To be contemplating starting another degree at the age of 47.

[oldnewmummy]

I was having a conversation with my sister yesterday about how she wished she'd gone to university but it was too late now, and I started thinking to myself about what she could retrain as and how she could finance it.

And then I started thinking about myself. I'm currently a technical writer and lecturer and make a decent salary working part-time (son is 5.5, and I work during school hours, and not all of those).

But I know that several of my income streams are likely to diminish in the next few years, but I don't want a corporate job as son is only 5.5. I've often thought about training as a counsellor but it seemed daft to give up a decent income.

At the same time, I want to be earning money as long as possible, since son is young.

So I suddenly thought about studying as a counsellor during the days I'm not lecturing, and then I'd (eventually) have an alternative career that I could run in parallel to my existing business as I get established in practice.

This would take around 5 years full-time (I'm in Australia) but I'd be doing it part-time so could be up to 10 (hopefully less).

So am I insane to be thinking about this? I already have an LLB, an MBA and I'm a Chartered Accountant so maybe im just collecting qualifications. As I said, I don't want a corporate job anyway, but I've been out of the corporate world for so long I doubt I'd get a decent job anyway. Counseling has always been the thing I'd do if I won the lottery.

Is it possible to reinvent yourself in your 50s?

Go for it, it is certainly not too late. You have years/decades of working life ahead of you so make them rewarding. I did a first degree years ago in a subject based on what I was good at at school....now in my late 40s have achieved a professional qualification in the field I am making a career in (completely unrelated to the first degree) and am now going for the full MSC....I will be in my 50s by the time I get it. So sometimes career ambitions and interests do evolve over time and you can acquire qualifications to go with them.

Update:

While I was back in the UK (when I started this thread) I met up with my niece. She has a Masters in Psychology and was telling me how she's now doing a Psychotherapy course and how you don't actually need a Psychology qualification to do Psychotherapy.

The 10 year part-time route was via Psychology, so I started researching Psychotherapy here (Australia). It turned out that there was a 3 year part-time Masters in Counselling and Psychotherapy, which qualified for membership of the professional Psychotherapy association, at the university where I teach accounting and which is conveniently 10 minutes down the road.

They prefer you to have a first degree in Psychology or similar, but I went to see the Course Leader and he said that life experience (i.e. being an old git!) may compensate. I applied, got rejected within an hour because I didn't have a relevant first degree, and appealed. I had an interview yesterday........and was offered a place.

I'm thrilled to bits (and also slightly scared, which is normal/good) and very relieved that it won't take 10 years! I've a friend who's a therapist and she's lent me loads of books which are fascinating, so I think I'll enjoy it.

So that's it. Course starts in February, doesn't clash with my own lecturing, lots of reading to do over the next few months (and lots of meals to cook and fill up the freezer with because I'll be busy......)

Thank you for all the helpful comments. Looks like 47 is NOT too old to reinvent yourself :)

This is encouraging. I thought my life was over at at 34.

Good luck op

Great news. Well done. Thanks for taking the time to update, v interesting for us oldies.

That's great to hear.

I am doing an access course at the moment with the aim of doing a nursing degree starting next year. I will turn 49 shortly after qualifying.

How about business/life coaching? It would take less time (and money!) to train and tie well into your existing qualifications.

Counselling will involve (possibly) unpaid practice in the field and (probably) personal therapy along with the actual training, so will consume a lot of time and funds.

Sorry!

That's so cool, I am in same boat. Over-educated but unemployable at anything I could stomach, probably have to do 1-2 years training to get any kind of job.

Course its not to old,
Im 46, End of last November, I started the CYPW Level 3 Diploma,
Im not academic at all and have found it extremly hard going, and thought of giving up a couple of times.
My course is work based (Childminding & Pre School Practitioner)Ive had 6-8 2 hour sessions in college once every 2 weeks, not enough in my opinion for me personally.
Plus trying to have time for DH and 2 DS's, I spend all most all my free time doing course work.
However I should complete it in the next couple of months and Pass hopefully and I will actually have a qualification..yay
The world will be my oyster...lol

I say go for it
And as someone up thread said well done all you 'mature learners'