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!

Also, you may be eligible for government childcare grants for your youngest child while you're studying - it will depend on household income but there is support available for student parents. Some uni's even provide nursery facilities!

No not too let. I was a sahm for 13 years I started volunteering at a local primary school trained to be a Ta was offered a job there and never looked back. I am now a HLTA and loving it. Volunteer somewhere to build your confidence whilst taking a college course.

On the cost front, you may qualify for a student loan for an Access course, not sure if they are available for A levels.

I think you want to be a bit careful about doing a course that is very focused on a particular career unless you have some experience of that career. Doing any old degree can be a bit of a waste of money, but it's normally worse if your degree is very focused on a particular job but you end up hating that job.

What about podiatry? Can work privately or for the nhs. Better regular hours. Working with people, often the elderly.

In answer to your question about student loans, SLC offer a 'gift year'.

So let's say you do Year 1 of a course in Accountancy, and you don't really enjoy it, and then start a new 3 year degree in say English, you'd still get funding for the full length of that course.

It's certainly not too late, I know many people who have done degrees in their 30s. It's worked out well for some (I know 3 lawyers, a pharmacist and a nurse who all trained in their 30s) but I also know some who are still working in their original jobs despite paying to do degrees.

I had a 'professional' career but have been a sahm for 3 years. I'm pregnant again but planning on retraining when this baby is one. I can't be a sahm much longer but also can't face returning to my old career.

Not to sound patronising or defeatist, I urge you to have a good think about what you want to do and what is realistic. I would love to retrain as a massage therapist but realistically working evenings and weekends won't work for our family so I'm planning on retraining in something which is similar to my old field. It's not my ideal role but should work for us.

Have a look online about returning to work. Some organisations offer return to work seminars, it might be worth attending or seeing a career coach just for ideas.

Also, don't concentrate too heavily on degrees etc. One of my mum's friend retrained as a hairdresser at 35 and at 50 now owns two salons and, from the look of things, is doing very well financially.

No no no no and a thousand times no! I'm 36 and about to finish my masters, despite never thinking I'd manage one degree, let alone 2!! You can absolutely do this!! A PP suggested the open uni - they're so flexible and have some amazing tutors and professors. They can also be more flexible in terms of entry requirements - it's definitely worth having a look. Have you thought about an ordinary degree (not sure what it's called in England), it's basically a non specific course, leading to a foundation degree, then you can build on that at a postgraduate level. That's what my DH is doing at the moment - it's his ambition to be an additional support needs teacher, but his highest qualification is an HND, so through the open uni he can combine the credits he's already got, complete another 90 credits, then use that to gain entry to the post graduate teaching course. There are so many options, the world is your oyster! Honestly, education is never a waste - and 30 is still so young :) :)

You will do fine.
If I were you I would take this year to find out what your options are and what is it that would suit you and start college or uni from September 2019.
There is great support for mature students. Part time courses, distant learning etc.
Maybe visit some open days as well?

Remember though. To get into a good profession you don't need degree. Some don't require it so have a look at qualifications in college as well. But lots do so keep uni option open. Depends on what you decide to do.

I left school at 16 with no qualifications. I got my degree at 36. I wasn't the oldest on the course by a long shot.

It's never too late.

I’m 45 and doing a Masters....I am one of the youngest people on the course!

Go for it OP, you can do it 👍🏻

My friends mum trained as teacher when when we are high school.she was in her 40s then

I thought you were going to say you were 50 (and I would still say there was time).

For what it's worth at my very prestigious university (where mature students were fairly rare at least at undergrad level) one of my professors had come from a university where there was a high percentage of mature students (often also combining study with jobs and/or childcare). He said teaching wise it was a high point of his career as the mature students were usually much more dedicated and committed to their degree - they tended to appreciate the opportunity and often learned more quickly due to their maturity in their learning.

Hi OP

I graduated with a BA (hons) degree from the Open University 2 years ago at the age of 54! I started off 10 years before that doing a 'taster course' in the subject area I was interested in and just worked my way through all of the necessary modules. I would definitely have a look at OU again as the advantage is you can fit it around family life.

