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.

Nurse or midwife. I've wanted to do it my whole adult life and looked into it many times, but costs and lack of childcare/support network meant I just couldn't see how

Have recurring fantasies about chucking it all in to retrain as a biomedical scientist. A lovely dull predictable job running covid swabs and stool samples, can't think of anything better.

Don't retrain as a nurse, it's a backbreaking, thankless, high-risk (physically and medico-legally), miserable slog of a life.

Ah @ClockworkNightingale that sounds very tough indeed .

Having just been quoted £125 per hour for an electrician, I think I’d retrain to be one!

Haha! I remember chatting to an electrician and he said it can be quite a cut throat trade. A lot of competition between electricians for regular work, like big building projects. He said that is why he worked with his dad; his dad wouldn't take anyone else on, in case they stole his customers! Put me off taking up a trade tbh.

Psychologist

Have considered studying p/t (there is ONE part time distance learning course in the whole country that’s accredited in the way it needs to be for professional careers)... but not sure I can manage it with current job which is far too full on.

I take some comfort in the thought that it’s probably the kind of career that benefits from some life experience behind it, and I’m only in my early 30s, so definitely have time.

I am in that position that I can finally start in September doing my PGCE in primary education having graduated in 1999. Never had the finances or time or encouragement to do it before now. Can't wait to get started, wanted to be a primary school teacher since I was 14 but life got in the way. Sadly, I'm 44 now so I won't have the longest career but I'm trying to focus on finally achieving my dream!

I'm a primary teacher, mainly eyfs.
I'd retrain to be a psychologist or a speech therapist....Part of me wishes I had gone the speech therapy route rather Than the teacher route

Ah good luck to you @Serena1977! That's lovely

That's two people who have said SAL. I know a super successful businesswoman who did that after she had her first baby at circa 40yo.

@Bettina500 you might be surprised. You would get £5k bursary a year, along with £2k if you have a child, and depending on income, can get up to 85% of childcare paid. It doesn't resolve the issue of shifts on placement etc, but there are quite a lot of groups who can advise :)

I would do medicine.

You also can apply for a student loan, and might be some other bits too!

I'm already an accountant and I really like it so I wouldn't want to do anything else. However, if we could veer into slight fantasy here, I would love to be fluent in another language. The amount of work I would have to put in has put me off in the past but I'd love to have enough determination to persevere!

I’d either do law or go into teaching I think.

@WonkyCactus

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

A great job! Really recommend it

"Florist. Dealing mainly with happy people."

Or bereaved people and those with a reason to say sorry, depending on how you look at it

A trade. Plumbing most likely.

Entomologist , probably specialising in forensics, fascinating,

Family solicitor. I'd love to do this but I think I've left it too late now.

I'd love to do a French or Italian degree. When I did my original degree at 18, I was so shy and nervous about the idea of having to live abroad for a year that I completely dismissed the idea of doing a languages degree even though I loved learning languages.

I always thought I'd make a good detective. You can train for that without being a normal police officer now, so I'd do that I think. (I'm too old now)

Vet. It's my biggest regret.

Thank you for the flowers @HenriettaHeffalump, it has been a tough year. Came back to say that I also harbour dreams of working for the HSE and enforcing health and safety law, I reckon I would look smashing in a high-vis vest and safety boots.

@Bathbea thanks, I've read so much about other people managing to do it with children, but most do say you need a good support network around you. I've asked various people how they manage it and the consensus seems to be you need family backup. I have three children, two who have additional needs, a husband who works long hours and no family support. I just don't see how I could cover the unsociable hours
Moneywise I could probably find a way.