If you had the time and money to retrain...

[HenriettaHeffalump]

What would you do?

Just that really, but if you'd like the full story as to why I'm asking, (and I'd forgive you for not caring at all ), I was made redundant a while ago and we have some money in savings which could be used to retrain while I'm at a loose(r) end*.

Wonder what other people would do?

*I have preschool aged dcs, so currently a SAHM which really does feel full time. If I did go back to work, we would need childcare, so I might not go back till youngest is at school.

Bumping

I'd do a degree in the subject I loved, which my dad told me I didn't want to do because there was no future in it. The subject has really taken off and every time I hear someone talking about it I regret that I did something I didn't enjoy.

Unless I had a clear idea of a career path I wanted to follow and felt like this was my opportunity to finally aim at it, if I were in your position, I’d focus first on finding out what my existing qualifications and skills were transferable to, before investing time and money into retraining. Unless you have never really worked at all, or really dislike everything about any kind of job your skills are relevant to, or have a burning desire to do a very particular job, retraining isn’t always necessary.

I’ve often thought about qualifying as an accountant as it would open up a number of tiles for me, but it’s never really been a priority.

I've thought about accountancy too!

My career has been quite meh tbh. So I'm really making the most of having this time to reflect and think about what I really want to do.

Interested to hear about others interests.

I would do medicine. It’s probably the most unusual hobby to have but I can do a pretty good differential diagnosis, I can suture and I watch countless hours of surgical procedure videos on YouTube

I would be a dog groomer. It sounds like a lovely job (if you like dogs) and you can work from a little shed in your garden.

Or a 999 ambulance call handler.

Occupational Therapy. The new LSF funding means I can finally afford to do the training.

Florist. Dealing mainly with happy people. Flowers 99% of the time make people happy. And the smell is divine. House was like a florists after DDs were born. Sadly it will never happen.

I do know someone who did medicine as a mature student actually. It's bloody hard work, but now she can walk into a job, pretty much anywhere!

Medicine or veterinary

Possibly a psychologist.
It is probably more difficult than I would imagine. And I am not sure if it is a crowded career or not.

I’m doing just this. I have a place at Uni to study Midwifery in September.

Single parent to a toddler. Made redundant from my Business Management job in March so thought, I’m doing it!

I've been thinking about retraining for a few years, I want to study speech and language therapy.

Paramedic.

Oh good luck @LivingMyBestLife2020!

It's interesting how many people have said they'd retrain in something health care related. Maybe it's something you write off when you're younger, but later have a change of heart.

I always wish I had done law at university, but that's another profession which is really hard to get into, even with the relevant degree. I am interested in accounting and finance too. I like numbers so accounting appeals, as does statistics. My first degree is in Politics and a modern language, so maybe stats would be something I could get into somehow.

Nurse, in a gps.

Sorry that was so abrupt! Phone rang so just pressed post.

I wouldn’t; I’m very happy with what I trained in (PhD bio/medicinal chemistry); work as a pharmaceutical scientist in pharma (expat in Switzerland). Business is booming right now!

I suppose if I really had to I’d move into another branch of science, maybe geochemistry or meteorology.

Radiologist.

I would do my accountancy qualifications and become dual-qualified as a solicitor and accountant.

@NoWordForFluffy, those are the exact areas I am interested in! Could I ask what area of law / accountancy do you work in that you feel both would be of use?

Well, you see, it wouldn't be helpful now at all! But it's really hard to emigrate as a solicitor as you often have to study some elements of local law at uni (even if not relevant to your practice area) before you can qualify locally. Accountancy is much more easily transferable to another country.

I'm a career-changer to law, so qualified late. I should've done accountancy at that point really! Oops. 🤦‍♀️

Ah right, yes I used to work for one of the Law Societies and it seems to be tricky to move if you work in law. Even paralegals I think need fo qualify again if they move from eg Edinburgh to London!

Thanks, that's helpful.

I'm tempted by a CIMA qualification, but need to do a lot more research.

Yes, I'd have to do Scottish property / land law to dual qualify there.