Changing career in later life.

The Bodach took redundancy from a stressful sales/service position, and retrained to work in hostels for the homeless. I was sure he wouldn’t be able to hack it , but he loved it and seemed to be very good at it.
My early working life was with people with learning difficulties, then in early years education. I decided I’d like a ‘ non-caring ‘ job, so went to work on, and later manage, NHS helplines. I was very well paid, but I decided money wasn’t everything, so went back to early years, and trained in behaviour management, and loved my job, though ill-health forced me to retire.
You go for it, you’ll be grand.

I had two careers; the retraining and start of the second when I was 50. I never regretted it; it provided a breath of fresh air into my later life.

I went from 30 odd years as a specialist hospital brain injury social worker to a varied second career as a photographer, picture editor for a magazine, arts outreach with young people and running singing workshops form people with mental health problems and large community choir projects!

Leap off your cliff with a smile!!

One un-looked-for spin-off of my decision was that my children learned that the world is your oyster and you do not have o get stuck in a rut whatever your age!

I think you should definitely go ahead with it, NAGY.
I nearly changed career at around 50, but the new career I hoped to start involved too much study time, and expense, so sadly I had to give it up.
After 3 years of external studies. (Law)
I often wonder how different my life would have been.

DD is on her second major career change. She did the first one when she was 34 and is about to make the second change at 45.

Yes, I have job changed three times. For reasons too long to explain here, I started out working in a shop, ending up as Manageress, then when that closed down I changed direction and got a position as Secretary in a sales department and got pushed into being the Secretary to the MD, lastly after a big life change I ended up working as a Revenue Auditor in a hotel until I retired. All brilliant jobs, although not necessarily well paid, but good fun and interesting. Never regretted doing any of them, so go for it.

Yes massive change in late 40s, weird but more secure. Enjoy

I changed careers ( well I didn’t have a career but jobs prior) at 53 and stayed happily, very happily in it until I was 68 so 15 great years I was hoping to stay till 70 but they upper management changed and they wanted a younger cheaper version so I was very kindly ‘let go’ no redundancy just retired off put out to grass ?

I retrained as a counsellor in my late 40's/early 50's (it took 4 years ) and have loved it so glad I did it. I trained as a nursery nurse 69-71 and worked as one for many years with a break to stay home with my children whilst they were small. It is scary to do something completely different but I've never regretted it and still work part time at 64. Good luck I hope you enjoy your new career as much as I've enjoyed mine

I changed a year ago when I was 61.
After working a lifetime in finance to working in a residential setting with severely autistic young people with complex needs . I wish that I had done it years ago .
Good luck with you change of career Notagranyyet .

I changed careers at 30, 40 and 50. The one at 50 was the most scary as my husband had stopped working by then, so I was the main breadwinner.

I had a five year career before children, was a fulltime Mum until the youngest was four, then a different second career while children were at school. In my forties I retrained for the totally different career I had always wanted and really got going through my fifties, sixties and into my seventies. I realise I was very lucky to have the opportunity, but I would say to anyone in their forties or fifties, if you get the chance, go for it.

I do think you need to just go for it. When I did it was financial lunacy - sick husband and 3 dependent children. But they all backed me and it was a great success.

If you don’t try you won’t know and will always regret it. Nerves are understandable nota, don’t let them get the better of you. I began to study for a change of direction at 42, gradually was able to move to a profession I loved, finally achieving a Masters Degree to help promotion in my early 50’s. That change was wonderful, I loved what I did, I am hoping it will be her same for you.

I moved to a new job and a new career aged 50 and it was the best thing I ever did. I was never happier than in that post. I developed and grew, had a stimulating challenge and, best of all, lots of travel to places I would never otherwise have got to. Go for it and enjoy!

