Age Is No Barrier: The Inspiring Nursing Journey of John Adesoye

​At 64, a age where many contemplate retirement, John Adesoye has instead embarked on a new professional chapter, proving that the pursuit of knowledge and career evolution has no expiration date. The Nigerian-born father-of-five recently celebrated a milestone achievement, graduating with a BSc (Hons) Nurse Degree Apprenticeship from the University of the West of England (UWE Bristol), effectively transitioning from a long career in electronics to the frontline of patient care.

​Adesoye’s journey is one of remarkable resilience and adaptability. Growing up in a farming family in Nigeria, his early fascination with mechanics led him to become an electronics technician, a career that eventually took him to Greece before he settled in the UK in 2013. However, his drive to care for others soon eclipsed his technical interests.

​”When I was caring for electronic devices, I was happy when I could get broken devices working again,” Adesoye reflected. “In my work in healthcare, when patients get better, it gives me great joy and satisfaction”.

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​He began his healthcare career in 2014 as a healthcare assistant at Southmead Hospital in Bristol. Demonstrating relentless ambition, he balanced his hospital duties with a rigorous apprenticeship, spending one day a week at the UWE Glenside campus while fulfilling his clinical responsibilities for the remainder of the week. His commitment did not go unnoticed; university leads Jacqui Caskey and Caroline Bromwich lauded him as a testament to what perseverance can achieve, noting that his success comes despite the heavy pressures of balancing family life with professional training.

​Adesoye, who notably studied at UWE at the same time his son, Daniel, was pursuing a degree in creative music technology, admitted he was often the eldest in his cohort. Rather than feeling out of place, he used it as motivation. “Being an older student among younger students kept me going—it made me feel younger,” he said.

​For Professor Steve Hams, Chief Nursing and Improvement Officer at Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, Adesoye’s story is a “powerful reminder that it is never too late to pursue your ambitions”.

​Now officially a registered nurse at Southmead Hospital, Adesoye has already set his sights on the next milestone: a masters-level qualification. His message to others considering a late-life career change is simple and resolute: “Don’t listen to people who say you’re too old for university. If I can do it, others can too”.