Nursing a new start for ex-printing boss

As the boss of a Black Country printers, Arthur Louis was ruthless and highly competitive. Now he has turned his back on the rough, tough world of industry – to become a nurse.

The former managing director had only just taken early retirement and was enjoying a life of leisure in the Cyprus sun when he decided, aged 60, to go back to school.

Three years on he has just qualified and landed his first full-time job at New Cross Hospital's A&E department.

"I absolutely love being a nurse," Arthur said today. "The work is totally different from what I did in business. At the end of every shift I like to think that I have done something to help somebody, and that is a nice feeling."

Arthur, who worked at a printing firm in Claregate, Wolverhampton, retired to the Mediterranean island following a lifetime in manufacturing.

But after only six months, he realised that he was not ready to retire and wanted to give something back to society. Arthur, from Oaken, near Codsall, enrolled at the University of Wolverhampton in January 2007 to study a Diploma in Higher Education Nursing. He passed in January and is set to graduate in September.

The father-of-two said: "I never thought a grey-haired old bat like me would get a job when I qualified so I'm delighted to have this new role. I'd only ever been in a hospital as a visitor before doing this. It's a different environment but very rewarding.

"I was ruthless in my old job – not something I'm proud of – and now I'm doing work that requires compassion and understanding. I just realised it was what I wanted to do.

"In Cyprus I used to meet up with a doctor for lunch and while I waited for him I'd help out on the wards, just getting a patient a glass of water, that sort of thing.

"The university course was hard work but it was fantastic and I would recommend it to anybody, whatever their age."