How Your Old Degree Could Help You Land Your Next Job

If you graduated 20 years ago and are looking for a career change, your first port of call shouldn’t be a recruitment agency—it should be your old university.

New data reveals that more than 40% of universities in England and Wales now provide free, lifelong access to their careers services. This “lifelong campus” model is designed to help older workers navigate a rapidly evolving job market that looks very different from the one they entered in the 1990s or 2000s.

While every institution differs, most “Lifelong Access” programs include:

Professional Coaching: One-on-one sessions to identify transferable skills.

Updating old-fashioned formats for modern Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

Mock interviews to build confidence for those who haven’t sat across a desk in decades.

Access to alumni-only job boards and networking events.

Career coach Rachel Beauchamp highlights the importance of “skill translation.” She recently worked with an alumna who had been out of the workforce for 12 years. By reframing her extensive volunteer work in school parent groups as professional administration and project management, the graduate successfully transitioned into a role with the NHS.

According to the Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services, the rise of lifelong support is a response to:

With retirement ages rising, workers in their 50s still have 15–20 years of productivity ahead.

Older workers often need help “translating” their experience into modern digital contexts.

Professionals who have been in one role for decades often underestimate their own marketability.

Most graduates are unaware these services exist. To find out if your university offers support:

Visit your university’s Alumni Relations or Careers Service website.

Check for “Lifelong Access” or “Alumni Career Support” tags.

Update your contact details with the alumni office to receive newsletters that often highlight these free resources.

As Gil Hamilton, a Lancaster University graduate who used the service to escape a 17-year rut, says: “Don’t make yourself miserable for the next 20 years. The help is there, and it’s free.”