Too Late for career change? 50!!

[HumanbyDesign]

As title, really!

I'm just turned 50 this month and currently work part time in a low skill job (retail) plus have my own (very) small earning crafting business ... Kids are still pretty young and need me around after school/weekends/holidays, really, for another few years at least and DH works unpredictable shifts so actually quite hard to work around but I'm desperate for a change and more money!

I'm able to and interested in retraining and a career change but completely stumped as to what! And am I too late at my age??! I have an enthusiastic attitude and youthful appearance which works in my favour I guess (& is also why I keep forgetting I'm 50 and can't just do whatever I want now!)...

I've no real relevant qualifications beyond a levels (lots of specialised/diverse/vocational small quals over the decades but nothing substantial or useable now), although recently completed a small course on challenging behaviour which is an area I'm interested in (Nd kids and Nd myself).

I'm waffling now! Any ideas please??!

Teaching assistant might be an idea with regards to hours, school holidays.

I can't really help but in similar situation..I have a degree and been working in the field for years, but would like some change...I'm 48. I'm looking at further study, part time, in a loosely related area so would hopefully be able to slot in the new role, without having to start right from bottom again.. it has taken me years to figure what I'd like to do, and I'm still not sure! Go with your gut, find something you are genuinely interested in, at least you will enjoy doing it! Good luck!

I've thought about a school job but they're like gold dust in our area... I also am not a massive fan of the education system (they have let down both our Nd kids in meant different ways over the years)!

I'm also a bit of a "rebel" and don't feel I work well in a very big system (for similar reasons any NHS job is out of the equation).

Just realised I've possibly made myself sound like an arsehole 🤣 I'm really not! It's more that I get frustrated in an environment with a huge impersonal system /workforce... I've only ever worked for very small companies and it's an environment where I thrive tbh.

Thank you 😊 it's finding out what I'm interested in that's tricky! I'm the kind of person that appears goes with my gut on any case so if someone says, how about this? I'll know instinctively if it's a yes or no for me, but actively thinking of something is much harder!

It's also then got to fit in with my children's needs which makes it harder still... In some ways if I could ride it out another 3+years that wouldn't be so much of an issue but then I'd be even older 😫

What about some business training and using your craft skills to set up your own business.
Something like floristry?

I think you need a five year plan, in which you incremently address the things you need to achieve, including necessary training, ready for when your children need you less.

You might be three years older but more flexible
you have a specific list
no big companies or organisations
has to fit in with your children’s needs

an employer will pay you to do the job they need you to do and smaller companies will more likely need all their staff to be reliable because they will not have the manpower to cover, and many, if not all parents want some time off each school holiday

might be an idea for you to think about what you could set up yourself, tutoring for ND students, become a therapist, would suggest looking at working in SEN education department at local council but that’s probably a no, basically use your parental knowledge to help those coming through, or something directly, one-one with children, then you can pick your own hours.

music teacher
driving instructor
Or expand your retail role, can you move into logistics, procurement, start an online buy sell
dental nurse
part time at a small charity fundraising
postman(?) person

part time in local cafe

but most jobs will need some consistency

In reality if you want school hours only the options are limited to school jobs or self employment- and most self employed people need to be available in holidays unless they are so in demand they can set their own hours, or are creatives.

You’re going to need to compromise somewhere. Basically it’s a choice between

a) throwing yourself into new career - perhaps some retraining - willing to take on FT work & use childcare

b) accepting you are stuck with whatever jobs work with school hours

c) option b for a few more years and then option a - but maybe try and work towards option a in the meantime eg take training courses