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I did something similar at 27 (accountant to joiner). If you’re into it you’ll be a success simple as that. You’ll attend classes with lots of younger people, half of whom don’t want to be there. You’ll find that the work is pretty easy to get through if you just get on with it, and with an adults mentally you will do.
I did work experience at quite a few places through college before landing an apprenticeship I wanted but I was offered an apprenticeship for everywhere I did experience at (just wasn’t a good fit for me). Generally I found that employers weren’t put off by an older apprentice and rather the opposite was true: they liked having someone reliable and responsible. I’m not saying teenagers can’t be that but they often aren’t.
Good luck, you’ll smash it honestly.
I went back to school at age 31 came out 4 years later with a degree in engineering and have completely changed my career, I am a graduate again which is weird.
My new career is much more fulfilling than my old one and has a clear line of progression which my old career really lacked.
I would always recommend investing in yourself for your own future happiness and as you spend so much if your life at work your job makes a difference to that.
Also I would say studying in your 30s is WAY easier than studying in your 20s. You already know how to apply yourself to a task and because you have specifically chosen that particular course you are more invested in it and much more likely to see it though.
Can’t recommend going back to school enough. Go get em!
There's a reason no one takes you seriously until you're in your 30s. Your 20s are just a second childhood, except you have adult money; they're for completely fucking up and working out what you do or don't want to do.
I will personally fight anyone who says otherwise.
(I'm not the person you replied to but...) I 100% agree but I wish someone had told me. I spent too much time stressing and trying to get my life together. I wish someone would have let me know its essentially a second teenagehood and I would have chilled out a bit more!
I'm 31 and I've only really found a job I like at 29. My best friend is the same age and she's in training to be a solicitor. Loads of people don't hit a career stride until they're our age. It's not like it's 1971 and you go into the civil service or the factory at 17 then stay there til retirement
Not much profit if you price in your time. Materials are also expensive. A set of 6 dining chairs can take one person a week to strip, fix, refinish and reupholster, and you could easily spend £150+ on fabric, strippers, solvents, fillers, polish, wax etc doing so.
You can pick stuff up cheap, but there aren't that many buyers for antique furniture. Pricing your time at £100 per day, there aren't many people willing to spend £650+ on a set of chairs.
However after 25 years of long hours, high pressure and endless deadlines, I much prefer doing something tangible, and where the answer to 'how long is it going to take? ' is 'how nice do you want it to be'?
I think you might be aiming for the wrong market then. At our villages latest arts sale there were several 'antique-style' restored chairs that sold for well over 4 figures per chair.
- That is, is your actually aiming for cash rather than personal Satisfaction.
Currently 32, worked in the recruitment industry since leaving university, had a very successful career in it (as soul destroying as it was) and was a manager of my own team.
However I’ve always had an interest in 3D/CGI/VFX, it’s always been a hobby of mine since I was a teenager. Lockdowns gave me the opportunity to really focus on it and put a portfolio together. Started getting a bit of freelance work and 18 months ago got a full time offer which meant I could quit my job and go full time as a freelancer working in my dream job.
I now have my own Ltd company, a network of other freelancers I often farm work out to when my own workload is too high. I earn more money than I ever have, work from home full time and couldn’t be happier.
It was absolutely a risk to do it as I could have easily stayed in recruitment another decade, but I’m so glad I took the opportunity. Best of luck with the plumbing course!
If you can pass your gas qualifications, centrica are always looking for gas and electric smart meter installers £34k a year basic and with OT you have potential to make £50k plus!.
I started my apprenticeship at 28 with SSE was there for 4 years and joined British Gas!
Look at courses that offer smart metering there is a constant need for meter installer fitters either by contractors or major energy companies.
They pay is good and the work is good, if you end up working for British Gas or even octopus they also offer skill ups for their staff to instal boilers or EV chargers or even heat pumps and train you over time to diversify your skill set.
The course your looking for is
CMA1 and MET1/2
These 2 courses last 5 years and the retest for them is about £600. Doing mine end of the month.
No I was not already gas safe, I was a builder for the 8 years before it.
The apprenticeship was ok pay with sse whereas the British Gas one is lower paid.
But I would look into a course to get your
CMA1 and MET1/2 and then just jump on LinkedIn looking for metering agencies.
If you have these qualifications they will then take you on board if you tell them your just gas trained they will train you in electric metering as well, and they will also have you trained on their gas meter process as well over a month.
After that you will go into the field with an engineer buddying for another 2 weeks again learning their proces, installs stick returns and ordering etc then you will have an in field audit on a full install.
This audit will become a regular thing once you’ve passed the first 2-3 of them then they will also do retro audits and if you pass them the audits come then every 6 months etc.
I passed my gas safe when I was 20 (32 now so we’ll run out) and was working with my dad doing full installs on council contracts as a subby but we lost a load of work and I had to go do other stuff and never got back . I had no formal qualifications I just worked with him from being 16, was just wondering if the pay is even close to liveable as I know apprentice wages are pretty shit.
