Career routes | 'Is 31 too old to do an apprenticeship?'

When someone says the word apprenticeship, many view this as the alternative route to going to university.

This route into employment gives people hands-on experience, a salary and an opportunity on the job. According to 2018/2019 statistics, 742,000 people participated in an apprenticeship in England, according to House of Commons Library data. While this may be an increasingly popular option for school leavers, there is no age restriction to stop those from taking on an apprenticeship if they want to – even if it isn’t widely known.

Earlier this year, a woman writing under the handle Missfloweryname took to Mumsnet seeking some advice about the next steps in her career. Since having her second child, the woman explained that she had been a stay-at-home mum. “I am currently a stay at home mum since having my second child and my youngest will be at school full-time in September. Once he is I want to go back to work (sic).”

Instead of going back into the same type of office work, she wanted to take up a course and re-train to do something different. She said she liked the idea of becoming a dental nurse and considered the prospect of taking on an apprenticeship. Yet, she started to question if, at 31-years-old, she would be too old to do so. “I don't think there is an age limit for doing an apprenticeship, but realistically would anyone take me on, or would they prefer a school leaver? I don't want to get my hopes up if I have no real chance of doing it,” the Mumsnet user explained.