Today's 40 is different than the last generation's 40. It became clear over the last 20 years that the job of an engineer was to continually keep learning and

Today's 40 is different than the last generation's 40. It became clear over the last 20 years that the job of an engineer was to continually keep learning and adapting. Gone were the days of mastering a single skill and refining it over a lifetime. The last batch of 40 year olds weren't privy to that information and may have been the cause of ageist stigma. Being 40 today means you've been in this new mode of operation for 15-20 years and you know the deal. In which case you are likely extremely valuable with the benefit of experience, and will continue to be so until it you can no longer keep learning.