Through my connection with the University Careers Development Unit, I am used to the 'milk round'.

It's a time when potential employers visit the university to show off what might be on offer to students when they graduate.

It was a very good way of encouraging bright students to join a company at an early stage in their careers and was generally well received.

It certainly came as a great culture shock to see a very different sort of 'milk round' being offered to a group of people who, on the whole, are used to thinking of themselves as the unemployable - those over the age of 50.

A large number of local firms and organisations set up their stalls at the Brighton Centre to show what might be on offer to the older folk who want to do more than just play golf and spend their redundancy money on riotous living.

Large local employers like Brighton and Hove Council, NTL (formerly Cable and Wireless), the Hilton Metropole and the Thistle Hotel were there, as well as smaller organisations such as Harry Ramsden's famous fish and chip emporium.

Voluntary organisations were represented by The University of the Third Age (which seems to go from strength to strength), Age Concern and the Retired and Senior Volunteer Programme (RSVP).

The official end of things was in the hands of The British Employment Agency, Working Links and Occupational Pensions Regulatory Authority.

One of the most interesting participants was the European Employment Services, an organisation about which I'm sure few people have much knowledge.

Under the articles of the Treaty of Rome, the EC regulations set out the rights of individuals to seek employment in any member country of the European Economic Area, and employers have the right to recruit in the same market place.

This sounds fine in theory and I am sure it was set up with the best intentions, but since Britain tends to have the lowest rate of unemployment in the EU at the moment, it is more likely to be honoured in the breach than the observance.

But at least the provision is there and no doubt if you have specialist skills you might well find a good job in another member state.

There is an internet site at europa.eu.int where vacancies are advertised in English, German and French.

There is also a Euroadviser Network including some in the Trades Union movement. Information should be available through your job centre.

There is a special scheme called New Deal 50 to help top up lower earnings with a sum of £60 per week tax free for 52 weeks if you are holding down a job for 30 hours a week or more or £40 per week if you are working between 16 and 30 hours.

Again if you want to know more, then it is worth calling into your job centre. There's an old saying, 'If you don't ask you don't get', so if you are over 50 and want to work, it's worth asking.