The advantages of being a mature-aged student were brought home to Nathan Flick when the former butcher's first-year University class was asked to make frankfurters.
'I had worked as an apprentice butcher for four years before deciding to begin a bachelor of applied science at Gatton College. It's good to have some life experience especially when it comes to the practical component of my course,' he said.
Mr Flick, 24, began his degree with the University's School of Land and Food in 1996 after rising to the State finals for Apprentice Butcher of the Year the previous year.
'I ended up coming fourth in Queensland and this prompted me to think of ways to further myself in the long-term. Working 10 hours a day as an apprentice butcher for relatively low pay made me realise it was not what I wanted to do forever,' he said.
In 1997, almost 50 percent or 13,823 of the University of Queensland's 27,698 students were aged 21 or over. Almost one in five (5293 or 19 percent) was aged 30 or over.
Of the 10,759 students commencing in 1997, 4565 or 42 percent were aged 21 and over and 1922 or 18 percent were aged 30 or over.
Mr Flick said the broad areas covered by his degree including chemistry, mathematics, microbiology, engineering, law and accounting would help him in his goal to one day manage a large food company.
Even though it had taken time to adjust to less money as a student, Mr Flick said there was little difference in attitude and interests between himself and fellow students who had come straight from Year 12.
'It is good to have had some work experience though. For example, I found it easier than the rest when preparing frankfurters in first year, and again more recently when we made up pork sausages to test the performance of various fat replacers,' he said.
Another mature-aged student, Carol Parker, says returning to study in middle age gave her the skills to transform her life both personally and academically.
'In my opinion it is never too late to engage in tertiary studies and mature-aged students have an advantage over school-leavers in that they can draw on a wealth of life experience,' Ms Parker said.
Ms Parker returned to full-time study after completing two subjects through Open Learning Australia (OLA) in 1993. The subjects were accredited towards a bachelor of arts degree course at the University of Queensland. After graduating with a first class honours degree in analytical philosophy last year, she recently commenced a PhD on the desirability of immortality and extended existence, a topic which emerges from her research interests in ethics, metaphysics, and moral psychology.
'My first five minutes in a philosophy class felt like a breath of fresh air. In academic philosophy one is required to question everything and to think independently. The analytical skills one develops can be applied equally well to private or public problem-solving,' Ms Parker said.
'Personally, I have found that the study of philosophy permeates one's mode of living and is, contrary to common perception, central to constructing a good life in a technological age. I would recommend it to anyone in search of meaning and especially to mature women who wish to become self-sufficient agents.'
The decision to return to study was partly motivated by the experience of living and travelling in many developing countries. 'Although I was witnessing the ?real world' in an empirical sense, a desire to understand how the world hung together at a fundamental level was increasingly making itself felt,' she said.
Most of the University's commencing students hail straight from Year 12 or have already completed some university or TAFE study. However, many people return to study after long periods either in the workforce or at home.
Last year, 143 people entered the University's undergraduate courses through mature-aged provisions including the Special Tertiary Admissions Test or on the basis of employment experience or a professional qualification.
The numbers of mature-aged students vary according to course, faculty and study basis (for example, full-time, part-time or external). Mature-aged students make up a high proportion of postgraduate students.
For example, in 1997, 1313 or 58 percent of University PhD students were aged 30 or over. For the same year, all 11 higher doctorate students were aged 35 or over. For masters research, course work and qualifying courses for 1997, 56 percent or 1273 students out of a total of 2263 were aged 30 and over.
Mature-aged students also make up a high proportion of both part-time and external students. Of the 5963 students undertaking part-time studies through the University last year, 5105 or 86 percent were aged 21 or over while 2874 or nearly half (48 percent) were aged 30 or over.
Of the 1242 students undertaking external studies (including part-time students) through the University last year, 958 or 77 percent were aged 21 or over while 526 or 42 percent were aged 30 or over.
The Social and Behavioural Sciences Faculty has the highest proportion of students classified as mature-aged - 1495 or 86 percent out of 1737 are aged 21 and over. Of these students, 416 are aged 40 and over.
The Health Sciences Faculty has the second highest proportion of mature-aged students - 1681 or 56 percent out of 3001 are aged 21 and over with 173 of these aged 40 and over.
For more information, contact Mr Flick (telephone 07 5465 3898).
