Not worked for 18 years - is it too late to retrain at 50?

[Forgottenidentity]

I know I am unreasonable not to have worked for the last 18 years. My husband worked away a lot and I just seemed to always take full responsibility for all the house, garden and kids. If I had my time again I would have ensured I worked part time years ago. I did a few years of child minding for a friend and also one part time job as an administrator until my husband got diagnosed with cancer last year. I really want to get a job but struggling to find anything that I’m qualified to do apart from retail or carer roles which don’t really appeal. Has anyone successfully retrained at the age of 50? I have ALevels but no degree. I worked in admin before kids but things have moved on a lot since then. Any advice greatly appreciated.

I would start by thinking about what you would like to do - so many options. Then think about whether you really have the appetite to study. What does retraining mean to you? For example if you wanted to be a solicitor are you happy to do a law degree and the professional exams and who will fund this? Or if you wanted to be a hairdresser are you happy working weekends and sweeping floors? Also how are you funding any course? What do you need to earn? If you don’t need money, but want a purpose, to have colleagues, to have a place to be you could consider volunteering. I think you need to think first and set some parameters then if you do decide you want to be a nurse for example we can advise on ways to achieve that.

Maybe a bookkeeping course?

Whilst I don't think it's too late to retrain, I'd try and find just something to start as soon as possible alongside any training you want to do. I'm sure you can craft a CV through hobbies, interests and past work.

Maybe look at part time work at an estate agent, they usually have entry roles showing properties. Or look at National trust or a supermarket, they often have entry level roles and don't expect loads of experience.

Don't think of these roles as your forever job just something to get over the initial hurdle of not working. Your coming up to a great time of year with Christmas vacancies.

I dont think there's point in training until you have an idea of what you might want to do.

It's been 14 years for me, I even did a degree in the middle (then Covid came and I couldn't work for 2 years and lost my mojo). I'm actually very worried about work because even though I used to be a very hard worker and a good team player, the time out of work has hugely knocked my confidence. I wish there were more schemes to get mum's back into work after long breaks. I can't even find any jobs near me I'd feel OK to apply for. I can't do manual work any more but I could do admin standing on my head. The gap on the CV seems to be a huge issue with even getting an interview.

You could see if your local council has a back into work scheme. Ours does and pays for 3 months placements in offices etc- often for women going back to work. Then you can get some experience.

What do you want to do? In any case I'd recommend some experience to see if it suits you.

Like if you want to be a nurse, get a job that involves being on your feet all day first. Same for anything desk based.

You dont want to train as a lawyer and find out you struggle with computers because it's double learning curve.

Of course you can! What do you really WANT to do? Not what you think you should do but want to do?

Don't you have to be on UC to get onto these? I always thought you had to be claiming something?

@Forgottenidentity you really, really need to take a look at the Mature Study and Retraining board, here:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/maturestudents

It was set up with exactly you in mind - and you’ll find countless different experiences of considering, embarking on and completing some sort of study or training at every age. If you spend a couple of hours on it you’ll be alerted to everything you need to think about, and most of the realistic options open to you.

50 is the new 30 so you go girl!

Don't be so hard on yourself. It isn't unreasonable to have not worked for 18 years. You were there for your family. You can't put a value in that. I gave up my career to look after my kids and grandparents. I did childminding for a few years then retrained to teach. I still only work part time we still have kids at home. I do everything in the house DIY, bills etc. Do you 'need' to work or us it a want. If a want volunteer initially to build up experience. No it's not to late to retrain lots of places value life experience. There's access courses to uni there's no age limit in apprenticeships my daughter trained with a guy in his 69s. He left the army and did an apprenticeship. Be kind to yourself. X

OP, why don’t you sign up with a temping agency? You have admin experience, and many places just want someone to “mind the shop” while someone’s away on holiday - but it would give you an insight into different businesses and maybe point you in the direction of where you might like to go? Just a thought. (My DD did temping when she was between jobs, which is why I thought of it.)

Government is really keen to get people working and so there is support out there. Suggest you talk to your local job centre or maybe further education college for e.g. fully funded skills bootcamps (1 day a week normally for 12 or 16 weeks) they will likely to be delighted to have someone keen to learn!

It’s not unreasonable to have not worked for the past 18 years and equally not unreasonable to want to work now. However, it may be hard to hit the ground running at the age of 50 just as menopause is kicking in, having to deal with possible brain fog, minor memory issuesand hot flushes ESPECIALLY if you haven’t had to push yourself before. Just reflecting back on my own experiences of taking on a new job age that age, even though my own work record was more continuous than yours seems to have been. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t do it but choose wisely OP.

If you have A Levels then nothing to stop you doing a degree if thar would help you get into your chosen career.

You still have 15+ years of employment so have a think about what you would like to do then find out what qualifications you will need.

Thanks for starting this thread OP and thanks to everyone who has given their insight and replies. I've not opened such a useful thread on here in months, probably even years.

I'm in a similar situation albeit couple years younger than 50. For me it has been 10 years and I am at a bit of a loss. You've been brave posting here and bravo all the respectful answers.

I did work part time between my 2 maternity leaves and it was a total disaster even though pay and apparently hours were part time I was still expected to be able to produce as much as my full time counterparts that it almost made me ill. Adding to that at home it was expected I do it all as only working part time. Whole thing total disaster.

I currently give a fair bit of my time to helping at the school but since youngest starts secondary next year this will stop and kids dont need me as much.

Going to the gym also fills my time.

Would live to hear how the retraining goes.

@NoKnit do please take a look at the MN Mature Study and Retraining board I linked above. There are so many thoughts and ideas and experiences there on retraining.

(I speak as someone who undertook an MA in my 50s, thirty years after my first degree, twenty odd years after professional qualifications, in a completely new subject, at a specialist institution. Opened the door to an entire new world.)

Thanks. I wonder why I haven't ever seen that section before. I've got some reading to do now 😁😀👍

I went back at 50 after 22 years of not working properly. Joined the civil service, they have blind recruitment so don't see your age, you are also assessed on companies rather than work experience which helps. I joined HMRC and joined a training program there were people of all ages some older than me right down to people just out of uni so I didn't feel out of place.

Can I ask what "assessed on companies" means please?

You would not be able to do a degree for anything now without being extremely comfortable with technology.

I think this is autocorrect from competencies.

I meant competencies and behaviours. They have different tests depending on the job so it maybe a numerical test, a judgment test or customer service test for example. The interviews are usually based around behaviours as well as skills so you might have to give an example of something that showed a certain behaviour and demonstrate it using the Star format. It's a bit weird at first but there's loads online explaining how to do it.