To think I've left it too late

[focusonthefuture]

I left school at 16 with 10 GCSEs (C grades and one B, nothing spectacular, I'm the first to admit I didn't give my all when it came to exams backs then).

I dropped out of college a few months into AS levels. Big stupid mistake. Unhappy home life, no focus on my future, silly 16 year old mentality.

Drifted through retail jobs until becoming a SAHM 6 years ago.

Have I left it too late to sort my life out?
I'm 30 now. I look back on my life and I could kick my younger self. If I could go back in time and give myself a good shake then I would.

I don't know where to start. I know nothing about higher education, student loans, entering a profession.
I've looked at open university but again, I don't know where to start. I wouldn't know what subject to pick.
I only get one shot when it comes to getting a student loan, is that right? So whatever I pick has to be the right thing.
Even if I were to get qualifications, how do I go about entering back into the world of work?

My children are still very young so I need to work things around them. But I'm tired of feeling like a failure.

Sorry, this is long. I still feel like that lost 16 year old!

Going back to uni on September aged 47 to do speech and language therapy (already have degrees, so it’s not quite right to think that you have one shot - NHS type things let you have degrees etc already).

Have a look into access courses.

Also think about part time. Because things have gone tits up with my disabled son I am starting part time (& hope to switch to full
Part way through the course). I still get funding and some living costs money - will also continue to work part time.

You’re young!

Perhaps look at 2 yr old in nusery for a morning once a week and volunteer in and school to see if it would be what you want to do

My DH didn't do great at school and got an entry level job in IT aged 16 as people told him he would earn well. He always hated it. Finally 4 years ago he started a professional qualification at our local university, was hard doing work and studying but at the age of 40 he has just handed in his notice to start in his new profession. I am so proud of him and the example he is setting our children. Not to late for you at all.

I am exactly in your situation OP except for being a single mum. Am following with interest, would love to build a career for myself but have been that consumed with motherhood and illness the past 8 years I have no idea what I would like to do. Thanks for posting this and for all of the advice

I have 4 dc op. Been a sahm for around 15 years. I know exactly what you mean. I started with my local adult community college. Looked at what courses they were offering. Then applied to the ones which I thought I would enjoy. They called me back from each course for interviews and to explain what the course entails.

Occupational therapy?

I've had a couple of career changes since turning 30. Life is never dull!

I qualified as a financial adviser when I was 40! Started off in the industry in admin 15 years previously, whilst children were young, part time. You can train and pass exams whilst doing this (I took ages) in a short while.

I was like you when I was at school. Never too late!

I'd love a career like speech & language therapist.
My eldest was born verrry premature (with no lasting effects 🤞) and that's what got me looking into nursing. I was in awe of those neonatal nurses, but I just don't see how I could make it work, I literally have no help.

See, I'm in a muddle, in the space of around 3 posts I've jumped from teaching to nursing to S&L.

Never mind giving 16 year old me a good shake, I need one now!

I was 30 and a working, single parent to a 3 year old when I went to uni to read Law!

Graduated 5 years later with an LLB (Distinction)!

There is no greater feeling than graduating and often my now teenage daughter tells me how proud she is. By seeing me working hard and achieving she has a role model for the future, hopefully!!

It's never, ever too late!

Not too late at all! DH was the same, didn't even get any GCSE's. He's just turned 31, and he's done his GCSE's, and is looking at an access course before doing a degree.

It's never too late

The OU is great and some of the level one courses are multi disciplinary. So if you chose to do an arts degree level one is a mixture of English, history, art history, philosophy, then you can decide on your subject for level two.

I would very much recommend doing some kind of return to study course or an A level perhaps in a subject you are interested in. Jumping straight into a degree is quite a step up in terms of the reading, analysis and essay skills required.

I was in a similar position to you re O Levels and then leaving school ( though I did obtain professional qualifications) and later on did some degree level study. I really enjoyed it and it was well within my capabilities but I was missing a layer of knowledge in structuring essays and referencing etc.

