To want to retrain

[timeforachangeagain]

I work in the NHS and am incredibly proud of what I've achieved and the great things that I've been part of over the years. However I can't see myself working within the organisation until retirement for several reasons.

I'm mid thirties, AIBU to want to completely retrain? I have a young family but also as a family we have sufficient savings, income for me to take a few years out.

Am I too old to study Law, Accounting or become a Quantity Surveyor? Have I missed the boat and just don't realise? Some friends think I'm crazy to even consider it.

I worked a full career as a teacher but did actively consider retraining at about your age and attended a few career change classes. The best advice was to thoroughly research the employment market in your new chosen area. The course leader said that many people retrain - often at great expense - for work that simply did not exist for a mature entrant.

Most people will have a number of careers and you are mid 30s you will probably have to work until you are 70. So why not retrain if you have the savings to cover you? The only thing is the retaining for professional careers I looked at was full time and inflexible, including lots of travel. So it really depends what you want to do and how logistically you could manage as well as just if you have the money to cover it.

@recrudescence

You're absolutely right to point out the significance of making sure there will be jobs appropriate for me. That's one of my biggest concerns, it has to be worth the effort, time and expense and it really needs to in time have better earning potential than my current job.

@haveuheard thanks for your reply. We're hoping that the pretty brutal shift patterns, weeks away from the family while working nights and weekends and often going above and beyond will have prepared our family somewhat for the commitment and inconvenience involved fingers crossed 🤞🏽