Him getting a formal degree would be an option for him, but he's been apprehensive as he doesn't want to spend several thousand pounds only to discover he's still unemployable.

does your friend have any degree (as in something other than comp sci) or is all of his qualifications experience?

I made the question a little more generic, since seeking help getting a specific job or job type is off topic but I think the general question of how does an older person restart in a new career is on topic and a good question.

@Chad: Many thanks for the edit!

@Chad: My friend has a formal degrees in pure mathematics up to MSc level, and if I gather correctly he embarked on a PhD which was not completed. Then he has some very specific training (not sure if certificated) to the area he was working in, which is some type of material science.

@Il-Bhima My BS is in pure math, so I know that can definitely help your friend. In the cover letter have your friend explain why pure math relates strongly to CS, since not all HR departments get that connection. (In both fields you have a starting condition, a set of rules you can apply, and a desired ending condition. The goal is to figure out an elegant way to get there.)

In Ireland, lack of a CS degree is not a problem. Any degree is good, as it shows a level of thought / commitment. I currently work with software developers with chemistry, physics, and electrical engineering degrees (though EE is probably close enough to CS).

This answer to a related question will be very helpful. The circumstances are somewhat different, but realistically the same advice still applies. Do something relevant (open source, hobby project, volunteer projects, whatever), find/talk with employers directly through networking, and have someone review resumes.

Why do potential employers/interviewers have to know his age? Can he not leave his date of birth off the CV?

@Meelah: On the cv you'd be expected to put the dates of his graduation, which would be somewhere in the late 80s, as well as the dates of his previous employment, so it would be self-evident unfortunately.

Look for tech companies. I've worked as a software consultant and almost all my colleagues had CS degrees (some had math or economy with a minor in CS). Currently, I'm in the software department of a technology company and my coworkers have much more varied background - really any science or engineering MSc will do if you have sufficient coding skills. I guess that is because the department grew from the engineers who used to do all this without computers. I also know for a fact that we've interviewed people in that age range for entry-level positions.

Maybe your friend could look at scientific software engineering positions. Here his science skills will go hand in hand with software engineering. Another good option would be data analysis positions with a strong software component.

"Over the last few months he's applied for numerous software engineering jobs, but he's never been able to get a single interview" Why is his age on his resume? I am 26 but have never put my age on mine. Take it off, if you still arent getting any calls then you know the age isnt the problem. I think part of the problem may be that he is fighting for positions with many other candidates. I know that what made me get a job over all my other friends is that I had a large portfolio of projects I had made on the side. These were brought up in the interviews.

@marsh: If a graduation date is on the resume, a lower bound on age can be inferred.

@IL-Bhima As a junior software developer in the UK, i find it much easier to contact IT specialist recruitment agencies rather than the companies, the agency then does all the legwork. I have had multiple meetings with headhunters who will ask for details on yourself before seeking out employers who fit your criteria. I have had 3 jobs using this method and the returns were far greater than applying to companies directly.

Apply for gov't jobs, here in the states a lot of Gov't jobs have a hard time getting enough applicants... after a couple years of experience, he'll be able to move anywhere he wants.

On a side note, C/C++ does not make any sense, you have to make up your mind: is it C, C++ or both (unlikely). It may seen a minor detail, but it looks like you don't know that those are two different languages.

@JamesTrotter: Thanks for the tip, he is indeed going through agencies, though still with little success.

@DiegoSánchez: Thanks for that point: I had originally started teaching him C and he does have a decent level of proficiency, though far from expert. In C++ he is far more proficient, and would definitely be capable of developing professionally in that language.