Should I take a sandwich year in mechanical engineering at 30+?

[sketch]

I have been studying with the Open University towards a BEng and am hoping to transfer to a 'bricks and mortar' university for September following some very god marks - if I continue to do as well as I have been I would hopefully be able to continue on and turn my degree into an MEng. I am studying mechanical engineering.

I'm in my mid 30s and have lots of work experience though I've never had any sort of paid work in engineering. I am well aware that doing a sandwich year can be extremely helpful for getting experience and proving yourself in a real world setting as an engineer, but I'm no spring chicken and it's not like I'm a school leaver who has never had a job at all...

So what should I do? AFAICS you have to decide now when you are applying.

 

[jedishrfu]

Pick a university with an applied research lab. They may hire students part time to do eng work. Cheap labor.