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’ve spent all of lockdown trying to figure this out too, I hate my job I’m 34, working in an office doing the work load of a team of people alone for barely more than minimum wage. Trying to learn to code but may need to accept I’m not intelligent enough and already feel burnt out by it.

Teaching, I did it at that age (and fell pregnant in my training year just as an aside!... still got an outstanding though!) I did a SCITT, graduate teacher training scheme. Half my cohort was salaried and half was not, about 60 of us in total. The non salaried were mostly all in their early twenties. The salaried half were all generally about 10 years older at least... I was actually one of the younger ones at 35, most were in their 40s or 50s. Everyone had had some life experience, and many had had long careers in something else before retraining. I think that can sometimes that can make for a better teacher, than someone who’s 22! Good luck!

Teaching. You have to really want to be a teacher though

the point of taking stock and deciding to train for a professional career (rather than being railroaded into it from the school/university production line) is that it has to be something that you really really want to do?
Make a shortlist, look at the pros and cons..., see if you can get some hands on experience at a junior level, or talk to people in that career.
Doesn't sound like anything that someone can decide/suggest for you.

Accountancy is always suggested on these threads and I can completely see why.

With absolutely no experience you can easily sail through AAT Level 2 then onwards and upwards as far as you want. I’m sure lots of people start with ACCA too but I personally like AAT and the base it gives you plus it’s a stand-alone qualification so if you decide not to progress any further than AAT you still have an actual qualification.

Accountancy does seem relatively simple to get into if retraining. I looked into it too but I suck at maths so wouldn’t make much sense for me. Can see why others go for it too.

Hi Dance - I started in industry and have gone back into that. I think teaching is a great job in many ways but I'm glad I'm out of it.

@SkiddySkidz what do agile and scrum mean in relation to tech roles?

Occupational Therapist. Loads of jobs in a variety of sectors. Best thing I ever did.

I took the plunge today, did my research, talked it over with dh and my mam, and signed up for AAT level 2 and 3!
I realised that I can't go on in care work, it's killing me, literally, physically and mentally.
My family are backing me, so - deep breath - here I go... Lovely, bodily fluid free, sitting down, methodical, peaceful desk job here I come!
All being well I will be actually applying for jobs in six months, and moving up in a year.

I’m looking to retrain aged 34 from software development to something else.

I’d love to do cyber security! How do I switch from software development? CCNA?

I did have CCNA once. Cisco genuinely excites me 😂

LEAN, Agile and Scrum are all things I see on high paying job ads. The "in" project management tool of the day.

Or graphic design? Do Adobe certification online and set up as a type setter or graphic designer if you have any arty ideas.

social work

OP if you don't want a people facing role then it might limit your options a little, as so many service sector roles rely on at least some people skills. However, something like copywriting, editing, archiving are all quite low customer facing. In law and accounting there are lots of opportunities but you need to study for professional qualifications. In medicine something like pharmacy, optometry or perhaps dentistry/dental nurse may be of interest. You interact with people but its minimal. What is your background, areas of interest?

You absolutely can retrain. I returned to education 2 years ago aged 39, I didn't have 2 gcse's to rub together and did an access course part-time over 2 years. I'm due to start my degree at uni in September.

Chimney sweep. Training doesn't take long. Growing market (wood-burners/weddings). Manual job a women can easily do, but being a female sweep gives you a marketing edge.

care work. Care work. Oh, and then there's care work. The entire economy is re-designed around care work now.

I ended up as an agricultural adjuster at a similar age. I love it. No 2 days are the same.

I did the qualifications while working and companies pay for you to do them.

You do meet a lot of people.

I'm almost 35 and about to retrain as welder! Huge demand in my country (not uk) and decent pay (well, better than any office or customer service jobs I've worked in).

Now I want to be a chimney sweep!

I am in my forties and part way through my podiatry degree. I love it.

Also there is an extra grant now for nursing students and AHP students. (Up to 7k a year. Plus you get student loans even if you have a previous degree)

@quiteathome I didn’t realise I could get a student loan even if it was my 2nd degree. This has spurred me on to applying for radiography!

But the UCAS website is SO confusing :(

I guess I’m too late for the 2020 entry. And I suppose I’d need an Access into HE Health / similar. I’ll have to phone up someone for advice!

All of my current qualifications are Computing based

@Clarinet53 what does an agricultural adjuster do? Wondering if this is the job for me! I live in a rural area & retraining options are limited.

Quite fancy chimney sweep too!

@MrsTelford only for nursing and AHP students. You may not be too late for 2020. Phone the universities direct and ask. There might be space. The worst thing that they will say is no, and tell you to apply for 2021.

Has anyone actually retrained as a lawyer in their thirties? I am considering it after having two children! Happy to put in the hours for a couple of years to get trained up, just not sure if it’s the best career choice for family life....