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Mature study and retraining

Talk to other Mumsnetters who are considering a career change or are mature students.

Considering a Level 3 childcare apprenticeship in your 30s

1 reply

1234ABC1234 · 12/05/2026 17:11

Hi everyone,
I’m considering doing a Level 3 childcare apprenticeship in my 30s and would really love to hear from anyone who’s done something similar.
How did you find going back into learning/training at this age? Did you feel out of place being older than some of the other apprentices, or was there a good mix of ages?
I’d also love to know:
What the workload was like alongside family/life commitments
Whether employers were supportive
What your pay and hours were realistically like
If you felt it was worth it in the end
Any honest experiences or advice would be really appreciated!

OP posts:
Indianajet · 12/05/2026 17:17

I did NVQs in Childcare and Playwork in my 40s. There was a lot of theory work , but I enjoy research and writing essays.
I worked in playgroups, as a teaching assistant and ran an after school club before retiring.
It certainly didn't make me a fortune but I enjoyed it and it fitted in with school hours so was good for family life.

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