I don't know if they still do the Taster courses (it's changed a lot since I started) but they do some free course on 'Open Learn' so you could try out a few of those and see what areas interest you?

www.open.edu/openlearn/

Definitely not too late, OP!
www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/allied-health-professionals/roles-allied-health-professions/speech-and-language-therapist/entry-requirements-and-training-speech-and

I really hope it's not too late at 30 (which to me seems so young and full of potential) because i'm 42, a sahm and am planning on studying for a new career in 3 years time. So i'll be 45 when i start.

You can do it op. You have so much time ahead.

30 is no age, go for it.

Stop beating yourself up about what you did at 16. It wasn’t your fault, you were a CHILD, your parents let you down.

A few other suggestions...

Accountant - there are actually many different types of job that accountants do, it’s not all ‘Bean counting’ and some are very interesting.

Play Therapist - it’s an amazing job.

Mechanic, Plumber, Decorator...all good trades that are always going to be needed.

WEb designer - whilst it’s easier than ever to set up your own website etc, there will always be people lacking the skills, time, willingness to do it themselves.

...so many things out there!

However, personally, I wouldn’t go into teaching or nursing because successive governments have made them pretty much intolerable for the vast majority.

Looking forward to your updates!.

Your story sounds like my mum, OP. She left school with no a levels and didn't have much faith in herself academically (crap school, low expectations from adults around her). She started an access course at Open University at about your age (when me and my DB were at junior school). Went on to do an economics degree at a prestigious university and then had quite an impressive career until her retirement. I was (and still am) really proud of her, and she's been a real role model to me professionally. Not advice as such - just to say, go for it!

I'm 32, pregnant with DC3 and second year in to a law degree after doing a one year foundation degree in social sciences (no A-Levels for straight into uni degree) and the first year of law. Hoping to go into HR in the civil service once the degree is over - no chance of ever becoming a solicitor or a barrister but a law degree stands you in good stead for a lot of jobs.

Choose something that will stand the test of time. Something that shows you can study to a high level and put in the required effort. It's why Engineering, science and maths subjects stand so well - it's less about the subject for a lot of employers and more about the commitment to the subject and learning it. Unless of course it's something like social services or medicine where the required degree is necessary.

Student Finance pay up to 70% of childcare costs like tax credits. It's not a lot to live on but it's something. You can also still claim child tax credits, child benefit, council tax benefit and sometimes housing benefit if your circumstances and your husbands circumstances are in the right bracket.

Do it. This is the best thing I've ever done for me and a future career after part time jobs and SAHM life for ten years.

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.

Agency work and shifts that suit you.

Absolutely not too late. I’m a university prof. and I regularly teach students who are my age or older (I’m in my 40s). Most of my mature students have done really well.

In your 30s, at my uni, you wouldn’t even ‘stand out’. Also, if you are interested in a profession like speech and language therapy or teaching, your extra maturity and experience as a Mum will be hugely valuable. Many universities offer one year access courses and part time options to ease students back into the pattern of studying.

Future Learn (owned by the OU) has some good free online courses to let you try different subjects too. Doing an online course can also help with getting into a routine of a couple of hours regular study: www.futurelearn.com/

Good luck!

My best friend's DM was unable to take up her university place when she was "needed at home".
She finally got round to her OU degree and MA after she retired. Granted it didn't lead to a new career, but the smile on her graduation photos........compared to her, you're a spring chicken!
Don't rule out teaching; if full time doesn't fit in with family life, there are other jobs in the education field you could consider.

Play Therapist - it’s an amazing job. Meh,not so well paid usually and v.niche
If you want to work in children health train I’d say train as a paediatric nurse

I'm in my 60s and planning to start a PhD!

It's never too late, and you're actually still pretty young. But you need to think about what you want to do. Is there anything you particularly like doing, are good at or are interested in?

A bit of visualising might help. Close your eyes and imagine it's 10 years time, and you're giving a talk in about your successful career. What would you say?

An access course is a brilliant idea. It kind of eases you into the academic way of thinking; fills in any gaps that you may have in terms of entering uni life (how to research/ reference/ use analytical and evaluative language) massive confidence builder and also means you’re less likely to panic and drop out when you start your degree because you’re faced with an unfamiliar landscape. Also you make friends in the same boat who will likely start at the same time as you. Instant support group.