Whether it be training for a new career, acquiring new skills for a current job or just personal enrichment, there are plenty of opportunities for people aged 55 and older to go back to school.

Several people who are enrolled at Butler County Community College this year said going back to school as a senior presents some challenges, but is worth tackling.

Margie Shutak, 70, of Cranberry Township has been taking classes at BC3's Cranberry Township campus toward an associate degree in psychology.

Shutak said she retired at age 58 and enjoyed 10 years as a nanny for two of her grandchildren.

When her time as a nanny came to a close, she decided to enroll in college, something she had been wanting to do for many years.

“I decided to do this because you can't just sit around the house all day talking about aches and pains and arthritis,” she said.

Shutak said she participated in a group project with fellow students last semester, who helped her learn how to create a PowerPoint slide show for the first time.

“You have to keep your mind and body active and it sure is keeping my mind active,” she said.

She has to pay for textbooks, but takes advantage of a program that allows people aged 65 and older to enroll in classes for free at BC3, space permitting.

Michelle Whalen, 60, of Butler is semi-retired and runs a decorating business.

She has been gradually working on an associate degree in business management. She said that her education will help with her business, but it is also something she wanted to do regardless.

“When I first enrolled, it was to get it off my bucket list,” she said.

Whalen also said that the use of computers and learning on digital platforms has transformed learning since she was enrolled in college years ago.

“You're not just learning from textbooks anymore. You're learning from computers and applying your learning so much differently,” she said.

Dale Vogel, 60, of Bakerstown was laid off from his manufacturing job last year and didn't like what he saw when he tested the job market.

So he found a new path, enrolling at BC3 to get an associate degree in computer numerical control machinery.

Vogel said CNC machinery is in demand right now in Western Pennsylvania and he hopes to land a job and keep working full-time for 10 more years.

His employment benefits were extended and his tuition is being paid for through the U.S. Department of Labor's Trade Readjustment Allowance program.

The program provides benefits, including paid career training, for workers whose jobs were cut or eliminated because their employer was affected by increased imports from other countries, according to the Labor Department's website.

This is actually Vogel's second time being one of the older students in the classroom. He also went back to college in 1991 and earned an associate degree in computer aided design and drafting.

He previously had earned a bachelor's degree in painting and sculpting.

“If you're not finding the work you're looking for and you have an opportunity, take advantage of it,” Vogel said about the trade readjustment allowance.

Some seniors who lose their job or want to go back to work, may not find college to be the right answer, but need some help evaluating their options.

That's where Career T.R.A.C.K., a set of services offered through the Butler County CareerLink, can be helpful.

Larry Garvin, CareerLink administrator, said they offer resume workshops, job search assistance and job clubs where people who are seeking work can meet and talk about their experiences. Many of the programs are free.

They often help people who are in their 50s or 60s and are looking for work for the first time in many years, Garvin said.

“What I see a lot of, they get easily discouraged because they work for so long and they expected to maybe move right into another position.

“When it doesn't happen they feel it is maybe something they are doing wrong,” Garvin said.

Many laid off workers are able to find jobs in this area, though there are opportunities for career training, such as through the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. One of the most in-demand jobs right now is medical coding and billing, Garvin said.

Another option for seniors looking to get their foot in the door is the Senior Community Service Employment Program, which is operated in Butler County by the American Association of Retired Persons, Garvin said.

SCSEP is a national program designed to help low-income, unemployed individuals of at least 55 years old with part-time job opportunities with community service organizations. The goal of the program is to help people acquire skills, build self confidence and eventually land a permanent job, according to its website.