What’s your dream job and what’s stopping you?

[TheChosenTwo]

Or are you on your way to achieving it?
In about a year or so I’ll be at a bit of a job crossroad, I could continue what I do forever but I think I’m bored and want a change. Great GCSE results years ago, dropped out of college, did an access course a few years after than when my dc were young but nothing since. Don’t think I can face going back to study as i hated it and lacked motivation to do it.
So, if you have a dream job, what is it and why is it only a dream and not a reality?
I don’t really have a dream job, there’s a couple of things I’d like to do but not enough to warrant years of studying!
Just being nosey really.

(Can I be nosey too?...following....🧐)

Are you at a similar point @Frazzledd ?

My dream job is an academic and I’ve achieved it. Lots of studying, years of hard work but worth it.

I’m doing my realistic dream job and i love it but find it very stressful.

My dream job would be working in an animal sanctuary abroad. Have young children and need to earn money/ have a pension. I’ll go when I retire or on a sabbatical once children are older.

Growing up I always wanted to be a primary school teacher. I decided against going to uni as I wanted a gap year, then just didn't do anything about starting. I ended up being a nursery nurse- 15 years later my heart isn't in it anymore. I don't want to train as a teacher. I don't know what I want to do!

I always wanted to be a nurse. Started uni at 35.. been qualified 3 years. No regrets so far..

Good for you @CovidCorvid!
@SameToo that’s nice to have it as a future plan, why abroad specifically?
Ahh @drpaddington - you’re kind of stuck in a tricky position. Hard isn’t it? Do you have dc?

That’s brilliant @bellalou1234, I have a relative who did the same thing but a bit older than you, she’s so happy although says the job is incredibly demanding (as one may expect).

mine was to work in Japan. I'd dreamed about it since I was 6 - month on month, year on year..but just as I was starting my Japanese course at university, my dad died. I had a younger brother, but he checked out of life. So, it was just me left to look after my nan. She developed severe Alzheimer's, and that was it for the next 7 years. I had to give up my dreams. I ended up meeting someone, having kids etc...but my own childhood dreams never got to happen.

@TheChosenTwo Yes I have two DC. Plus an OH who works shifts and limited childcare options- so I'm really limited on what hours I could actually work which is why it's so hard to find something else! Frustrating!

@TheChosenTwo

Are you at a similar point *@Frazzledd* ?

Totally, in about a year too!- I love the idea of a 'dream job', I've imagined so many but they all seem like the impossible (dream..!)

It'd be great to get a little insight....(thanks for the thread 👍)

My realistic dream job was/is an educational psychologist and I’ve achieved it although it was a long slog to get there.

My ‘in a parallel life’ dream job would be training/handling sniffer dogs. What held me back was I never really knew how to get into it and to be a handler you had to be a normal police officer first which I didn’t really want to do.

Dream job: gardening and writing.

What’s stopping me: time and money. I’m a published writer but it doesn’t pay enough. It might if combined with gardening, I think. But I need to retrain and currently I do a day job and write in the evenings, after wrestling my dickhead sleep-refusing toddler to bed; I’m time poor… and money poor… and sleep poor…

Writer.
Lack of talent.

@SkeletonSkins how do you become an educational psychologist?

Comedian. I'm not funny.

This
But I’m retired

@drpaddington you need an undergrad degree in psychology, or complete a year conversion course, have experience working with young people/in schools etc and then do a doctorate qualification for three years. The last bit is funded but hard going. Worth it though, I adore my job.

I found a course, was accepted, retrained and got hired. Loving it; I think it's far more sensible to pick your forever job at a later age than 18, especially as you're more likely to pick something lucrative.

Academic closely (very, very closely) followed by secondary school teacher. I wanted to teach from the moment I stepped into secondary aged 11. Then I messed around with A levels and ended up studying as an adult with three DC.

I’m in the middle of a PhD so both of these are now on my horizon, albeit academia and all the precarity may or may not work for me.

So, nothing stopping me really. In the next couple of years I will be on one of these career paths.

In another time/place and world: Bollywood Item Number Dancer- just that banging track in the middle of a film. I am now too old and overweight.

Wow @Darklane - what an opportunity!
@Rannva I kind of agree although I’m not Personally looking for anything particularly lucrative, I’m in a very poorly paid position now and financially I’m fine and don’t need anymore money (I’m not saying it wouldn’t be nice ) but I do think that you’re in a better position when you’re a bit older to have had the time and experience in a job to work out what you like and don’t like about it.
Well @Ducksarenotmyfriends I laughed!
Well done to those of you who are living your dreams, it’s particularly tough studying with young dc and also having full time jobs and partners who work awkward hours or no partner at all to rely on with the dc. My mum brought up my brother and I on her own and studied and worked 3 jobs at the same time, it was hard on all of us really but she loves her job and for her it was totally worth the sacrifices so keep going if you’re in the middle of it all and can’t see the end in sight
@SkeletonSkins a police dog handler would be an amazing job, I suppose it stands to reason that you’d need to be a police officer first but if that’s not something you’d be interested in doing then it’s a hard goal to achieve! A friends daughter is currently going through police training, she’s loving it but it was always her dream job.

I'm in my dream job as an allied health professional, though I didn't know for sure it was my dream until I started training in it. Retrained from age 39 and now at 52 I've a decade of experience under my belt and usually* love it.

*having a shit month but it's actually good to remind myself how much I love it when I do.

Dream job? International cricketer.

What’s stopping me? Lack of any form of sporting or athletic talent, and the fact that I’m 50, short-sighted & asthmatic with a dodgy knee.

Wanted to be a midwife. I only have a NVQ L2 in health and social care 😬. Currently off work due to my health & I don't know if my body would actually cope with being a midwife/ studying, and working (when I go back to work) and being a parent and the house etc etc.

Or I would love to work with women's aid.

1. Teacher. Never will be as I have a chronic illness which can take make out of circulation unexpectedly which I don't think should be done to small kids.

1. NSA analyst. not born american. or Mi5/6/x analyst. not born british.

origin country analyst is not an option. I left that country for a reason.

1. Psychologist. I actually would have a chance if I decided to spend 3-5 years doing MSc level studying.

Instead I'm analyzing and designing complex system for profit oriented companies and help them make more money. at least it pays well and there are some awesome projects along a lot of shitty ones.