Nursing idea of career swap

Arthur Louis isn’t your typical trainee nurse. At the age of 60 and with three decades at the helm of a successful manufacturing business behind him, he is certainly the oldest in the classroom.

But the Codsall father-of-two is not going to let something like age get in his way. 

Following a brief six-month retirement in sunny Cyprus, Arthur, who is father to 25-year-old Robert and 21-year-old Clara, decided the quiet life was not for him and embarked on the radical career change to study nursing.

Mr Louis worked as a chairman and managing director of Carlmatt Ltd, in Macrome Road, Wolverhampton, where he spent 30 years.

And today he said he is relishing his new challenge.

“I get tremendous satisfaction out of doing it,” he said. “To come from being a chairman and managing director of a company, where nobody has told me what to do for 30 years is a culture shock, but it is nice.

“It keeps the brain and the body active,” said Arthur.

As part of the Wolverhampton University course, Arthur has been carrying out work placements at Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital as well as nursing homes. 

He pointed out: “I firmly believe age is a state of mind. It is a bit like going back to school for me – and the last time I studied biology DNA had not been discovered then. It is an adventure and I absolutely love it. I want to say to anyone, irrespective of age, if you want to do anything at university you should just go and do it,” he added.

Arthur is studying a Diploma in Higher Education Nursing at the university’s School of Health and will be 63 when he finally graduates. Lecturers at the university have nothing but praise for the dedicated father, who plans to start volunteer work abroad using his new-found qualifications when the course finishes.

Linda McGrath, senior lecturer in adult pre-registration nursing, said: “Arthur is a dynamic learner with an interesting and successful career already behind him. He is thoroughly enjoying his new career and is an asset to the school, university and the NHS.”

Arthur will be on hand to give out advice to anyone interested in a career in nursing during a taster day being held in the Mary Seacole Building at Wolverhampton University City Campus tomorrow at 9.30am-3pm.