Is 32 to old

[Hmmmm88]

I have recently turned 32 and am desperate to start a career.

At 17 i was studying health & social care to become a social worker. Unfortunately i suddenly became very ill and was given 18 to 24 months to live so my further education and my dream went out the window

Fortunately i responded very well to treatment and i now live a symptom free life but have regular check ups with specialist and take medication daily.

At 20 i was still very poorly but slowly recovering i met my now DH. He has 2 boys who are now 14 & 16 so i have spent the last 12 years looking after them and my father in law who was diagnosed with dementia 9 years ago.

Now at 32 my DSS don't rely on me much these days and my FIL is happy and settled i have a good routine with him and i am now itching to fulfill my dream of becoming a social worker for the elderly and vulnerable.

There's not much in life i would say i am particularly good at but i know in my heart that there is no other career i would want. I would put 110% in daily to help those people and i feel it's something i would be good at.

Is 32 to old to try for this career? I only have GCSE'S as i couldn't finish my course so i feel I'll get laughed at

Deffo not too late. Do it and enjoy it! Best of luck

Go for it - I know someone who started her nurse training aged 52, qualified at 55 and thoroughly enjoyed a 10 year career in which she was regularly promoted - she didn't retire until 65 so spent longer in nursing than most young nurses do!

It's absolutely not too late and a bit of life experience will make you more appealing as a candidate. Go for it - you'll be fantastic!

And you won't get laughed at - not everyone follows the typical trajectory - it doesn't matter.

universities often have career guidance to help advice you as do colleges

30s is still young when you think what the average age to retire is... you still have a good few decades of ‘working life’ ahead of you so why not train to do something you want :)

Do you know about the apprentice route to a social work degree? If not, see:

www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/social-worker-degree/

and

findapprenticeshiptraining.apprenticeships.education.gov.uk/Apprenticeship/Standard/381

Well considering you’ll probably have to work until your about 73 then that means you’ve got about 35+ years of working- so you may as well do something you enjoy!!

Not to old at all- go for it

Definitely not OP. It's great that you know what you want to do. Loads of people do access courses so all you have to do is find an access to social work course in a local college and then you can start uni in a year or two.

I went to uni at 19 but fell ill in third year so at 32 I'm considering starting a new course- I wish I had a clear idea of which career path to pursue- like you do!

@Hunnybears
73
You misspelled "death"

My friend did the same course starting when she was 34. Go for it!

Definitely not too old, in fact I would say that you are a bit older and have more life experience is a really good thing for a vocation like social work. Your experience of looking after your Fil and taking on your step children when you yourself was quite young is to be commended. Go for it.

I read something in a book by Wayne Dyer once which was something along the lines of “A women said to me she was to old to change career and go back to school to study a 5 year course because she would be 40 by the time she graduated. I asked her how old she would be in 5 years if she didn’t complete the course and she replied 40.” His point being not using age as a excuse when making plans for our.

Not at all. I studied something similar, and people in the course were all ages, 30-35 was a very common age. Even 45 wouldn't have raised an eyebrow.

You've realistically got 35 years left to work so a couple of years studying is nothing, definitely worth it. It's probably more common than not these days to change careers and study later in life. Look in to getting some of your previous study recognised and you might be able to progress through the course even quicker.

I just wanted to add that you could start by doing some free distance learning courses if you were interested in social care etc. This might give you confidence to get back into studying formally, and also gives you something to talk about if you went for a college interview. I know Vision2learn so free courses in health-care, dementia etc, and my local college is offering free courses too on the same subjects. You could search and see what level 2 or 3 courses are available at the moment, and there is no need to attend for an exam (its coursework based). No need to pay either, some of the level 2 or 3 awards are Government funded (not means tested). Good luck!!!

Sorry my typing has been awful over the past 2 days...peripheral neuropathy playing up my fingers :-D

No of course you aren't. Do an access course (which you will not have to pay for if you go to do a Degree) and then you won't have any real difficulty getting in to uni.

There was lots of mature students on my nursing course. 2 of my friends did an access course and then did nursing and qualified this year. Both have 2 children and managed it.
Just go for it.

Go for it!! I went to Uni at 39 to change career and now in my 50's and doing another degree to build on my skill set. I beat cancer last year too and decided not to sit around waiting any longer. Find an access course, do your research, you can do this!!!! Good luck.

My mother recently switched into a.very similar role in her late 50s. She's thriving in it and loves her job.

Good luck with it OP!

Thank you for all the replies of encouragement advice and support.

Today i have enrolled to start my access to higher education course 😁

@airbags amazing well done and congratulations on your fight you kicked cancers ass!! X

Nope definitely not. Plus you have life experience. go for it!! Good luck

Well done taking your first steps OP! I am exactly the same age and studying for a new career. As others have said I would rather spend the next 35+ years doing something I love, it's a long time we still have to work! Good luck with your studies I'm sure you'll do brilliantly

Absolutely not. Go for it. You have options such as an access course - I have taught at FE colleges previously and I have taught all age ranges. I retrained as a mature student and have no regrets!

I’m also 32 and started a business this year. Was all going really well before the virus! Not too old at all