Come and share your success stories please, I need motivation

[Timetoask]

I desperately need to hear success stories! If you were in your 40s when you retrained in a completely new area after being a SAHM for some years and it worked for your, do share with me:

• how did you retrain? Was it university, a professional course?
• how did you manage to find work? Was it through people you knew or did you apply through agencies?
• Was it worth the time and expense?

I am going to do it, I just have to do something starting this year. I have been accepted into an access course in my local college this september. I am 41, and I am so scared that I won't be accepted into university because of my age or that even if I am accepted I will never find a job because of being ancient. I will 45 by the time I finish studying.

Not been in this position myself but didn't want to read and run!

Go for it!!!

45 is sooooo not too old to get employed - at worst you might feel that you are a bit behind other people's work experience but anyone who is your age is your peer and you do have something to contribute - don't feel intimidated!

What area are you looking into? Is your access course just bringing you up to speed on Maths & English basics or is it in a specific field?

Hi Alixion, you've made my day! I have one reply, hurray.
I AM going for it. I cannot go back to my previous career and I need a long term plan and it needs to involve retraining.

I wanted to find positive stories from other women that managed to do it in their 40s but since I didn't get any responses to the question I am wondering if there are any out there!

I have been looking around at other forums (there is a good careers Q&A in the Guardian website) but everything posted is negative. DH tells me it's because only people that have not been successful are posting about their experience, I hope he's right.

Yes, I think your husband is right!

Don't discount the threads on here though - I would say that anyone returning to work after a break or retraining, no matter what their age, feels the same anxiety

If you feel confident in your skills then you will do great and companies will hire you for those skills and probably won't even notice your age.

Enjoy your training - it's such an exciting time!

I read a quote the other day and it went something like... "Don't be put off doing something because of the time it will take to complete. The time will pass anyway."

:-)