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Morning all,
I am working as a trainer, consultant, speaker and author in the education world at the age of 65. I work alone and with a group of several others informally often at conferences. I am still ambitious as I see that as the drive to keep me well informed and useful professionally to others. I am writing my second book (Non-fiction) and often write journal articles too. With the recent pandemic I am starting to use webinars and be filmed for social media clips. I will know when I should stop.

I gave up a fairly high-powered (but stalled) career a couple of years ago, aged 58, to go freelance. I decided that staying in the rat race was pointlessly stressful, and that I'd rather pull in my spending horns and try and have a go at writing full time. I'm much poorer and much happier!

I was made redundant in my 50s - my firm was taken over. I applied for job after job but often did not even receive a reply. I got the occasional interview. It was very disheartening especially as I had taken day release from my previous job and had a Masters degree. Hard work to achieve with a full time job and family. I felt I was not valued and on the scrap heap.
At the age of 63 I applied for a job invigilating exams at the local school. 10 years later I am still there. Very busy in May and June - and other exams throughout the year. It gives me pocket money and I feel needed. Mind you I also do school runs etc for my grand children.

I am retired now but was made redundant when I was 45 and I had no trouble then finding another job. Five years later, at 50, I wanted to change my job and set off on another job search and was offered two jobs almost immediately. I have never felt my age was a problem. I would like to add that I have no qualifications and was only doing office work so it is not as if I was highly trained for anything but every time I went for an interview people seemed to be impressed with my common sense and my reliability.

I am 59, have been self employed since I was 21. Started doing garden maintenance then set up a small nursery with my husband. After 3 children & training as a florist, I have diversified but we have managed to survive, just; hoping to make it to retirement!

I retired from my full time job last year at the age of 59. Since then I have been doing a casual invigilator job and have just been offered another casual job as a Care worker with adults with a learning disability. I consider myself to be quite lucky to have both of these in light of some stories I hear about ageism.

After being made redundant just before my 60th birthday and still having over 4 years until receiving state pension I started looking for work. The local job centre was the place that told me not to put my age on any application forms as it would put potential employers off. I found a couple of staff agencies managed by much younger people very patronising. I finally got a job in a large company who never asked my age and my colleagues didn't know it until I finally retired at 65. I worked with a young team and had a ball. There were no career prospects in the job which suited me but there was a high turnover in young members of the team who were seeking a career. The company valued my maturity and loyalty and were sorry to see me go.

We started our own business in our fifties moving from Birmingham to Wales so don’t really know what the situation is.

I'm 49 - almost 50. I no longer have young kids to worry about. I'm now in a position in my life when I feel I'm ready for a career challenge. I've got over 15 years of working life ahead of me. The company I work for have been great - they have recognised that I'm ambitious and can be more dedicated then I was when I was in my 30s. I've been put on training courses and been encouraged to go for a new role. I feel blessed to be working for such a company and that my energy and enthusiasm has been recognised.

I have worked almost constantly since I was 15. I am now 68. I have been furloughed for past month and am quite enjoying not being part of the daily grind even during lockdown. Am planning to reduce my hours (if company survives lockdown) to 3 days/week in January just after my 69th birthday.

i am 62, struggling with ill health, i have reduced my hours but i am on a warning from work and cannot exceed more than 8 days sick until August 2nd, at present home again with another chest infection and it looks likely i will have to leave the job i adore

I've often wondered if my very first job was illegal! I helped out in my Mum & Dad's shop from being about 11 years old. To be honest, I hated it- I was very shy and really disliked having to smile and be 'nice' to people, especially those who for no other reason than my childish ignorance, I didn't like.

Over the years I did various jobs including retail and later spent 25 years in a customer facing position with a local council before taking taking voluntary early retirement in the austerity cutbacks aged 56. I was lucky enough to get a part time job straight away with an NHS community team where I have worked for the last 7 years. I found it very stressful and difficult at first. There were so many new systems and processes to learn and potentially a lot of responsibility. Added to that I was one of the oldest team members. I think the team thought I'd been in the job for a long time but just wasn't very competent!

