To retrain at 40

[whatworksforme]

I despise my job and I need a way out, but at 40, I don't know where to begin, or what with.

Im lucky in that my only DC is now 18 and about to start earning themselves, so don't have major expenses in that respect.

I have an HNC in admin. The job I'm in now isn't admin related and it's not a a job/profession that I want to continue in in any form. But I don't know what I would want to do, or be good at.

So, has anyone retrained at 40? What did you retrain in? How hard was it?

I have no savings as just moved house this year.

I'm just looking for inspiration, and stories, good and bad, from anyone who has started again at this age.

Hopeful bump

Im mid 40's and have swapped a 20 year career in retail to join the civil service....so although I havent returned to studying I've had to completely start from scratch, my job is NOTHING like my retail roles!. Honestly I havent regretted one minute of it - go for it 😁

Go for it. Assuming you haven't already got a healthy 6+ figure pension pot, you've got another couple of decades of working. Might as well spend those years doing something you enjoy!

Career shifters is a good organisation to help with this.

It’s absolutely possible and you should do it. Your skills sound very transferable.

You aren’t too old at all. You’ve got 27 years working life left. If you haven’t got a degree you’d get loan funding for a degree.
Have you any idea what you’d like to do eg hobbies or transferable skills?
Some times lend themselves to people with life experience eg OT or social work.

Go for it!

I retrained as a nurse aged 46 qualified when I was 49. Go for it.

Go for it!

I went back to uni and retrained in my late 30s. One of the best things I ever did!

Like a pp has said, you've got a good number of years left to work yet. Do something you love!

Place marking. I'm a few years older than you and looking to do same.

I'm around 40 and currently studying a social work masters! I say do it.

I retrained as a teacher, passing my course at 40 (I then had a baby so I did the NQT part after that). I trained on the job so it didn't cost me anything. I was freelancing before getting the teaching job, so what I did was added some tutoring alongside to start to build the skills I needed.

I have been teaching 12 years now. I don't think I would have enjoyed teaching at 25 or 30. The life experience and organisational skills help you, although I don't think I'll do it forever because you need a lot of physical energy.

I am toying with the idea of retraining in tech next!

I know someone who trained as a secondary teacher in their 40's having been in retail for their whole life. It meant going to uni etc. but they were able to keep their retail job and work evenings and weekends to let them attend classes, they also had teenagers at the time.

I suppose it depends on what you want to do. I am jealous though as I am approaching 40 and would love to change career also but have young kids and big mortgage so not much chance.

My friend has just became a paramedic at 50!
She has been in hospitality for 30 yrs before.
Good luck

I would love to train in something (37) but no idea what, I'm just taking time to decide. Go for it!

Lots of people come to nursing and other AHP roles later in life. Lots of career progression opportunities, good pension, holiday and sick pay. Not an easy job but an enormous amount of job satisfaction. Don’t spent you life doing something you hate!

I've started to think about retraining and I'm in.my 50s. Go for it. You will be working for many many years yet.

I was looking at the get into teaching site, I feel more confident in my 40's.
The financial side frightens me though.

I'm about to turn 39 and I've saved a bit of money. I also have a dh who is supportive and he earns a good amount. So I'm now reducing my hours at work so I can retrain in my free time.

I am not giving up my job entirely, but am going v part time. It's risky and involves a change in job role. But, like you, I can see the only likely way my career can progress from where I am now, and I don't want to do it!

Good luck with it

I trained as a nurse age 37 qualified age 40! Go for it. You may not retire till mid sixties so definitely worth it

Following I'm a social worker looking to retrain.

I retrained as an acupuncturist at 42. Love it.

Good luck @whatworksforme

@whatworksforme You’ll be pleased to learn there is a dedicated Mature Study and Retraining board on MN - hundreds of threads discussing exactly this. You’ll find it here:

www.mumsnet.com/talk/mature_students

Sure to be something there to inspire you!

Do it! I am 40 and am in the process of starting a new career. I fit it around freelance work in my current career, which means it's taking longer than I would ideally like, but the bills need to be paid.

I have more working years ahead of me than behind me, and I heard some good advice on a podcast recently: don't waste your midlife crisis!

I'm desperate to leave my current role but the career path I want would involve a huge pay cut so I can't do it right now. I'm hoping in a few years to be able to make the move once childcare is less of an issue.