Changing careers, fresh qualifications and open opportunities: How University of Brighton students of all ages are taking on the world

Lifelong learning isn’t just a slogan at the University of Brighton; it is a lived reality for students who refuse to let age define their ambitions. Whether they’re swapping decades-long careers for new callings or finally pursuing interests put on hold in their younger years, these students are embracing study with passion, purpose, and the courage to start again.

For many, it’s about more than just a qualification; it’s about unlocking a new chapter of life.

One such student is Catherine Glass, who described herself as a “rookie artist” at the time she enrolled for a BA in Fine Art (Painting) at the University of Brighton through Clearing.

Cerina Nichamin

Catherine Glass

Her professional background couldn’t have been further from the painting studio. Catherine was an executive coach, organisational culture expert, and change management specialist.

Already 67, Catherine retired in 2019 and picked up a paintbrush for the first time during the Covid lockdown, only as a past-time activity. But after losing her husband in 2022, Catherine sought a way to reinvent her identity and rebuild her life. So, with a single telephone call, Catherine got a place at Brighton.

“When my husband died, I was facing an empty future and needed to find myself again. This course has been a perfect vehicle for that. It gave me a fresh purpose and a different context with no past, as well as new community and younger friends, not to mention a day-to-day routine to hold me up on difficult days.

“Having done this course in my 60s, the support available to students at Brighton, regardless of who they are and where they come from, makes it easier. I came through Clearing and now, after my graduation, I’m very happy I made that call.”

At 62, artist Cerina Nichamin got admitted to the MA Fine Art programme at Brighton. She had previously spent decades working in several jobs, including as an apprentice at The National Archives, teaching children to cook for eighteen years, as well as running her own creative practice in Hampshire, all without an academic qualification. But she was keen to polish her skills with a well-structured degree.

Inspired by her own story, Cerina used her time in the university to produce a project highlighting the stories of ‘lost and overlooked’ women through her own artistic lens.

Cerina, who is keen on expanding her practice after university, said: “I have had such a great time on the course, and I feel the volume has been turned up in my head. This has brought me a kind of self-confidence I didn’t have before. Some of my friends who are now on retirement think I am mad, but I have really enjoyed it, and I cannot recommend it enough.”

Another who made a life-change in the second half of her life is Jane Summers, a fifty-six-year-old former nurse who is retraining to become a podiatrist through a master’s degree at the university’s School of Education, Sport and Health Sciences. 

Simon Roth

Also, a former accountant, she spent almost a decade as a community nurse, volunteer palliative carer, as well as an A&E nurse. A foot injury which cut short her emergency care career led her to enrol on the Podiatry programme and even before completing the programme, Jane created an accessible digital manual to help student nurses avoid similar injuries.

Jane said: “During my days as a community nurse, I saw how patients struggled to access footcare because there just weren't enough podiatrists. I really wanted to help, but I didn’t have the skills. So, after my own injury, I knew I had to do something and that’s why I enrolled on the course. It has been exciting learning new things about foot health and preparing to apply that knowledge in practice. And doing this at 56 gives me even more joy.”

Seventy-year-old Simon Roth enrolled for a master’s degree in Photography at Brighton following his retirement from the NHS. Simon spent nearly four-decades working as a paediatrician before deciding to explore his long-held interest in image storytelling, swapping his stethoscope for the camera.

Simon’s final project exploring the enduring impact of the British Empire was among the standout works exhibited at the MA Show by postgraduate students at the School of Art and Media – a key part of this year’s University of Brighton Summer Shows series.

Simon, who is originally from North Yorkshire, said: “It puzzles me that more people don’t take up lifelong learning. I’m 70, and having something new to get up for each day has been massively stimulating. It keeps you alive. This photography course at Brighton has given me fresh skills, fresh challenges, and the joy of losing myself in something I love. Retirement doesn’t have to mean slowing down; it’s the perfect time to discover something new and throw yourself into it.”

For Simon, Jane, Cerina and Catherine, education has no expiry date. At the University of Brighton, every lecture, practical session and placement is a chance to grow, connect, and reimagine the future, no matter your age.

Clearing is open at the University of Brighton and offers a great opportunity for those looking to explore their interests. There is more information on how to apply through Clearing, and how to accept a Clearing offer.