Barclays to hire the over-50s as apprentices
BARCLAYS has announced it is launching an apprenticeship scheme for the over-50s, giving older workers a chance at a new career in banking.
The scheme, which will place middle-aged trainees on the bottom rung, will be advertised in summer, and piloted later in the year.
The move comes after the government’s older workers champion, Dr Ros Altmann, warned more should be done to train and keep older workers. She said two other companies are also planning to hire older apprentices.
Barclays said over-50-year-olds had some advantages over younger apprentices, who are aged 16-24.
“There is no ceiling on high anybody can go,” Mike Thompson, Barclays head of apprenticeships told the Sunday Times.
“Older people have more life experience, and can show more empathy. They will have had a mortgage, they will know how to budget and how to support customers.”
Barclays is still considering whether its older apprentices will earn more than the standard rate paid to younger trainees, of about £9.15 an hour in London and £7.85 elsewhere.