You can do an apprenticeship at almost any age. You must be 16 or older to apply for an apprenticeship in the UK. However, there is no upper age limit. You can be too young for an apprenticeship but not really too old. Although apprentices are often thought of as teenagers, Government statistics show that 47% of people starting an apprenticeship in the last year were over 25. 

Higher and Degree apprenticeships are ideal for those wanting to retrain and change careers. Others use apprenticeships to upskill in their current industry to qualify for higher-paid job roles. It stands to reason that the majority of those people are over 25. 

Different challenges occur when starting an apprenticeship at different ages. The biggest challenge for mature apprentices is often taking a pay cut while they retrain. However, help such as Universal Credit is available for some apprentices, depending on your personal finances and living situation. If you are upskilling, the company you work for may continue to pay you the same wages while you train, so this will not be an issue. 

If you enter a new industry, some companies may prefer to hire school-leaver apprentices, so you might find it harder to get an apprenticeship. School leavers are usually cheaper, and Government grants for apprentices may not stretch to a more mature apprentice.

Don’t worry, though, other companies will value your experience and transferable skills.