SENIORS GO BACK TO SCHOOL

They might be past retirement age, but these seniors still have a thirst for learning

- Venessa Lee

When Adrian Lau, 69, goes for job interviews, prospective employers often comment that he is overqualified. He has six diplomas and a bachelor’s degree.

His most recent qualification, conferred when he graduated from Republic Polytechnic in May, is a specialist diploma in environmental and corporate sustainability, which he took part-time.

Having worked as a health and safety manager in various industries like oil and gas, shipping, construction and manufacturing, he wanted to gain a better understanding of sustainability, such as sustainability reporting and calculating carbon emissions.

At the end of 2025, he was retrenched from the multinational corporation he worked at, as a health, safety, environment and quality adviser for the Asia-Pacific region. He is now looking for another job.

He hopes that would-be employers will consider performance-based matrices, rather than his age, which is the first thing hirers ask him about. Or his many qualifications.

But that will not deter him from further studies.

“Not all companies will invest in training you, so you have to invest in yourself. If you say you have had enough, you may not have motivation to carry on and to make efforts in your daily life,” he says. “Learning keeps you going. It oils your mind and you articulate your thoughts better.”

‘I LOVE TO STUDY’

Some Singaporean seniors who are hitting 70 and beyond are finding that traditional retirement is a concept that does not apply to them yet.

In embracing lifelong learning, and submitting to the academic rigour of acquiring diplomas or degrees, they say their quest for greater knowledge is not a chore but a joy.

Apart from burnishing their CV and sharpening their job skills beyond the current official retirement age of 64, they find gaining academic credentials rewarding for myriad reasons, some of which hark back to childhood.