To give up well paid job to retrain in something more interesting

[choccyscot]

I'm thinking of retraining and have seen a diploma in nutrition that sounds great, it's a subject that has always fascinated me. Currently work in a professional role in the corporate world, flexible working, good pay but really not enjoying it.
Would I be mad to give up the financial security for me and family for something more interesting when I'm unsure what the job prospects will be..

Oh but actually read Lapsed 's idea first!!!

I really wouldn't OP; you are living many a person's dream now. All jobs will be boring at certain times.
There are diplomas in all sorts of subjects now and I can't imagine they are worth much by themselves. Do you have a healthy/sporty image? I ask this as nutrition 'experts' are popping up all over Instagram and they haven't got a qualification between them. What they do have is visual appeal, very athletic bodies and lots of nice pictures which draws in a big crowd. The one I know hasn't got a GCSE to her name but does online classes and 'nutrition and exercise coaching'. Lots of #nopainnogame and #peachybum inspo

Good advice, Lapsed!

I would also encourage you to avoid an all or nothing approach.

I am!
Studying nutrition to then hopefully get a job in that field- and giving up another well paid job to do so that is!
I don't like my current job, I find it boring, unstimulating with no job satisfaction.
I'm going to be working for another 40 years (!) so I want to be doing a job I actually want to do as opposed to just one which pays the bills (which hopefully a new job / career would do too!).
I'm extremely excited about the whole thing and in some ways wish I'd done it years ago.
Though only you can decide if it's the right thing for you & your family as everybody & their circumstances are different.
Good luck whatever you do!

Thanks for all the advice. @LapsedHumanist - that is a good plan, had planned on still working in the meantime but need to really try living on reduced income!

@ButterflyOfFreedom are you doing a degree or diploma- how are you finding the course? I think it would be fascinating but I'm wondering how much of a shock it would be going back to studying (it's been 20 yrs since I last had to study intensively)

@lastnightidreamtofpotatoes - not sure I have a sporty image - would need to work on that! I'm not on Instagram and don't really want to be but maybe I'm being naive about setting up my own business without wanting to be on social media lots..

@GinnyWreckin - lots of good questions there, I'd be interested particularly in hormonal health, autoimmune conditions etc The questions you raised around setting up and running a business are things I've started to ponder and need to work out if this is right for me. Having always worked in large corporate environments this is v far from my comfort zone!

I would do it actually. Life's too short to stay in a job where you are unhappy and unfulfilled. I'm a great believer in following what really appeals to you even if the prospects are not actually that brilliant. Once you are en route to your new career you can develop it in different ways as a path becomes clearer / opportunities present themselves.

On the specific topic of working as a nutritionist, I know a friend who left a more corporate role to do it and really enjoyed it, earned a decent living working in alternative therapy centres and independently (and also lecturing on it herself).

I think it would be wise also to have a fallback plan - could you re-enter your old career path later on if need be?

Yes I probably could fall back on old career if needed to - I guess it's a case of not wanting to go down one route but then having to go back the way

Maybe the question I need to ask is to nutritionists out there - what type of jobs have they gone into
Erm....snake oil and quackery I’d say. If you are truly interested in health and nutrition, autoimmune conditions etc it’s proper science you need to study - dietetics. Anyone can call themselves a ‘nutritionist’. It means nothing.

I'm pondering the same thing, but I've been put off a nutrition course by things OP have mentioned- there's lots of people who call themselves a nutritionist but have done a three hour online diploma, and you'd be competing with them for work.

A dietitian is a protected profession so not just anyone can call themselves one. There are roles outside of hospitals. Starting salary is c.£25k so depending on what you are on now could be a big decrease.

I think I read an interview with Amelia Freer, a nutritionist, and she concedes that it is a vocation rather than being well paid.

@DreamingofSunshine - I have Amelia Freer's book, mmm - vocation, does that mean if you love being a nutritionist you don't mind being skint!! If you have decided against a nutrition course have you decided to stick with current career or still looking?

@choccycot I've been to a couple of open days for Dietetics but I haven't decided yet if it's for me. I'm also not sure if I'm done having children yet so I think I'd prefer to wait until I'm done with that, rather than have to take a break from a degree. I think being a dietitian offers a good career with progression, and it's a protected profession like a physiotherapist is.

I'm doing a degree choccyscot - I love it!
Was a bit strange going back into the 'classroom' but there is a nice mix of people on my course, the lecturers are fab, and the subject is extremely interesting & totally up my street!

A diploma in nutrition?!!! I thought you were going to say a law degree, or something.

I’m not in the mood to beat around the bush. It’s nonsense. You would be mad to do this to your family.

Can you become a dietician with a diploma in nutrition? I assumed you'd need a degree in dietetics like all other AHP HCPC accredited professions? I'm a SLT so similar pay progression in NHS (and work very closely with dietetics).

Have a look at the BDA information on the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist . It is quite eye opening.

I think I would do the dietitian qualification myself. Or stay in your current well paid job.
Best lecture I had was the one where the lecturer told us all jobs have a lot of boring bits, no matter how interesting they are to start with.