A new generation of 50+ apprentices
MICHAEL SCHOFIELD had trained and worked as a jockey for 35 years before changing his career.
The 50-year-old from Swindon, Wiltshire, relocated to Darwen, Lancashire, to be closer to his grandson after retiring from the sport last January.
He faced limited options due to his career in racing and initially rejected the idea of an apprenticeship because he felt they were for ‘young people’.
However, after walking past a construction site near his home, Michael was inspired to enter the skilled trades industry.
He obtained a Construction Skills Certification Scheme card and began an apprenticeship with ENGIE, a leading energy and services group.
Michael has currently achieved NVQ Level 2 and will finish his construction apprenticeship in 2020.
He says: ‘ It’s funny because I started off my professional life as an apprentice rider at 15 and I didn’t think that 35 years later, I’d be embarking on another apprenticeship.
‘I’m only 50, so that’s roughly another 20 years I could still be in work — why settle for any job that will pay the bills, when I could do something that I love?
‘Many people are out of work or had a job that you can do only for a period of time, so I think apprenticeships are a fantastic way of getting people back into work.
‘I picked construction as it seems to be a job where you can climb up the career ladder and progression is fast.’
Dave Sheridan, divisional CEO for ENGIE, says: ‘We have a number of apprentices in their 50s and 60s so this actually isn’t a unique case. We’ve encouraged candidates from all walks of life to take advantage of our apprenticeships.’