To ask what profession I can retrain in at 35?

[HairyHermanetta]

I say profession, i.e. something you study for a particular career e.g. teaching, nursing, accounting, etc?

What career can I enter and not be seen as too old/too much of a late starter. I have messed around for years, got half a floaty degree that trained me for nothing in particular. I wish I had put all my efforts into making a decision in my twenties to train for a career but here we are....am I too late?

I'm 37 and have just finished my first year in a Social work BA, it's the best thing I have ever done. I hope you manage to find your passion.

IT, software development...literally do not need to do much public face to face stuff hah

Following with interest

Anything! You still have about 35 yrs+ of working life to go.

One of the millionaires I know retrained as a doctor in her mid 40s with kids.

Great thread op. I am in this position too. Also awkward and better kept away from public facing roles. Am interested in this software developer job. I just checked open university and they do a course which costs £1440. What does the actual job look like once graduated does anyone have more info on this? I am not greatest with computers but think I could learn as am fairly hardworking and good at maths etc.

Ooh another one following with interest.

I’ve got a decade of experience in a very niche area. I still want to retrain. Don’t beat yourself up about what you could have done

Similar vein... I trained in a 'proper' profession, it was wrong for me. Drifted into a support function (not a profession) and more senior now, but not transferrable to other industries without a huge cut and I cant see myself doing it for another 30 years.

Trouble is I rule out most things and am not sure what to commit to, and age/energy levels post kids is not on my side too.

OP - accountancy? Data scientist? Compliance? Research? Something techy - UX design?

So our software developers closed a payment system on a well known public transport system.
Some code and develop apps to help our customers with travel information

So it depends on which h industry you go into.
Could do gaming but it's very competitive I hear.

Or if coding isnt for you plenty of other roles like cyber security is a growing area, IT architects or an analyst.

Honestly tech is best way to future proof yourself its the only industry that is unlikely to be disrupted as automation grows, artificial intelligence comes along etc.

Medicine

Masters Loan?

Sorry for hyjacking thread, I should probably just start my own. But software developer - are these jobs done in offices generally? Not home based work? Also liking the data scientists idea. These are thing I never thought of when trying to come up with career ideas

I previously worked as a speech writer and policy advisor but after having my kids I'm now retraining as a counsellor.

I'm not the most peopley of persons but I'm becoming more confident and capable as the training goes on. I'm also 35 and had been similarly floating around with a useless degree.

I'm never going to bring in the big bucks but I'm enjoying it so far and think I could do well at it.

Hope you find your path op.

@Bowchicawow

OP - accountancy? Data scientist? Compliance? Research? Something techy - UX design?

These are all really great fields with loads of demand, pay well, and being awkward is not a problem!

You could apply for the civil service fast stream. Loads of different areas, HR, economics, social research, generalist etc

@Blueberryham

Sorry for hyjacking thread, I should probably just start my own. But software developer - are these jobs done in offices generally? Not home based work? Also liking the data scientists idea. These are thing I never thought of when trying to come up with career ideas

Both WFH and office jobs abound.

^^Sorry for hyjacking thread, I should probably just start my own. But software developer - are these jobs done in offices generally? Not home based work? Also liking the data scientists idea. These are thing I never thought of when trying to come up with career ideas

Most software developers will work in an office particularly early on in the career when they need a lot of feedback and support.
Yes, if you have an in-demand programming skill, you can often work from home.
But you have to acquire that skill first. And that's not super easy.

There are loads of online courses on places like EDx and Coursera you can do for free to see if it suits you.

Would recommend you start with:
www.edx.org/course/cs50s-introduction-to-computer-science

Following as in a similar position 😬

Thank you lovely people for your responses

Bookkeeper? Phlebotomist? Bus driver? IT support? Cyber security? Librarian? Archivist? Archeologist? Proof reader? Chef? Police officer?

Do you have any hobbies or interests that might guide your change of career?

Go to a career consultant... not everyone is suited to every career...it depends on your talents, capacity for study, what brings you fulfillment & satisfaction, salary requirement & so on. You have lots of time ahead to switch but still at 35 you need to get this next step right or you could ne back here again at 40 saying you re-trained to be an X & you hate it.

SionnachGlic
What do career consultants do? Just wondering how I'd find one

It's got to be something you enjoy or you won't stick it. You've given us no info about what you like to do, OP.

@1Littleweed.

I am not UK based so not familiar with different options but I just googled Career Consultant UK and then Career Coach UK & loads came up. I myself would prefer someone that came recommended. There is a cost element to it but if it gets you really thinking about future goals & sets you down the right road, then it is woth every penny.

I retrained as a mediator aged 50, having retrained as a lawyer aged 40 (original honours psychology degree). It is never too late!

How about a radiographer. Some universities do a 2 year MSc if you have a degree already so its a quicker way into the profession or you can do the 3/4 year undergraduate course (depending if its england or scotland). We get a lot of mature students into the career on that pathway. As much as its public facing we only spend a minimum amount of time with each patient and lots of job satifaction and several areas you can specialise in including conventional xray, CT scanning, MRI scanning, mammography, ultrasound, nuclear medicine etc
I really recommend it as a career!