5 years in finance computing engineering in a bank
If you go back a page or two there were questions about whether the majority of successful applicants came from an IT background (I don't necessarily think so, but a technical background certainly won't do your application any harm).
Also while a few young people got through (I seem to recall one 19 year old), and a few straight out of university, I certainly feel that for me personally the experience I've gained since graduating was vital in coming up with examples for the interview stage.