No Age Limits

72 year old Terry Robinson from Oxford has recently qualified with an Apprenticeship in Retailing from B&Q. This is the second apprenticeship Terry has earned, having completed the first almost 57 years ago at the age of 15 as a carpenter and joiner. Terry said: "I hope this shows people that age is no barrier to learning."

Terry has become the oldest person in the UK to become an apprentice at B&Q. He worked on the shop floor at the DIY retailer as well as studying for his NVQ. He is the oldest employee in the UK to have been accepted by the firm and he will now be expected to work 20 hours each week at the branch in the John Allen Centre in Cowley, reported the Oxford Mail.

The former park manager said he had tried retirement but found that it was not for him.

"I class myself as semi-retired, but it keeps me active. I must walk up and down the shop 30 times a day," he commented.

When asked about whether qualifications were useful at his age, Mr Robinson told the Oxford Mail that they would benefit him, the customers and the company.

"My feeling is to give customer service you have to have some sort of qualification and product knowledge," he asserted.

Having been accepted into B&Q's apprentice scheme, he studied for an NVQ in retail skills as well as spending time with customers on the shop floor.

Terry said that everyone has equal opportunities and that there is no reason why anyone should be refused a job or the chance to study because of their age.

Last month, an NVQ student who works at Sheffield Forgemasters claimed that age is no barrier to learning when Judith Hanson, aged 46, was the youngest of three people from the company to gain an NVQ level five certificate, reported the Sheffield Telegraph.