Retraining/Job change later in life

[raleighnut]

At 30 I went to college full time for 2 years and passed my 'City & Guilds' as a Cabinet Maker.

 

[kingrollo]

OU and access to cheap adult education is such a loss - it was like a 2nd chance to get educated for me.

 

[cougie uk]

At 44 years of age I left banking ,sold my house and moved to Denmark to become a sail maker. I had never sailed and knew nothing about sail making. I just fancied a change. I did not have bags of money. I have never been afraid of changing jobs. I have no qualifications but I think I can apply myself and work hard. I have always had the opinion that if you do not like what you are doing, stop and do something else. You need more conviction than luck.

Why sails and why Denmark ? I didn't know there was such a thing as a sailmaker tbh.

 

[raleighnut]

Why sails and why Denmark ? I didn't know there was such a thing as a sailmaker tbh.

Did you think cloth just grew like that.

 

[swee'pea99]

I'm sure some places are more amenable to this than others, but where I live everyone seems to know Kieran, who's somehow managed to make himself the go-to handyman for the area. He doesn't do any big jobs, won't rewire your house or landscape your garden, but if you need some shelves fitted, or a bolt put on the door, or to sort out that window that gets sticky when it's damp, Kieran's yer man. He charges twenty, fifty a hundred quid a pop, depending on what needs doing, and he seems to be pretty permanently busy. AFAIK it's all word of mouth, but he certainly seems to have built it into a thriving little business. It's amazing how many people these days can't put up a bookshelf.

 

[tom73]

@Tripster If you really want to do the OU go for it. It's the best thing I did and you learn more about what you really can do then you ever thought. Both of us would have never moved on to masters without it. I'd not have my degree either.
Most of the chargers the OU has in the last few years have been brought about by funding. As with all education it's funding has been cut add in the little interest governments give to part time learning. Has forced it's hand it's also been busy looking for other areas it's now well established partner with other providers and very active in degree apentacipes. For example every branch of Nursing is now covered and it's one of only two approved NHS training providers.

Time management is always a worry but they really help you on that they are well use to. For what's worth I was at one time going one , working and going my teaching degree at the same time. Do you have pulling your hair out moments yes you do, and "I just want to pack it in" ones too. But you'd be surprised how you find it in yourself to keep going.
The support is great yes as with all things you get issues but they get fixed quickly. The mental health support they've given to Mrs 73 has been great nothing has been an issue or a problem. As for IT you don't need to be an expert most things are done with pretty standard software. Again they help you if get stuck or last alone the way

As for fee's you have options part time degrees qualify for students loans. We both have one other options they have a budget account that you pay monthly with a bit of interest. The other option is % credit card and budget that way. Most of my degree was done that way. Have you looked into if your employer is willing to fund it many companies do fund OU degrees ? Depending on your income you many get some of it paid for if your self funding.

Just don't be put off all eduction and training sadly cost's money now. Adult education is even worse and not valued.
But what it give you back is priceless give them a call and talk though the options they are happy offer advice. They won't give you a hard sell so you won't end up all signed up.

 

[Tripster]

@Tripster If you really want to do the OU go for it. It's the best thing I did and you learn more about what you really can do then you ever thought. Both of us would have never moved on to masters without it. I'd not have my degree either.
Most of the chargers the OU has in the last few years have been brought about by funding. As with all education it's funding has been cut add in the little interest governments give to part time learning. Has forced it's hand it's also been busy looking for other areas it's now well established partner with other providers and very active in degree apentacipes. For example every branch of Nursing is now covered and it's one of only two approved NHS training providers.

Time management is always a worry but they really help you on that they are well use to. For what's worth I was at one time going one , working and going my teaching degree at the same time. Do you have pulling your hair out moments yes you do, and "I just want to pack it in" ones too. But you'd be surprised how you find it in yourself to keep going.
The support is great yes as with all things you get issues but they get fixed quickly. The mental health support they've given to Mrs 73 has been great nothing has been an issue or a problem. As for IT you don't need to be an expert most things are done with pretty standard software. Again they help you if get stuck or last alone the way

As for fee's you have options part time degrees qualify for students loans. We both have one other options they have a budget account that you pay monthly with a bit of interest. The other option is % credit card and budget that way. Most of my degree was done that way. Have you looked into if your employer is willing to fund it many companies do fund OU degrees ? Depending on your income you many get some of it paid for if your self funding.