A few years down the line, I surprise myself that I can do the job well. I felt proud recently when a manager said I was always very diligent. I enjoy meeting and helping new team members and our clients. I feel valued by my lovely colleagues and though I am definitely now the oldest team member, that does not make a difference. We're all working towards the same goals. I don't know if it was part of my parent's plan but that childhood experience of having to smile and get on with it in their shop was probably the making of me!

I feel that over 50s have a wealth of both work and life experience to contribute to the workplace. They should be valued and not cast aside.

I have found that there are opportunities for the older workforce in our area especially in the supermarkets.

I was made redundant twice within 2 years just after reaching my 50th birthday. I started working for my current company and constantly applied for promotion in different depts over the years with no success the positions ultimately being given to younger not necessarily qualified people over the years I told myself I wouldn’t but still kept applying - it’s a big company with multiple departments . At age 60 I started receiving a pension from a previous job and decided to cut my hours from 5 to 4 days a week . Last year I decided to have one last try for promotion in another department not thinking I had a hope in hell and amazingly I was successful . I love the job and it’s exactly ‘me’ . There is a mix of ages in my new division and I am not the oldest . I wish I’d got this job years ago and have even offered to go back to 5 days a week if they need me to so I would say - never give up trying .

I have been a Nurse for many years, a wonderfully fulfilling job that I dreamed about since I was a young girl, but have sadly seen our NHS decline dreadfully over the years which slowly slowly took the joy from my work, because I felt so helpless.
Staff do what they can with what they have but our Government have a lot to answer for.

i;ve worked in the same admin job for years, it's nice and safe!

I did used to work for the NHS up to the age of 70. I left of my own accord as I didn't enjoy the last job I had with them (I worked freelance and temporary in office work). However after we recover from lockdown I would really like to start work again, but wouldn't go back to the NHS as I've got behind now with software and it's so very difficult getting training for temps with the NHS. I would take on anything else though (within reason), but before lockdown I had difficulty even getting a Supermarket job. I spoke to one employee in a Supermarket and she said it took her at least a year to get her job and she is much younger than me. Everything of course is done online now. I do feel, even at the age now of 71, I would like to consider training for something new, but I do feel now at this age that whilst I AM WILLING, all people see at an interview is how old you are, sadly.

I took early retirement for social care sector management role when my daughter got seriously ill. She lost her battle with cancer and I knew I couldn`t face a high pressure job again. I have found volunteering fits the gap between isolation and feeling far too young to be completely retired. I volunteer in a community kitchen so still involved with people. I did find some ageism creeping into social care though before I left.

After starting a new career in teaching after my children were born, I took a leap and became self-employed. We then bought a beautiful house with outbuildings and started our own holiday business which we ran for 15 years. I realised that we would need to sell it and move on before I got too old to keep up with the physical demands. At this stage, I considered myself unemployable.

I had reached my 60s but still wanted to make an economic contribution to our household and I missed the job satisfaction that I had when working so was delighted when I found a part-time job on MumsNet that I could do from home. I was quickly made to feel part of the team and have been enjoying contributing and using my past experience to help others. It has given my confidence a real boost and I would encourage anyone not to let age be a barrier. We've all got something to offer.

I still work in Housing the same job I have had for 25 years, but just started as a teaching assistant for children with difficulties at home or bereavement and if they will have me thinking of a career change. I am in my sixties

When my first child was a year old and I was ready to go back to work as a teacher, I was advised by the interviewing panel, mostly middle-aged women, to stay at home till she started school and be a good mother. They appointed a man with no qualifications in the subject to be taught, and I was not surprised when most of the GCSE students failed to get decent grades.
We needed the money, so I applied at another school where I stayed happily for twelve years.

After working in education until I was 60 I decided I wanted a career change. It took me a month to find my perfect job. I'm a costumed demonstrator working in a Victorian open air museum. I love it. I still educate people about Victorian life but I get to role play and meet new and interested people from all ages everyday. It's perfect for me.

I still work in a school as a Teaching Assistant. I love it, all my colleagues treat me with dignity and respect ( although not all the kids do?)

Have not had experience of the job market for 4.5 years. I bet it's really tough now!