To change career at 31?

[Anonnnnnnm]

Let me start by saying I've naturally dropped into my current career. It's 100% corporate. The money is good, £60/70k with more achievable. BUT....

I don't enjoy it, at all. It's boring. Soul destroyingly so. I do it purely for the money, but the more time goes on, that simply isn't enough.

I want a fulfilling job. I want to go to University and do either Diagnostic Radiology or Primary Education with QTS. This gives me fulfilment of helping others, whilst allowing me to continue with a mixture of some office work and an element of practical work (which I really, really want)

I can't see myself staring at Microsoft excel for the next 30 years.

Am I totally crazy to give up my job for 3 years and go back to Uni? I have support from DP and with their salary and my student maintenance we would be "comfortable" - obviously a big adjustment but we have very affordable bills. We have a baby due soon and I think it's probably now or never.

Should I just bloody go for it?!

You only live once.

My only thoughts are - will you definitely get student loans? I didn’t think they were available
for all second degrees.

with a baby on the way - would it be worth sticking out your current career for mat leave and maybe until the primary school years?

It's a noble sentiment but have you had any meaningful exposure to these jobs? Do you know for sure that you be happy in those jobs? Admittedly, I know nothing about radiology but primary education, while meaningful, is a lot of work. Many people leave the profession. Obviously, I know nothing of your job, which could be even more stressful but beware it is not all rosy in education.

Primary teaching is very challenging and has become more so since I qualified 9 years ago at the age of 41 (second career for me). I don't regret it at all but it's relentless and exhausting. Be really clear about why you want to change to a new career and why the one you've chosen is suitable. Get some work experience/job shadowing in place and then see. Your two choices are very different.

You’ll be giving up all your maternity benefits and plunging yourself into poverty.
Is your husband well paid? Would his work hours be able to accommodate your schedule in terms of childcare? I would find out more about these jobs, childcare options and have a serious talk with OH about who will pick up the slack due to deadlines/anti-social hours.
Plus when you actually have the baby, you might want to stay at home! I was planning on returning to university to do a masters but just couldn’t leave my daughter to be cared for by someone else and ended up staying at home until she started school.

This is my first degree, I never went to uni. So yes I can get funding. I am planning to stay at current job while I do my access to HE. My partner is pregnant, not me 😊

Do you already have a degree OP? If so, I don’t think you need to go back to uni to find something more fulfilling? Think a bit more laterally, can you apply your skills to a different role or company? Could you do your job but for a more purpose driven company and find meaning that way? I would personally find a way to side step into a role you enjoy more, and maintain and grow your salary. There are lots of cool businesses out there. Take a look at the “B corp” list for inspiration.

You've assumed I'm carrying, I'm not. My wife is. I am currently the breadwinner but wife earns £30k which is more than comfortable with £10k funding on top.

Just saw your update - if going to uni and getting a degree is something that would really fulfil you then you should pursue that, but I would look at options where you can do it part time whilst in current role? Then use the new skills to either change roles in current company or make a leap in a new company.

We also have free childcare with my mom, she did the same for my sister. We are extremely fortunate.

Can you give me examples of what you deem relentless and exhausting? I can then compare to my current job (I'd describe my current job / career as the same but with no fulfilment or contribution to society/others)

Part time means 6 years. A non starter for me. As I mentioned my partner does work full time and brings in £30k which with my student finance would leave us worse off but still comfortable.

To often people think they need to start from scratch to get somewhere good, but really there is so much opportunity to leap frog and side step and expand from your current position. Tonnes of start ups/social enterprises that you could get involved in to continue making money but for more of a purpose.

Do it!

I've just enrolled for a biomed science degree starting Feb 2023 with open uni. Did an access course with them first. Totally switch up so what I'm doing now (finance & insurance)

Part time degree so working part time around it. Money is good buy life's too short to be bored at work (when we spend most of our lives working)

I agree with you there, it's just that I don't want a 100% corporate job anymore. Otherwise I'd definitely pursue this.

At 31 the world is really your oyster! You have a good job now so presumably have some savings and you have affordable bills. Don't overlook how hard studying will be with a newborn! But all things being equal I can't see why not.

Although think carefully before you launch head-first into teaching - of all my friends it's the teachers & nurses who are quickly leaving their fields for all manner of reasons. 'Fulfilment' doesn't count for much when you're neck deep in other people's problems with minimal resources and a lack of support from the leadership team.

I don't know for sure, but I do know for sure I hate what I'm doing now! I understand it is of course a gamble though. At least worst case I'd have two careers to choose from over the rest of my working life.

I agree with @OrangeBlossom28 and others.

I 'get' that you want a new challenge, but you need to be really realistic about just how big that challenge will be. I don't have the latest figures to hand, but a very high% of Primary school teachers have left teaching within 5 years of starting. There's a reason for that.

Halving your salary at the same time as starting a family doesn't sound like a wise financial choice.

You could perhaps look in to ways to "give back to society" through volunteering rather than giving up such a huge salary in the hope you might find another career more fulfilling. There are so many different volunteering roles you could look in to - not all need to be massively time consuming, but so many can be so rewarding.

I will certainly look into it before I go into it head first. I was veering more towards Radiology anyway.

Yeah, I get it's a cut in pay and I've definitely thought hard about this. We do have good savings and I'm not too proud to pick up some part time work if needed. I can't think of any other decent roles I could go into that gets me away from the corporate side that offers decent money & prospects without going to Uni. Otherwise I'd definitely go down that route and avoid Uni.

@Kite22 also, absolute worst case, I could always go back to current career if I didn't like new career? Wouldn't be ideal but definitely a safety net I guess.

Teaching isn't just teaching the lessons and marking as a lot of people think. Covid and lockdown has affected children more than I think we originally thought. The admin, SEN paperwork, pressures of Ofsted, low level behaviour to manage, pressures to be on top of everything all of the time and I have a very supportive SLT at my school. I'm at school from 7.40am to usually 5.30pm and it's still not all done. I'm very efficient so it s not a case of not working smart enough; the job is never done.

If I was you I would reduce my hours and look after your baby once your partner finishes maternity leave, volunteer at a children's group brownies, scouts etc to gain some experience. Then make the decision about teaching. No guarantee of free childcare from your mum as she may get ill / injured so don't rely. I would not give up a well paid career just as a new addition was coming to the family.

Thank you I really really appreciate your advice. It's great to talk to someone who is in the reality of it right now! If you'd be up for more of a chat that would be lovely but also appreciate you're super busy!

Even if it was destroying your mental health?

@Anonnnnnnm of course! I'm trying to be realistic about what primary teaching is like and yet i think I'm still not painting a true picture. I work at a school with some really challenging families in terms of social deprivation and low aspirations. Other schools are different and might be easier in some ways.
I went into teaching to be a positive role model and firmly believe that education can be the start of making positive changes to children's futures.
I don't regret my career choice at all however in the last 15 years that I've been either a TA or teacher it's become more challenging.