Just don't be put off all eduction and training sadly cost's money now. Adult education is even worse and not valued.
But what it give you back is priceless give them a call and talk though the options they are happy offer advice. They won't give you a hard sell so you won't end up all signed up.

Thank you Tom, appreciate that detailed help and advice. I will take a more detailed look into the OU and courses.
I doubt my company would fund anything with the huge changes and restructuring surrounding the company, business and the changing attitudes to the Power Industry on a whole. This will be purely me funding along with a family and mortgage to pay. I would say these are the driving factors in looking at the Openreach type training or similar, although not found any other companies at present who run the same.

 

[kingrollo]

I didn't actually use the knowledge gained in my degree that much - and don't mind admitting doing it nearly killed me at times, that first year ! - jesus - a-level maths - for me ! - the teenage hoodlum who left school with a load of CSE'S grade 4's. But the confidence doing that degree gave me has paid for itself over and over !

 

[tom73]

Thank you Tom, appreciate that detailed help and advice. I will take a more detailed look into the OU and courses.
I doubt my company would fund anything with the huge changes and restructuring surrounding the company, business and the changing attitudes to the Power Industry on a whole. This will be purely me funding along with a family and mortgage to pay. I would say these are the driving factors in looking at the Openreach type training or similar, although not found any other companies at present who run the same.

Your welcome can't help it it's the adult and community teacher in me.
Sound like given your finances you'd qualify for something one way or another.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

I'm similar to @Tenacious Sloth in that I did 22 years in the RAF, then as I left I spanked the Enhanced Learning Credits (ELCs) as much as I could to retrain into a Corporate role and get a formal qualification, it cost about 3000 pounds all in, some 500 or so of that was the forces resettlement grant, about 500 was a personal cash contribution, and around 2 thousand was ELCs. Like TS, I was amazed at how many people ignored the offer of ELCs and just wasted them... free training, gone begging!
The course I chose was a good choice, initially anyway. I've now been in this industry 8 years building up experience and reputation which is what really counts in the sector... the qualification was the required "foot in the door" and I let it lapse after a while. About 4 years ago I'd got to a role with one of the biggest companies in the sector which paid really good money (4 times what I got in the RAF), unfortunately Covid has, (for now at least) completely decimated my sector so while I'm still in the role, I might not be forever, so I'm thinking the same thing: Maybe I need to leave this sector and retrain again in something more in demand. On the upside, I have some decent savings that I can use for training. I have no idea what... plumbing, electrical maybe. Something manual that'll stay in demand no matter what.
Great thread! I'm reading all these replies with interest.

 

[cougie uk]

Did you think cloth just grew like that.

Well ok I knew sails existed but in my 53 years on the planet I can only think of one acquaintance who had ever bought a sail. And I live very close to the coast.

Richards Bicycle Book talked of Scandinavian cyclists fashioning sails to make the most of a tailwind on the way home. Did that ever happen ? Is that what inspired you Steve ? ;-)

 

[Brandane]

My main career in the early days was as a Police Officer. Things didn't quite go to plan though and I was diagnosed with an atrial fibrillation (abnormal heart rhythm) after 19 years service. Lucky me was given an ill health pension, but it is pro-rata to my service and therefore unlike @Drago it doesn't take me anywhere near the 40% income tax threshold!

Initially I worked for my brother who has a snack vending business so I drove the van and filled the machines. Got bored with that very quickly so decided to have a bash at driving instruction. I fell for the "Driving Instructor College" (now RED driving school) scam and parted with cash to get trained up as an ADI (approved driving instructor). Suffice to say I never did fully qualify thanks in part to lack of places for instruction in the given time frame (like I said, a scam).

Next step was selling aerial photographs for a small company in Selby (no training required for that one) for a few months until they ran out of work, then airport security (good fun but minimum wage and 4 hour shifts hardly paid for the petrol cost of the 25 mile each way commute). A couple of disastrous ventures into the world of call centres followed, a month at each one. Enough said!

