Would you consider this job at 55?

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I've always been interested in being an ambulance call handler. I've never applied before as I'm a lone parent so couldn't do the shifts.

DD is now old enough to leave alone and will go to uni next year. I've now applied, passed the tests and have an interview lined up. I've seen the shift pattern and there are 14 different shifts! I naively thought they would be straight 12 hour shifts, as did all the other people at the assessment tests, they were as shocked as me at the shift pattern.

It will be an hour drive each way for me to get there, there are 12 hour shifts, but some are 5pm -3am or 6pm - 1am and there are 14 different timed shifts.

I'm 55 and people are saying I'm too old for this kind of pressure, plus I know it will be a stressful job. I'm in turmoil of whether to go for the interview or just leave it and accept it may be too much.

What do you think, would you do it at 55?

That’s interesting. I’d love to retrain as a teacher but think no one will be interested as I’m 54.

At this age is it still possible to train as a teacher here? I’d love to hear more.

You might find the shifts a bit harder going at 55 than at 25, especially night shifts - but if you want it, go for it!

@WhitePoinsettia there’s an organisation, Now Teach, that specialises in coaching career changers into teaching. Apparently it’s a pretty standard age for their applicants. Also I looked at the stats and saw about 200 people in their fifties and above trained last year. So not loads but also not none.

nowteach.org.uk

Wow, thanks for the info.

You will be great at this.
Do it.

I would just give it a go and see how you get on - if it doesn't suit, you can resign, but at least you wont be left wondering 'what if'.

I’m later 50s and I couldn’t handle those shifts…..I worked nights in my 30s/40s …..11 hours ……8pm to 7am….it messed my body up….I was always tired…..never felt well

Although the shift times are odd, presumably it’s three days a week, so there’s four days without shifts or travel to work ..

12 years until a pension you mean? Many people can and do retire a lot earlier than that.

OP, how do you sleep? I'm a couple of years younger and my answer would be 'not well enough'. I'd be worried about the shiftwork making that worse, and even more worried about the 1hr drive in the middle of the night if I'm sleep deprived.

I can (and do) handle long hours and lots of complexity and stress, but not at the expense of my sleep!

Are you giving up another job if you get this one? If so, how much do you love the current job?

Stop focusing on the number. Every one is different. You can have 75 year olds with the physique of 55 year olds and visa versa.

Give it a go.

I did my nurse training with a 55 year old lady who had been a teacher for her entire career and decided to completely retrain. She coped fine!

It's not about the age to retirement, it's that you could be starting work at 7am one day and 9pm another and 1am another, it really messes with your routine. I worked with 19 year olds that couldn't handle it, let alone 55 year olds.

Go for it, OP.

The worst that could happen is you quit. Otherwise, you will spend the rest of your life living 'what if ...'.

Just get it out of your system. You might even love it.

If OP has always wanted to do the job and finds out that she loves it, she has at least 12 years of doing it.

I'd give it a try, I wouldn't give up before I'd even started because some people can't manage shift work.

Only you can really know if the shifts would bother you. If you're unsure, it's worth giving it a go.

Age isn't the only factor though. I'm 38 and I wouldn't consider any type of shift work that included changing hours or overnights because I'd hate it. I like to know exactly where I am. Years ago I worked a three week cycle of 8-4, 9-5 and 10-6 and I quickly moved roles because even that I detested!

I'd go for it, I'd rather try and fail than look back and wonder 'what if?'.