Old Dog New Tricks ?

[Joss]

Hi
I am a mature graduate student hopefully retraining to be a Deck Officer with Warsash and am wondering who best to approach for sponsorship ?
Are Mature students 40+ at a disadvantage in getting sponsorship ? Do any of the companies have a particularly welcoming policy towards older cadets? Will older deck officers get hired ?

Woof
Joss

[Randomist]

Hi Joss,

Welcome to the forum!

Companies will employ people of any age. When applying for a job what experience you have/how you will commit to the training/their impressions of you at interview is what counts the most.

The best way to gain a position is to apply directly to sponsoring companies.

This site -> http://www.careersatsea.org/

.....is one of the best for people getting started. and on this page -> http://www.careersatsea.org/apply/ ....is a list of companies and agencies that supply sponsorship.

I was at college with a 45 yr old cadet, the age ranges are quite large in this job

[CharlieDelta]

Some companies are more open than others. For example, a certain coniferous container company apparently prefer under-21s, though there's a guy at WMA sponsored by them who's much older.

Maersk seem to take on a healthy number of older cadets, as do SSTG.

[Randomist]

If they're UK or commonwealth registered it's illegal for the company to discriminate between ages under the Human Rights Act revised in the EU in '98

[CharlieDelta]

This is true, however as with most equality legislation, it's very simple to pass off people you don't want as unsuitable in many other ways since recruitment is a very subjective thing.

Wish it wasn't the case, but it happens.

[Randomist]

This is true. I think there is a certain amount of fairness in the companies. If you present yourself well at interview. Prove yourself dedicated and right for the job there's no reason they should hire you.

[Joss]

Cheers thats really encouraging to hear, have been reading through careers at sea and intend to take it further Joss

[Joss]

That issue is certainly at the back of my mind,but I guess the only thing I can do is give a really good interview. Joss

[ETwhat?]

I think one of the big considerations from companies is this idea that lots of people dont stay at sea that long, instead ending up tempted away by more regular lifestyle, so for a company to get long enough to pay back any investment in you means that they arent looking for 20 years. being older has its advantages. your giving up more so more likely to stick it out, and you should have a professional work manner

on the down side theres the fact that your going back to college with low pay and theres a good chance that you could leave easier, from my point at (almost) 30, i know that if i left the course within a short time i would have work which wouldnt be the general case of someone whos 18.

As has been said its going to be almost impossible to prove that after interview you werent selected because of yor age and if your applying to the big companies they will have someone old enough to prove that they dont discriminate. if you really think its right for you then look around and apply.

[John 45]

That issue is certainly at the back of my mind,but I guess the only thing I can do is give a really good interview. Joss

Hi Joss, I am in the same boat as you, at 45 I thought I had zero chance of getting into the MN, but reading these forums has given me a glimmer of hope. I have made a couple of applications through the careers at sea website.
Let me know how you are getting on.