There appears to be an unwritten rule / perception that once you are 40+, you are too old to train on jets as your mental capacity etc has decreased, and you are deemed to be a “training risk”.
Why take that risk when we don’t have too, with a multitude of younger people queuing up to join says an employer.
Why is aged 65 the time when airline pilots must retire from carrying passengers, notwithstanding that they are medically fit to do so. An arbitrary figure based on statistics; the probability risk of curling up your toes….?
So at aged 44, your best bet might be to consider turboprop, prove yourself competent, and then apply to a more enlightened shiny jet employer.