Can you become an apprentice later in life?

[Woodmonkey]

I managed to change career in my late 30's, I also looked into apprenticeships at the time but no one wanted to know. Luckily my misses had a well paid job so I could afford to work less and put myself though college. You will find that furniture & cabinet making courses tend to attract more mature students, and carpentry/ joinery courses mostly seem to be school leavers, at least that's how it was at City of Bristol college where I went.
Good luck, it's never too late!

Thanks Woodmonkey. How did the career change go if you don't mind my asking? Which course did you go for?

I did a furniture making course, I think it was nvq level 2, it gave me the basics and I took it from there. Glad I did it, I now do mostly fitted stuff which wasn't the original plan but I enjoy it, and it beats climbing round trees with chainsaws in the rain!

 

[El Barto]

I managed to change career in my late 30's, I also looked into apprenticeships at the time but no one wanted to know. Luckily my misses had a well paid job so I could afford to work less and put myself though college. You will find that furniture & cabinet making courses tend to attract more mature students, and carpentry/ joinery courses mostly seem to be school leavers, at least that's how it was at City of Bristol college where I went.
Good luck, it's never too late!

Thanks Woodmonkey. How did the career change go if you don't mind my asking? Which course did you go for?

I did a furniture making course, I think it was nvq level 2, it gave me the basics and I took it from there. Glad I did it, I now do mostly fitted stuff which wasn't the original plan but I enjoy it, and it beats climbing round trees with chainsaws in the rain!

Ha ha I bet! It sounds good though and. One kinds of courses seem to only be one or two days a week so it wouldn't be totally disruptive with work. If you don't mind me asking (again) how much did it cost and did you have to pay it up front? I think that'd probably be the biggest hurdle for me - getting the money together to do it but I'm hoping a college might be more flexible than going privately.

 

[doctor Bob]

Anything is possible.
I didn't start woodwork until I was 33, I started as the lowest of the low on a production line. After 5 years and bullshitting my way into proper cabinet making positions, I set up my own business which has done alright for the last 13 years.

I had no choice, I'd gone from been a high flyer with the world at his feet to losing everything, I just had to start from the bottom again.

 

[Woodmonkey]

Can't remember exactly but I think it was around a grand which had to be paid up front. I took a career development loan which is basically an interest free loan, not sure if they still do those but worth looking in to. It was only two days a week so yes it's doable as you can still work the other three.

Edit: here - https://www.gov.uk/career-development-loans/overview