Sounds like you have time to explore your interests and start from the beginning. Good luck.

Lots of people are deciding not to go to university now because of the fees and loan.

Are you in a major city, or would you be prepared to move?

Are you good at maths?

I graduated uni at 38. It’s never too late!

I got my degree at 37 and am now working doing something I enjoy.
I did my degree with 2 small children and it is certainly doable to do assignments and study when they are in bed, I admit there was a bit of bribery to get them to stay in bed some evenings!
My DH works long hours and aside from him I had no support.
It is definitely worth the hard work in the end, you should go for it.

What subjects do you like the most? What makes you curious? What have you done in the past that you've really enjoyed?

Yes, I live on the outskirts of a major city (not London).

Reasonable at maths. Although I got a D in GCSEs. Apparently this was supposed to have been appealed because I was within the threshold of passing. Again, silly teenage me didn't bother following this up.

With trying an A level or something similar before attempting degree level, how does this work in regards to finance?
I mean, we're comfortable but not loaded, I don't know how much I can set aside for courses.

I just want to add a thank you to everyone who has replied so far, I appreciate all the advice and love hearing how you've all achieved at a later age!

You might want to look at an access course rather than A levels if you want a profession. I know social work has them, not sure about other professions but a quick google would tell you.

Go to your local college and discuss it with them. Access courses are designed for adults who want to get back into education. There should be specialised staff who can help talk through your interests etc and put you in the direction of the right course. They can also introduce you to other topics that you had not thought about.

Often there are creches at the college or the courses are part time so can be completed around your family.

You are not too old - you have your whole life ahead of you - go for it!

One thing to consider if you're interested in teaching is that you have to have maths & English GCSE at C or above, so you'd have to retake your maths GCSE. But that's not necessarily a bad thing - you could enrol on a course at an FE college starting in September, and that will help you to assess how studying fits with life, and access their careers and study advice to narrow down what you think you might want to study at uni.

Well it sounds like you would be interested in some sort of caring profession that’s ideally not shift based. (Social work, teaching assistant, medical receptionist, dental hygienist, youth worker, charity worker)

You may be too,late to apply for things this year for colleges but could you see about going into a local school or nursing home/hospice/food bank one hour or so a week to volunteer?
This would introduce you to different people and career paths.

You say you have no childcare but if you go back to study or work then you are going to have to get some. Have a look about and see what you options might be. What hours does your husband work? If it’s midweek 9-5 then you can get childcare for those hours and he would be responsible for them pre and post childcare if you were on a late or early. I know nurses who work 2x12 shifts per week, night shift. So 24hours over a couple of days, those days are manic but if DH can drop off/pick up from childcare you will be fine, as this is what most families do.

Is there career counselling offered anywhere near by?

My friend is 34 and became a mother of two as a teenager. She is going back into education in September. From what I understand, she is going to be doing some sort of a foundation course at the local college in English and Maths and possibly science so that she can apply for any degree after a year. She has no A-Levels. She’s planning on going into the justice system or becoming a paramedic. Another friend who is the same age took a similar route last year and has just completed her first year of a social work degree. Yet another person I know who is around your age and who has two young kids is going into her fourth and final year of a Health and Social Care degree and is hoping to work within CAMHS. I know another two women who worked part time as teaching assistants and eventually became primary school teachers.

So it’s all possible and definitely not too late! Contact your local college and ask if they have a careers adviser. It sounds like a contradication but our local job centre can be quite helpful in getting people back into education or helping them start a business via a council scheme.

I agree with others that an access course rather than A levels would probably be better - especially if you are career focused rather than interested in a degree for its own sake.

Take a look at Access to HE. But if you did want to try A levels then look up the most convenient colleges near you or adult education night classes.

Also you may NOT be too late for September. My friend is a carer and she called up a university last week for an informal chat about the possibility of doing a nursing degree and she’s now enrolled and will begin next month!