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!

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mature_students/4399666-Has-anyone-retrained-as-train-driver

Stop blaming your parents. You are a grown adult at nearly 30. Find the opportunity you want. Also comparing yourself with others is a sure way to make yourself unhappy. It took me to my 30s to stop doing it.

@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?

@GuidingSpirit sorry to butt in on another posters thread .. don't suppose you have any interview advice? I'm trying to escape my 13 year long dead end band 5 NHS job for the CS. Have an EO interview (haven't been successful applying for higher grades) and am bricking it as it's taken ages to even get this far. 🤦🏼‍♀️ I'm terrible at interviews.

If you've got a construction diploma you're obviously reasonably hand. Why not retrain as s plumber specialising in heat pump installation. Each job will take between a couple of days and a month so you'll get to meet lots of people and a regular change of scenery. The market is going to be massive within a few years.

Maybe start with some night school courses but maybe look at an apprenticeship.

Hi @Teaandcakeordeath83 no problems! Do you want to DM me? Happy to share some advice

I career changed in my early 30s to IT. Enjoying it and been promoted within 2yrs. Definitely possible.

Running data centres, cabling, networking etc may be something that there would be a high demand for in the future and may have some crossover with construction?

At 36 was made redundant from a
charity and got a low grade civil service job, still there now 5 years later. Charity sector has gone south even more so am relieved.

I did my degree, with two children under 5, in my early 30s and had a complete career change at 41

What do you enjoy? Office-based work or a more practical / technical role?

If you're interested in construction and have an elementary background, could you look at project management qualifications, or as a PP mentioned, H&S (which is actually really interesting, and might suit you if you like being out and about on site, travelling etc).

Alternatively, you could look at a trade - you'll probably still qualify for an apprenticeship in certain sectors, such as engineering, at your age - or a specialised plant operation / driving qualification, such as a forklift or Class 1/2 licence?

Construction procurement and ops management is also a relatively niche function which is in demand - I have a former colleague who came out of the RAF and retrained as a procurement manager at 40. She now has an excellent and very well-paid role with a big construction company.

Absolutely not! I retrained at 31, completely different role to what I was doing before.

Now in my mid-40s and I’m in another completely different career that I sort of sideways moved into a few years ago.

It’s never too late, and certainly not at 28!

Started as a nurse (with side order of restaurant/financial work) in my 20/30s. Took BA and MA between 38-45 when I had young children. Now at 50 I am starting up an online selling business. Second year of trading and I'll be VAT registering later this year.

DH left the army at 41 and started a new career. I might persuade him to come and work for me (will be us, we'd become business partners) later in the year. Maybe his third career starting at 52?

I had career changes aged 43 and then aged 56 😁

Not at all, I went from earning £11 ph working part time as an administrator to earning £lots and lots more as an assistant project manager at the age of 34. I'm
hopefully about to make the jump to full project manager 5 years later. That'll be my career settled.