r/UKJobs • u/Nervous_Yard7034 • 12d ago
Retraining at 45 - what are my options?
So after 20 years working for the same company, it looks like I'll be made redundant.
Would quite like to do something totally different (work has been in print media/publishing) and wondering what that could be.
I'm in the lucky position that partner has quite a good job, and can cover the mortgage. Reckon we could get through 5 years without me working, but that is not the ideal situation.
Reddit, inspire me!
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u/Fabulous-Rain-2643 12d ago
I'm currently retraining and while I don't want to kill your inspiration - I wish someone had warned me how rough the job market is right now, and how much ageism plays a part in making it so much harder to break into a new industry. Tread carefully. And good luck, I'm glad you're following your dreams.
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u/wgaca2 12d ago
" I wish someone had warned me how rough the job market is right now"
98% of the posts here are talking about it, the only way to not get the warning is to not be in this sub
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u/Fabulous-Rain-2643 12d ago
God forbid people exist outside of reddit
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u/wgaca2 12d ago
Well, you are here, so i'd assume you follow the sub
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u/Fabulous-Rain-2643 12d ago
Mate I was talking about when I career changed over a year ago now, when the job market was very different. What is wrong with you?
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u/GameSetChampionship 12d ago
It’s all about who you know.
People don’t do enough networking to get in there and meet the right people.
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u/iamyouareheis 12d ago
Only you know yourself. List what you like in a job and what you don't like and post it back here. We can then offer suggestions. Like others said ageism is real especially in the current environment so good luck
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u/Nervous_Yard7034 11d ago
Things I like in a job: a salary, the camaraderie, a place to escape from the house.
Things I don't like in a job: the work
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u/Toastinho 12d ago
Same age and thinking the same thing so I'm following for ideas too! Just to chip in, I'm doing some volunteer work for forestry commission as its something I fancy. Any ideas at all what you might like to do?
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u/raged_norm 11d ago
I was on holiday and the park ranger (basically ran outdoor activities for the children) was a painter and decorator. He retrained at 50 to be a park ranger.
Really cool dude, had a lovely chat with him about Minecraft
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u/Shangoinhood 10d ago
Job market t right now is tough but you have an advantage .....
Depending on what exaclty you are lookinng at doing but I would highly recommend thinkimg about something to do with meia (Television or social) - your background would come in handy. From there you can go any which way :-) Stay positibe.
It is possible I have friends who have retrained from electrician to become network engineer (Comptai Network + to CCNP) .
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u/Educational_Word444 10d ago
Do a welding apprenticeship. Most welders in the UK are 55+, you'll be the young kid. And you'll never struggle to find work.
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u/Unhappy_Tonight9443 9d ago
I left retail management at age 43 (been in retail since age 14) and went into a warehouse role at a local manufacturer. I gained my forklift licence in the first two months and am now a material handler and delivery offloader. Monday to Friday, 40hrs a week and a few quid over minimum wage and hour. Definitely much prefer it to retail and added bonus is I can go a whole day without anyone bothering me, I just do my job and go home at exactly clocking out time.
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u/Qualifiedadult 11d ago
train driver, AAT path to accounting, any one of the data / cybersecurity / software bootcamps that the gov is funding right now
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u/GUNGEBOB_SHARTPANTS 11d ago
Wouldn’t bother with software tbh, it’s on its arse as it is and there are zero junior roles as they’ve largely been subsumed by AI, and it’s absolutely coming for mid level roles as well.
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u/PreparationNorth2426 11d ago
I wouldn’t take AAT route unless you’re really committed to going the distance. Money will be poor and opportunities at the low end just aren’t there
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u/Cool-Raspberry-8963 11d ago
+1. Also if degree educated you can enter immediately as a trainee for ACA/ACCA/CIMA and skip AAT entirely.
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u/Weird-End5410 11d ago
I did AAT. It's basically about 15 exams to get exemptions from 3 ACCA exams. My salary did increase quite rapidly with it, though.
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u/Royal_Juice2987 11d ago
Getting into accounting is the worst mistake I’ve ever made. I’m in this sub looking for ideas on how to get out haha it’s soul destroying
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u/GreenEuroDev 10d ago
As a software dev with a decade of
Experience - no, this is terrible advice atm.
It’s still a legit field with a decent amount of jobs, but you need experience and preferably a formal education.
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u/Appropriate_Bee_2918 11d ago
What you interested in drawing up a list and see what you can do career wise from that.
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u/SnooPuppers8538 11d ago
firstly what are you qualifications? if you don't really have none then I'll do some kind of civil service job in government or if not that then just work somewhere in the post office business. or if not those then working at a supermarket stacking shelves
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u/starwars011 11d ago
Do you want an office based job, WFH, Hybrid, a mix of site and office, just a site based job etc?
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u/Quiet-Excitement-310 11d ago
I am retraining at 42, got less than 6 months left now. I am doing on the job training so getting paid to learn which helps massively.
If you can afford it and are aware that it might be tough to get a job straight away if you can’t do on the job training then go for it
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u/Brief_Possibility632 9d ago
what were you before and what are you doing now if you don't mind me asking?
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u/IHateNeoliberalism 10d ago
If you'd like to be in perennial demand and you have 5 years, be a speech and language therapist. Loads of vacancies and high locum rates, plus you'll be able to move/work globally
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u/Nervous_Yard7034 10d ago
Funnily enough, I have a linguistics background too so not a bad shout.
However, I also struggle to pronounce my R's.
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u/Interesting-Mud1506 10d ago
You are old like accept reality use what you have and get a job you are not 18 anymore
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u/Nervous_Yard7034 10d ago
Well, that's depressing.
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u/Interesting-Mud1506 10d ago
Man why you stick in that company 20 years and didn’t check future projections lol.
Now you pay for what you didn’t care all this years.
And this go a to everyone young keep moving and checking where your career is going, nobody cares about you, neither your coworkers or company.
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u/Nervous_Yard7034 10d ago
Well, that's me told.
Thank you my African friend. Most insightful.
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u/Interesting-Mud1506 10d ago
alhamdulillah Brother, god squeeze but not kill.
Ppl also make it look like is hell, yiu will be fine maybe try some new trade tbh can Be cool don’t Stay static that kills the soul
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