Career options mid 40s with no qualifications

[Oddsocks15]

Left school with no qualifications and didn’t go to college as problems with my parents.

So started my first full time proper job as I approached my 16th birthday.

Had a succession of essentially admin jobs except when I was a teaching assistant. Since having DC I’ve taken jobs that have fitted around the kids.

Kids are teens and I now work full time, again in admin.

I hate it though, it is so repetitive. I applied for another job and a lot younger person got it. Okay she could have been better qualified but just smacked of ageism.

Boss is a bully and no one wants to do anything about it, “that is now she is”

Is this it until I retire?

DH isn’t particularly well paid so I have to work and our 3 DC are talking about going to Uni

[Gruach]

Would you be interested in going back to studying? You have the advantage of children old enough to look after themselves - you could do something part time with a longer term goal?

[Gruach]

Age is no bar to gaining qualifications!

[Oddsocks15]

Have thought about studying but but not sure what in. Don’t have a load of spare cash floating around plus am conscious that DD has her GCSEs this year so feel I need to be at home for to support her. Don’t want history repeating itself

[Gruach]

You don’t have to start this minute! GCSEs will be over pretty soon anyway. And you needn’t be away from home.

Your reply offered four reasons why you shouldn’t try to improve your career chances! Do you think it’s worthwhile addressing this? (I’m aware that anything new is scary - but you honestly are in a position to work towards the necessary qualifications for a decent career.) The first step is actually deciding that you do want to do something.

What might you do instead of studying your way out of your current job?

[Mosaic123]

Could you do ACCA accountancy exams or bookkeeping whilst working? Distance learning would suit you. Pretty likely to get employment afterwards.

[SomeRandomBird]

I would think about what you enjoy doing in your spare time and make a career out of it. Even if you spend all your time on Facebook you could consider a career in digital marketing and do it for a living - CIM diplomas in digital marketing aren't expensive, you can study in the evenings and there is good career progression from social media exec to digital manager to head of digital.

[Mabelface]

I did my maths and English gcse in my 40s. you can do this for free at your local adult education centre. I'm now 48 and in my first career job and have already taken the first step up. You're not stuck.

[SilverHairedCat]

Have a look at the Civil Service Jobs website, you might be surprised.

[Oddsocks15]

Thanks I realise I am probably putting obstacles in the way. Will look into the options you suggest

[Gruach]

Wine? Theatre? Tattooing? Robotics? Archaeology? Glass blowing? Coding? Couture? Atoms? Acoustics? Publishing? Auctioneering? Philosophy? Surveying?

What have you always wanted to be involved in?

[Oddsocks15]

Don’t know Gruach, I just don’t know

[WhatCanIDoNowPlease]

Instead of thinking what you want to be involved in, think of what you definitely don't, then see what's left.

[GiveMePrivacy]

There is a new funding scheme for adult education which might be useful for you. It's called the [[https://www.gov.uk/advanced-learner-loan
Advanced Learner Loan]] and it works like a student loan, ie you don't pay anything back until you're earning £21k, but it can be for any qualification, not just a degree. You can use it to get a vocational qualification or, I believe, to do the accountancy qualifications suggested above eg AAT.
As Madlizzy says, you can also get free adult education in maths and English, and possibly a basic IT qualification too. Ask at the jobcentre to see what's on offer. Might be something to help you work out if you fancy further study or not.

[Gruach]

People used to recommend “What Colour is Your Parachute” as the first resource for career choosing - but I see current Amazon readers are complaining that it’s too American. You could have a look, or pick something similar.

Given how long you’ve spent working in jobs you don’t enjoy I’d guess that the people closest to you might also not know where you might ideally place yourself.

You may not have a strong feeling about a particular direction - but you could ask yourself, for instance, what picques your curiosity/interest/envy when you see people engaged in said activity. Even if it’s something you would never imagine you could do.

(I’m hogging your thread - but only because, from a completely opposite starting point, I have some experience of not knowing what to do ... And found it impossible to move forward until I knew what I wanted.)

[GiveMePrivacy]

That was supposed to be Advanced Learner Loan, but something went wrong!

[NameChanger22]

I'm similar to you OP - I'm also mid 40s, doing secretarial work which I hate, a bullying nightmare boss and I don't know what career I want. The only difference is that I have lofts of qualifications including a degree.

I'm following this thread for ideas. Nearly all jobs seem really boring to me, either that or beyond my intellect. I don't know anyone in real life that has a job they enjoy, except the self-employed, but they seem to earn next-to-nothing. A job/career is something you endure in order to keep a roof above your head. Maybe I'm wrong.

[Oddsocks15]

Have ended up out of the “frying pan and into the fire” so many times! Then DC came along, and had to work around them, first evenings, then term time as didn’t earn enough to make any other option viable (had one then twins so childcare costs astronomical!)

[deelishiS0]

I've done admin jobs all my life. No degree also. Felt very trapped, needed more, wanted a career now the children are late teens. Now I've managed to get a job as a clinical coder in the Nhs at the ripe old age of 48. Two years to sit an exam and qualify and then you become a band 5. Really enjoying it and can't believe I'm not doing an admin role anyone. Also colleagues who are qualified earn £240 a day contracting at the weekends!!!

Have a google of the role see you what you think.

[Oddsocks15]

Thank you so much Deelish will definitely look into it

[LIZS]

If you didn't get Maths or English at gcse or equivalent you can take them free at your local fe college.