To ask mumsnet for careers advice?

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Background: late forties, married, non dependent DC. 4 A levels including psychology, arts based HND qualification that I didn't do anything with due to lack of ambition at that age.
Since leaving uni and marrying young I have worked in various customer service/office type roles to fit around the family, despite always fancying something like social work. I've been thinking for some time about trying to get into something I will get some satisfaction from, but I don't want to do a degree first due to lack of time (age is against me) and the cost. Ideally I'd like to do something where I can train on the job and be paid (low wages is fine).
I recently saw an ad for trainee probation officers which really appeals to me, but unfortunately I don't have the type of work experience required to get on to the training program (it says must have work experience of dealing with challenging people) so I'm looking into relevant volunteering opportunities that may help with that, but can anyone think of any other training programs/career paths where they welcome more mature candidates? I want to work with people in a role where I'm doing some good.

I guess I am 😂 wish there was a careers service for the over 40's!

Hi there, I wouldn't take as your starting point career paths where they welcome more mature candidates, but start rather from what you want to do. Probation officers sounds interesting - is there anything else around the social sector or offenders that could be of interest? I'd also recommend actually reaching out to a serving probation officer and asking some questions - you might find opportunities that exist behind written job ads or get inside intelligence such as that they are finding it hard to recruit and will bend the normal criteria. (NB absolutely no idea what the situation is in this particular sector.) PS you should be able to access the careers service at your old university, and there are many independent career coaches. Seems to be a growth field. Don't worry too much about age. There are many middle aged looking for a new career - get fed up, made redundant, returning after family has grown up etc. You are not alone.

You're really not alone. I'm a career coach. Having a family can really play havoc with want you want from work. There's so many women sleep walking through the work day so they can just get the hell out asap.
I have an ebook I wrote helping people plan for making a change. I could send you the link if you want

Emergency Care Assistant in the ambulance service.