to all ages.

Not necessarily. It might be slightly trickier socially for the first year or so, but once you're established it won't matter.

Where are you applying - size, sector? Are you applying for non-graduate training contracts generally too?

What's your long term goal?

Definitely not. We have L4 accounting technicians in their 50s studying with us.

I am applying for a few accounting firms in the top 25-in their audit department school leaver programmes. My goal is to progress within the audit department in a professional services firm.

No, we have a 40 year old apprentice.

It shows a determination to progress your career.

Go for it!

I'd expand that out into top 50-100 firms, top 25 is too narrow. You'll get broader experience and more responsibility sooner.

If you still want to move to a bigger firm later in your career, you can. People move from smaller to bigger and bigger to smaller firms all the time. It's rarer to join one firm and stay there for life now.

I did an apprenticeship at 38, whilst in a 48+ hours per week job with two children, it was a L7 one, but many were my age or older! Go for it, I haven’t regretted it one bit.