To ask if you have completely retrained in your 30’s or over?

[Thunderbuddies]

Particularly interested in people who have already got a degree’s experiences. I got a Sociology degree in 2009. Never did anything with it. I’m now 33 and in pretty much a dead end job and feeling really depressed and unfulfilled. I want more out of life, I keep thinking I’ve got another 34 years at least of work left and I want a ‘career’ rather than a job.

I’m worried about funding, I doubt I’d be eligible as I’ve already got a degree? Also, at 33, we had hoped to start TTC in the next few months, but then I think if I were to wait another few years I’d then be 36 and feel even more stupid at the thought of retraining? Also, it could take years to get pregnant or one of us could be infertile for all I know and we may never be able to have children. But then if I got pregnant halfway through, what would happen?!

Sorry for the rambling, I’m just feeling really confused and SO depressed at the thought of going into next year with just more of the same.

So has anyone completely retrained in their 30’s or older and logistically how easy was it to do?

It's a hell of a lot easier to do in your 30s when you have no children than it is when you have children! If you're going to retrain, do it now and get a job or some kind of work experience in that field as soon as possible. You can work mad hours when you don't have children or childcare to worry about.

Not with a degree, but yes I did. I had a very niche career and when I had my eldest DS I was expecting to go back to work as a temp/part time, and my previous career wouldn't have enabled that, so I completely retrained. Went back to college etc. This was about 25 years ago - I'm now in my 60s and have't ever regretted it - my DH completely retrained in his 40s. It really isn't uncommon as some careers just start to die off - both of our former careers don't exist in the same way that they did.

Yes, I did a PGCE aged 31 and was 32 when I qualified, DDs were aged almost 4 and almost 2 when I finished - 20 years ago now!

Retrained in my mid-late 30s. Admin to HCP role. Single parent to one child, at the time.
Definitely re-train and, yep, easier whilst childfree but not impossible-there were lots of childcare options and funding (pre-covid).

Had an English & Sociology degree. Did my MA in social work in my early 30s.

I did a Psychology undergrad, worked in a Connexions team for a few years, went back to uni aged 30 to do the MA Social Work. It was a logistical and financial nightmare but worth it.

I graduated in 1999 at 21 with degree 1. I'm now about to start my final year of a psychology degree which I did/am doing part time through the OU. I started when dc1 was 6 months old, he's now 5 with a 2 year old sister. It's not been particularly bad but I wasn't working on top if studying. My original plan was a social work MSc once I graduate again, not so sure now.

Retrained as a secondary teacher with my PGCE at the age of 38 and 3 children under 8.

Best career move I made.

@Notmydaughteryoubitch, that’s really interesting as I’d really like to retrain in social work. I’ve been looking today at the MA courses but they all say I need industry experience to apply? So that’s put paid to that. There’s a social work diploma that I think I can do (waiting to hear back from unis that I’ve emailed today) but I’m unsure really what I’d get at the end of that? Though I think some of that may be work placement/ experience so perhaps then I’d be entitled to do the MA? Though then I’m looking at about 5 years worth of retraining which is a bit more then I ideally want to do but if needs must. It’s just so difficult as all the information online seems very vague

I had a degree in psychology and went back to university to get a second degree in speech and language therapy in my 30s.

You can receive funding for second degree courses leading to registration in a healthcare profession e.g. the therapies (SLT/OT/physio), nursing etc.

These courses tend to attract mature students and so taking time out during the course or immediately after qualifying isn't uncommon.

Yes definitely, you have time.
I did very late 30s as a single mum.
Kinda by accident actually that I found something else but enjoying doing something different.
Funnily enough, I did social work in my 20s and now in retraining in something very different.

Was a History teacher. Very unhappy. Retrained in totally new area. I’m on about 10k less then I would have been on as a teacher but i have a lot of autonomy and my work feels more meaningful

I was working part time after having DD1, and when she went to school I started volunteering one day a week with a large charity in a completely unrelated field. A year later I got a paid job with the same charity and have never looked back!

You need to keep training and retraining throughout your career. See it as a state of mind

And also, its NEVER too late. 50s, 60s or 70s. Keep working, learning and co contributing!!

At 45, after a (ahem) portfolio career in marketing and comms where i had got to a senior level, i decided to study a post grad Org Change at business school. I am going back to my old company at director level as a maternity contract but also as change lead for a massive project for 3,500 people.

I have been extremely lucky, nurtured all my work relationships and made the savvy move of asking the CEO to be my reference so that he knew what i wanted.

Got 2 weeks to go, then in at the deep end...

I’ve been looking today at the MA courses but they all say I need industry experience to apply

It's been a while, but the uni I did mine at accepted voluntary experience and a wider range of paid work experience than you might first assume. I would speak directly to the unis you are interested in, ask them what they suggest.

I retrained at 37. Completely new career. Took 5 years to retrain and had IVF half way through which fortunately was successful so threw a baby into the mix too. I was lucky in that I could afford the fees (cost around £25k all in) and I do earn far less than before but love what I do now whereas before I was constantly stressed and grumpy. It felt late to train but then I realised I'd still have 30+ years doing what I loved afterwards so worth it.

Yes, and depends on what you think of as retraining. At 33, I was a postdoctoral research fellow and worked at a university. Low pay, fixed term contract, no house, and wanted to start my family too. But the job was insecure and expected you to move around the world for the next post. I was depressed about it.

I left it behind and started as a junior software developer at 34. I didn't have to pay to retrain. I was a postdoc fellow in computer science. I studied the exam for certified Java developer so I could pass the competency tests. I interviewed and then improved on the skill gaps I found from interviews. After a dozen of so interviews, I landed a job in the commercial world. A year in industry, I bought a house and then had babies at 36 and 39.

It's really not too late for you yet. Find what transferable skills you have. Target the industries, study up for it. It may not cost you more than the price of a book.

I'd like to add I didn't actually get the certification. I studied the job apps and from that I knew no one actually needed the piece of paper. I was just using the certification study guides to practice on the type of competency questions that could get asked.

Trained as a social worker (MA) with degree in sociology

Two teenagers

Now working as an assessor for health and social care courses. WFH & flexible although no pension and zero hours

Considering retraining to teach- more money,pension rather than zero hours contract

Have a look at Step Up to Social work which is a fast track program to become a children's social worker, or Think Ahead which has an adult mental health focus. Both pay around £20k for the duration of the course too (around 14 months). With think ahead there is also a further option to do an MA in your first year qualified. I'm thinking of doing one of those when my kids are all at school. Best of luck.

DH retrained as a barrister at 27 - so a year’s law conversion, then BPTC, then pupillage- a three year commitment so equivalent to a length of degree.

Funding will depend on what you want to study and the institution. Pick wisely.

Friends retrained in to law and medicine in their 30s from the civil service (same couple), then had 2 kids close to their 40s as soon as she’d qualified as a doctor.

Another friend joined the police when she was about 27/28, and another acquaintance joined the army as a reservist then went to Sandhurst in his late 20s.

It is doable, but you need to be committed and your first degree probably needs to be a 2.1 or above from a top uni of you’re thinking of trying to enter a sought after profession. Good luck, OP.

I am in my mid 30s and don’t really like my job; I have a DS, but I don’t know what else I’d like to do with my working life, so don’t want to retrain and start at the bottom without knowing what I’d really like to do. Sigh.