So to HGV driving. Not cheap, it cost me about £1000 to get my class 2 licence (rigid non artic lorries) and took a job at Glasgow airport with an air freight company. Quite enjoyed that; not much pressure and OK money for what I was doing. After a year sat and passed my class 1 (artics, and another £800 cost) and moved on to artics with the same company. Spent 6 years mainly running up and down to Aberdeen airport 4 days on/4 off. Great job for the most part, but then came redundancy. Moved to agency work but found it to be a bit hit and miss. Some decent jobs (a week in Orkney doing not a lot and staying in a nice hotel springs to mind) and some crap jobs (clearing drains at the side of the A76 near Dumfries also springs to mind!).

Along came a job in a local care home as a handyman (again no training required, just a bit of savvy and access to YouTube!) about 4 years ago. I took it. Was great to start with (aren't most jobs?) but then went downhill to the point that my relationship with management deteriorated, and I am now working my notice .

This time I think I will take some time out to think things over. In another year I will be 60, so don't really want to be knocking myself out. A wee part time number to top up the pension will do me, but I have picked a bad time to be looking for work . My attitude to life/work has changed recently, maybe it came from working in a care home and seeing what the future possibly holds. As long as I have enough £££ to pay the bills and feed myself, that will do. I have no family to leave anything to, so not a concern there. I just want to enjoy life and do things I want to do before it's too late. YOLO as the yoofs would say...

 

[Tripster]

I'm similar to @Tenacious Sloth in that I did 22 years in the RAF, then as I left I spanked the Enhanced Learning Credits (ELCs) as much as I could to retrain into a Corporate role and get a formal qualification, it cost about 3000 pounds all in, some 500 or so of that was the forces resettlement grant, about 500 was a personal cash contribution, and around 2 thousand was ELCs. Like TS, I was amazed at how many people ignored the offer of ELCs and just wasted them... free training, gone begging!
The course I chose was a good choice, initially anyway. I've now been in this industry 8 years building up experience and reputation which is what really counts in the sector... the qualification was the required "foot in the door" and I let it lapse after a while. About 4 years ago I'd got to a role with one of the biggest companies in the sector which paid really good money (4 times what I got in the RAF), unfortunately Covid has, (for now at least) completely decimated my sector so while I'm still in the role, I might not be forever, so I'm thinking the same thing: Maybe I need to leave this sector and retrain again in something more in demand. On the upside, I have some decent savings that I can use for training. I have no idea what... plumbing, electrical maybe. Something manual that'll stay in demand no matter what.
Great thread! I'm reading all these replies with interest.

Plumbing, heating, water all be needed no matter what so a solid future

 

[gbb]

My change in career was kinda forced on me and carried a certain amount of luck (right time, right place).
Always involved in engineering teams albeit at an unskilled level, made redundant, offered a place in a company on the tools, a whole step up for me.
Intensively trained inhouse, within 3 years i was travelling to Cyprus regularly, also to Egypt, Spain, Uruguay doing short two week stints installing, maintaining, repairing and training their guys to maintain and operate our food production machinery.
Made me sweat for the first year, determination and learn learn learn. It's not easy but incredibly rewarding. After 23 years in my previous job, i didnt realise i had gone stale.

 

[Tripster]

My change in career was kinda forced on me and carried a certain amount of luck (right time, right place).
Always involved in engineering teams albeit at an unskilled level, made redundant, offered a place in a company on the tools, a whole step up for me.
Intensively trained inhouse, within 3 years i was travelling to Cyprus regularly, also to Egypt, Spain, Uruguay doing short two week stints installing, maintaining, repairing and training their guys to maintain and operate our food production machinery.
Made me sweat for the first year, determination and learn learn learn. It's not easy but incredibly rewarding. After 23 years in my previous job, i didnt realise i had gone stale.

Certain amount of luck in many things. Really worked out well for you. I was an apprentice trained machinist but landed work in Power Industry and eventually some mechanical fitting. Before long I was doing niche work which although kept me in a good job travelling the world it also meant outside of the industry(and more importantly my company) I suppose I am not recognised with formal qualification. Like yourself I just ended up doing it and became a supervisor. End result is I would go back to my trade of machining which, I detest, if my job goes or I go without retraining...... I do enjoy the travel though.