AFTER 20 years as a factory worker, father-of-two Dave Metcalfe feared he had left it too late to switch careers.

But his life was changed three years ago, when the closure of his workplace, the Rothmans plant at Spennymoor, left him free to go to university and train for his dream job.

Encouraged by his wife, Debra, Mr Metcalfe, from Durham, turned down the offer of an alternative job with the company and went back to the classroom.

He began his return to study with an Access to Higher Education programme, where distinctions in biology, psychology and English helped earn him a place on a physiotherapy degree course at Northumbria University.

Now in his second year, he hopes to practice in the National Health Service.

He has added another string to his bow by qualifying to become a further education teacher.

Mr Metcalfe, 41, who has two children; Ellen, eight, and Cameron, five, said: "I've been involved in sports all my life and had become very interested in physiotherapy, but at my age, I really thought I'd missed the boat.

"At the time, I was working as a production group manager and such a drastic career change didn't seem possible.

"I'm not particularly academic and I left school without any qualifications."

Last year, Mr Metcalfe won an award during Adult Learners' Week, which takes place this year from May 10 to 16.

It is co-ordinated by the National Institute of Continuing Education and sponsored by the Learning and Skills Council in Durham, Tyne and Wear, the Tees Valley and Northumberland.

Call learndirect on 0800 100 900 for information about retraining.