Just a year into the University’s ground-breaking Grey Panther project, a number of older men have found their way off the long-term unemployed register, the scheme has attracted envious attention from around the country and beyond - and the project has been nominated for a prestigious award.
The Grey Panther project was set up to improve the employment prospects of men aged 45 to 65, who have been out of work for over six months, by giving them a structured pathway of study, work placement, guidance and careers advice.

Panthers undertake undergraduate level study on vocationally-relevant part-time degree courses leading to certificate, diploma or degree qualifications. Not only is this tailored to serve the needs of the individual, it also addresses the significant barriers older men have encountered in the labour market.

Since its start in 2004-5, 60 men have progressed through the project. More than half have since found employment and a further six have entered higher education. One of these is Philip Begley, who says he found the project an enlightening experience: “The course showed us all the many opportunities available to us, things we hadn’t known about before. As my first taste of university education it was quite overwhelming at first but also really enjoyable.”

Philip now plans to study for a higher education certificate and later a degree in local and regional history.

The project is now expanding to work in partnership with the University of Bradford and this September, 40 new Panthers started on undergraduate courses. The success of the project has seen it short-listed for a 2005 Times Higher award in the “widening participation initiative of the year” category.
But irrespective of whether it wins, the project has already captured the imagination of those working in skills development around Europe. As Grey Panther project manager Jon Barber said: “Enquiries about the project have come from all over the UK and even other EU countries. This demonstrates that problems concerning skills development of an ageing workforce are at least national and probably pan-European, rather than confined to certain regions.

“Grey Panther has used Jobcentre Plus as a referral agency to actively promote access to university study as a means to improve employability. This represents a major change in attitude from Jobcentre who in the past have tended to promote only basic skills provision.”

The winner of the Times Higher award will be announced in November.