Published: 4 March 2021
At the University of Sunderland in London, we’re proud to have a dedicated, passionate and hard-working community of students looking to build on their life-experience and improve their careers
Joining higher education outside of the typical 18-to-20-year age range can be a daunting thing to do.
Whether you’ve had a long career before coming to the University or not, competing with younger people for job roles can be a bit of an unknown.
But there are several reasons why you’ll be at an advantage when applying for jobs after studying as an older person.
1) You have experience
You’re likely to have worked already, whether that’s an office job, homecare, running a business or being in the service industry.
Having experience of any kind is a major factor businesses look for when they’re recruiting.
For one thing, you’ll be able to reassure your potential employer you understand how to act in a professional setting.
It’s worth mentioning that, even if you haven’t had a ‘typical’ office job before coming to the University, your life experience is still vitally important when applying for jobs.
Plus, if you want to boost your CV you can always look into volunteering, part-time work and work experience
2) More likely to be employed
Did you know that statistically speaking, mature students have a greater chance of being hired than younger jobseekers?
On average, 72.7% of graduates in their 30s and over are employed six months after graduation compared to 70% of 18-to-21-year-olds.
There are several industries more likely to hire older students, including management and the health sector, both of which are areas you can study with us.
3) Better jobs
Not only are you more likely to get hired, but you’re also in a good position to apply for the most attractive roles.
According to a 2014 study, 77.2% of mature students found work in professional or managerial roles.
That’s compared with 66.3% for younger students.
4) Legal protection
A worry lots of students over 30 have is that companies won’t hire them because of their age.
But since the Equality Act 2019 came into force, companies cannot discriminate against employees for their age.
Businesses now must do age-blind interviews, where they won’t ask your age at any point during the application.
That means you’ll be judged only on your ability to do the job you’re applying for.
The University of Sunderland in London’s Careers and Employability office is here to help you get ready for life after you graduate.
To have a one-to-one chat with them, book a meeting through Compass.
Alternatively, email careers-london@sunderland.ac.uk. Find out more by following #WeAreSunLon on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.