Is it too late to get a better Career at 28?

[SouthMan28]

I’m currently working in a dead end job only taking home £18,500 a year! And getting depressed at the thought of people around me of my age group having more success and money than me even though I’ve worked in the same job for nearly 10 years! My parents never really supported me in doing better at School and College and I’ve not known how to do better with my life because of this. What’s the options I have to have a more successful career, even though I feel it’s getting to late as I’m nearly 30!

I went back to uni to retrain at 39 and qualified at 41. There were people on my course and other related courses in their 50s.

I don't know if this will make you feel better or worse but you'll likely have to work for another 40 years so it's definitely not too late.

What do you do now? What qualifications do you have? If you live in Wales I can recommend some specifics which might help. I used to work in adult education and it is genuinely never too late.

My Mum's next door neighbour trained as an acupuncturist aged 60. She then had a 30 year career running a clinic, engaging in further study and teaching.

Def not too late!

Not too late, by at least 25 years!

I went back to college and retrained for another job when I was 42. Anything is possible,

I joined the Civil Service at 27 and in my mid thirties am now a Grade 6 (£60-70k). It's definitely not too late! What are your skills, experience or interests? Maybe posters can advise?

@JackieCollinshasnoauthority

I don't know if this will make you feel better or worse but you'll likely have to work for another 40 years so it's definitely not too late.

What do you do now? What qualifications do you have? If you live in Wales I can recommend some specifics which might help. I used to work in adult education and it is genuinely never too late.

I’m currently a delivery driver and I only have a level 2 diploma in construction.

Definitely not too late! A lot of people faff around in their 20s, qualified or not.

What would you like to do?

OP you’re wondrously young, but as you’ve uttered the fatal words ‘Is it too late to …’ you get a free pass to the Mature Study and Retraining board, here:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mature_students

• where countless people are looking for and finding answers to exactly that question.

(The board is quite new, and I used to be very officious about suggesting people ask MNHQ to move their relevant threads there. Up to you …)

@GuidingSpirit

I joined the Civil Service at 27 and in my mid thirties am now a Grade 6 (£60-70k). It's definitely not too late! What are your skills, experience or interests? Maybe posters can advise?

Well I currently hold a manual driving license, have a CSCS construction card as an operative, have long distance driving experience (good with the Geography in the UK). My interests are driving, meeting new people, Reading & Writing and watching films

I switched careers at 30. Never too late!

I hope it’s not too late for you as I’m hoping for a complete career change and am 15 years older than you!

You're 28!! Not 78!!!! Of course you can change careers/retrain.

Of course not. I changed career in my late 20s and went into have, what I consider, a good job, good pay and the work life balance I want. I really enjoy my job too

I started retraining the week after my 31st birthday. Certainly not too late

Could you look to be a project manager or site manager ? Engineering ?

It’s not too late. I didn’t start working until I was 24 (I dropped out of school and then did f-all for very many years). 12 years later I am on a very good wage. Research your career path wisely and choose something that gives you the opportunity to end up where you want to be in 10 years’ time.

28 Yes OP, you're totally done for. No chance at all in the next 40 or 50 working years.

People change careers and jobs up to (and sometimes beyond) retirement. Do you have any fantasy jobs at all, anything you've daydreamed about?

Look into doing your NEBOSH qualifications maybe? If you have a construction background you might enjoy health and safety. It pays well. I left school with 3 GCSEs and went to university in my 40s, graduated and then got myself a well paid job. So no, it's not too late.

Certainly not too late, but what can make it harder at that age, is if you have a young family to support and can't easily take time out to gain a qualification. If you don't have kids or any dependants then it will make it easier. As for what to do I know there is a shortage of HGV drivers and this can be quite well paid, so have you thought of looking into that?

I changed careers at age 50!

A number of people I know restarted in their 30s. It’s not too late at all and very exciting!

Do you have GCSEs, a levels, uni?

I'm retraining at 54 after 15 years of being a SAHM. Do I think you're too old to change career? Why don't you guess the answer.

Why not train to be a long-distance lorry driver?