Humbertbear speaks for me too. I would add that, as an older woman in a highly technical workplace, I took great pleasure in challenging preconceptions from young colleagues. We quickly learned to appreciate our combined strengths. I worked until 66, and retired to spend more time with family, but could have carried on. I miss working (but not getting up so early). Also, in those last working years, I managed to secure a good pension.

It's amazing what we are capable of (health permitting) into our 60s and beyond. You're not too old at 50 to start a new career, just getting 'warmed up'.

Hi, thank you all for your words of wisdom and encouragement. My new job only involves around 3 months of training but I live alone and need the money which I think is why I'm a bit worried so it has to work, but I'm sure it will be fine, once I get used to it and hopefully I will be pleased I jumped out of my cosy, easy life and into the unknown.
Thanks again everyone. Much appreciated.

I've changed careers throughout my life for various reasons and each one has been an exciting challenge. It's widened my experience which I now use in the voluntary sector. Go for it Notagranyet12

Thank you, I will.

Not exactly careers but have worked in many different jobs. It's never too late. A work colleague of mine aged 51 has just been accepted to train as a mental health nurse.

Update on changing career in later life:
Well I'm over half way through training and last week this entailed going into the actual place to do the job, with the people that I'll be doing it with. I have to say it was one of the worst days of my life. Literally no one spoke to me. It was like I was invisible and all I was thinking was "Oh my god, what have I done?" I couldn't believe how people could be so mean. I've had 6 days in there now and I'm really struggling with the job and this awful feeling of not being welcomed as a newbie... I had my doubts as to whether I was making the right decision because I knew it was going to take some getting used to but not being spoken to by my new colleagues didn't even cross my mind. Dreading going in again but have no choice, got to get on with it. Anyone else experienced anything similar?

Notagyet I'm so sorry to read your about your experience. That sounds awful and very daunting Is your work situation one in which you could take cakes in as a softener perhaps? It certainly sounds very mean of your colleagues, but perhaps you have inadvertently walked into a 'situation' that was already ongoing? Work politics? Hope things improve for you

Hi Squiffy, there are about 30-40 people in at any one time so cakes would be a bit expensive and probably most people wouldn't even know who had bought them anyway?? I think it's the culture of the place because I've noticed that a lot of them ignore each other too. They only seem to talk or make any effort with people they know, although how they got to know them in the first place when no one speaks is a bit of a mystery? Things may improve but I've had one of the worst weeks of my working life and wish I'd stuck with my easy cosy life working with nice people.........the trouble is, you don't know until you try and then if you don't take the risk and try something new you can have regrets that you didn't at least give it a go so whatever happens I suppose I'll learn from the experience. Am so upset though, was really hoping I was going to expand my social circle which was of the reasons I made the jump?

Having in fact wasted my early years doing mundane jobs that I was certainly not cut out for........a cashier and receptionist first in a ladies gown shop (and all my wages went on the clothes!!) and secondly,much the same in a garage .Since maths was never my favourite subject it really was a stupid idea.
After a disastrous marriage and severe illnesses I was very taken by the nurses that had so diligently cared for me,whatever time of day and however unpleasant their job they always attended the ward looking so fresh and wearing a big smile.
The more I thought about it I decided it was worth giving it a go, and so I joined the profession and did my training,loving every long hard moment of it,obviously finding my "niche" in life.
My health again proved a bugbear so that in my early 40`s I was really unable to carry on.
But sticking slightly to the theme of caring I put all my energies into Voluntary work.There was a lot of dedication and much time spent in eventually reaching the goals I had set myself,but the years of counselling and being a general dogs body..... bringing hope and understanding into other lives at their low point has given me such satisfaction,I feel I have made a little difference and it gives me a certain peace of mind.
Having written in detail about it all in my blog I will not go into specifics.
However to all whom may be thinking of embarking on a new career, or turning their own life around .........I would say,hesitate no longer but grab the opportunity with both hands.............and Good Luck!!

Not a gran, don't waste time being unhappy, I appreciate your need but life is too short to be unhappy, rethink and find something you like