To think DH’s plans to career change are not wise

[NaomiFirstTimeMum]

Hi all, DH has sat me down this weekend and told me he is unhappy in his job and is pro-actively seeking to change career once he completes qualifications he is taking alongside his existing job.

His current job offers him:
-a good salary and annual bonus
-hybrid working with a lot of flexibility
-generous sick pay/private health care
-generous holiday and pension contributions
-‘big’/recognised company so decent job security and he would have a good redundancy package if the worst happened.

He has been fed up for a while, he’s unfulfilled and there’s no real progression now (he has been unsuccessful in a few interviews over the past year).

He’s looking at an industry that would have earning potential in a few years which outweighs what he gets now, but he would definitely have to take an initial drop in salary and he’d lose the perks I’ve listed above including hybrid working so would have the cost of travelling each day, possibly out of our area.

I think we’d just about cope financially but we would have to put our plans to move house on hold until he was in a good position with any new job (not guaranteed of course that he will get into that position at all or for a while).

I know he’s fed up and not enjoying work but I just can’t get my head around him giving up everything I’ve listed.

For additional context, he is mid 30’s, we have one DC and I also work.

Any thoughts would be welcome.

I think you should support him. Spending so much time each week somewhere that makes you unhappy is hell.

Thanks all, to address some of the points raised:

-He’s looking to move from financial services (more banking side of things - head office role) into financial advice (so looking at doing level 4 qualification) as he has a big interest in this and has researched it quite heavily.

-I work PT but quite a few hours and ensures this works with childcare and costs etc

-It’s likely he would be around less for drop
off/pick ups etc but we have family very near who are hands on when needed. He does do plenty at home around the house and with DC etc and this wouldn’t change as still be here in the evenings/weekends.

-I would of course support him, it’s just scary incase it doesn’t work out. But he really doesn’t enjoy his current job and hasn’t for a while so I think he feels he has to at least try to do something different he may enjoy.

Sounds very sensible. Mid 30s is a good age to do it. Lots of time to increase earnings back up. I switched career at 32 and was very wise as previous career barely exists now.

My husband went through something similar 5 years ago. His job changed due to a company buy out and he was incredibly unhappy and demotivated at work. It was really affecting him, as he's someone who thrives on being good at his job and earning well. He took a leap and set up on his own and it's been fantastic.
I agree that supporting your husband is scary when there's a big change, but it's better than him being deeply unhappy with work