If you have career changed post 40 what did you do?

[MercedesDeMonteChristo]

DH is 41 and has had enough of his career path. He has been working in Retail Management for about 20 years after dropping out of uni with a couple of years out where he did courier work for a bit. He is really unhappy but has no real idea what he wants to do, a couple of things he has mentioned are working in property or in the prison or probation service. Different options I know. He thinks he is too old and thinks his options are limited so I wonder what others might have career changed from and too in your late 30s or early 40s. Both his options above require significant retaining and possibly university which is fine, but would he get a role in , for example, building surveying at the age of 45/46?

Any other ideas?

Blimey chat moves quickly. Bumping shamelessly.

My DH had been in the truck industry until the age of 48. He then decided he'd had enough and did training courses to become a caravan engineer.
It's not the big re-train that some do but a big enough change. He's now happier than he's been for a long time

That's what I am trying to explain. He is so unhappy but thinks he will be too old by the time he has retrained for anything at all. I think he can do it.

The rate we are going, people will be about 70 by the time your DH retires. That's another 30 years almost!

What does he want to do specifically?

How about estate agent? Not sure that prison officer would require masses of training and I should imagine they would welcome older applicants as they bring a more mature attitude/experience.

I always think small steps are the best way forward. Has he actually been out and spoken to people or just dismissed stuff because he's read online that it would take lots of study?

DH retired from the police at 51 after 30 years service. Now works in a school.

I did teacher training. Dh is doing a counselling course to bridge physical job and retirement.

He isn't sure really. We talked about it a lot today and prison and probation seems to be what he is most positive about. Prison officer is on the job training but probation needs a level 5 qualification. I know he would love to work with property but he is tempted by commercial property. He just doesn't have much faith in himself. He doesn't think he has what it takes to study but I do think he has.

Not quite the same age I'm afraid but my husband retrained as a prison officer at 30 after ten years in hospitality. The POELT training is 12 weeks and is often residential, although there are more local ones these days. The job is definitely not for everyone however and he deals with some awful things, particularly with some of his prisoners' cases. He still says it's better than hospitality though

That's good to hear. I think he is the right sort of person and there appears to be good prospects, sideways as well as upwards.

Real Estate Management. He should have a look at the courses. Dead interesting & often done as a mature student. Leads to either commercial or residential but very vocational. Work in private or public sector

I became a nurse. A friend left teaching and now has a estate agent franchise.

I’m 41 and going in to my final year of an Occupational Therapy degree from primary school teaching. Happy with my decision so far!

When I did my social work course there were people in their 50s.