Paul,
You are never too old to learn something new. That said attitude has a huge effect on the perception your co-workers and bosses have on your skills and abilities. Experience tends to make us a bit cynical of the efforts of younger people as they struggle to achieve their goals. I find that helping to share my experience in a positive and supportive way really helps to dispel the myths you mention in your posting. Adopting an open ended can-do approach may open doors for you. You may also want to offer to share the cost of the training with your firm to demonstrate your commitment.
good luck, the profession needs your experience in the modeling environment.
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George Hutchinson AIA
Architect
Minneapolis MN
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