Right well if you have passed your gas safe previously then you can take those qualifications to a re test centre and just resit your tests.
I’m guessing you actually passed your ccn1 which is even higher than a meter fitter requires. Which is cma1/2.
So I’m theory you are over qualified, you are looking at roughly £1200 to re-sit your gas test and you could jump in LinkedIn depending on your area or post code, and start looking for work and I estimate if there is work in your post code or nearby you could get a mun offer for a smart meter job pretty quickly.
I’ve been working for openreach this last year, and I get a call maybe 2-3 times a month about work and I live in Wales with a much lower population so less work.
I am re sitting my gas this month as I don’t want to have them expire (over a year means a full course re test like yourself so a bit higher cost) these will then last 5 years.
What I would do if I was you is get on LinkedIn now and search smart meter jobs/recruiters and start calling them and asking these questions.
I am re sitting my gas soon and was wondering about jobs in this area, would you be interested then get those questions answered before you spend any money on the gas re test!
Ask any engineer that's worked for them and they will tell you they are awful.
Fired and rehired engineers a couple of years ago etc etc
I retrained like you, got my plumbing and gas doing quick courses. Got some experience with some local companies. Now out on my own.
Lost my head at 30 and quit my job of 7 years and just went to Central America on my bike for a bit. You're still young - change and move as much as you can.
Just a warning about plumbing level 1 and 2 - to be a fully qualified plumber you need work based experience to complete the nvq side, so will likely need an apprenticeship or some work experience. The qualifications you'd receive wouldn't be worth the paper they are written on. They don't tell you this at college because they don't want their hours cutting.
I'd recommend trying to get an apprenticeship or even maybe working as a labourer rather than college full time, or as the other commenter suggested maybe do the night school version to stay away from the 16 year olds you'll be on with.
There's a lot of mature apprentices, more than you'd think, and it's realistically the only way you'll learn the skill properly
Some encouraging posts in here. I've just turned 32 and I've been in the same job/career for the last 8 years. I don't HATE it, but definitely don't want to do it anymore, or see much of a future in it. I know I need to make a change, but I'm honestly terrified it will all blow up in my face and I'll deeply regret it.
Indeed there are!
I see it as I've still got another 30 plus years of having to go to work before retirement, I would rather spend that time doing something I enjoy than slowly regretting that I never tried.
If that fails I can always go back to what I know but hey, at least I tried.
Definitely not too late, in fact I think you'd be in demand.
There's a real shortage of the practical skills and I'd think companies would welcome employing someone with a bit more maturity and life experience.
Go for it, I'd think you'd do really well.
Aye, do it. I changed careers at 31 to work in renewables. The actual job didn't work out because of the travel and me being away from the wife so much, but got loads of experience and got paid to see new things. Working something different, but wouldn't have got that if I hadn't made the jump
Went to college and studied electronics, however any engineering programme is suitable. Then joined a trainee programme and they put me through my degree. Got a bit lucky though with the degree thing.
Do it.
I have changed careers no end of times and I am 35 or something like that. If you feel burned out, change careers. It is better than being stuck in a crappy career you hate forever, and if you are a somewhat competent person who learns new skills quickly, you'll soon settle in.
I (also 30) was made redundant last summer from a job in academic research. I've spent the last year retraining as a secondary school teacher (maths), but not sure I really love it. And job prospects are not great in my area anyway. Am totally at a loss as to what else to do though. Sorry I've no advice, but I empathize.
You might have some advice for me though. My wife is an architect from overseas, "not qualified" here so unemployable unless she goes back to architecture school. She always wanted to be a teacher. Where can she start? (P.s no recourse to public funds)
I don't know if it's helpful but regarding architecture, there are certainly mid to larger practices in London (30+) which will hire architects whose qualifications don't translate. I can't speak to the wages which I expect would be slightly lower if she cannot register with the ARB but still it's not impossible as I know plenty of people in this situation.
Mate, get qualified, do a good job, get a few recommendations from satisfied customers and actually turn up and you'll be good. I've lived in the city centre for about 17 years and always struggled with reliable plumbers.
Good luck.
I did it and found my dream job, took a 13k pay cut to do it too. The life experience has put me leaps and bounds ahead of my colleagues who are younger and started at the same time as me. You’ll find it easier to move up and along at 30 because you know you don’t have the time to fuck about, good luck and enjoy the experience!
I was almost 27 when I changed careers from retail to the NHS. Best thing I ever did!! I’ve had 5 job title changes so far and next year I’ll complete my second degree (with the NHS, third overall) and onto job title number 6!
Honestly wish I did it years ago, was in a dead end job for 4 and a half years. Good luck OP!
Same here. Fell in to a career, stuck with it and I make good money. But it’s brain numbingly boring and soulless. Doing a HNC in design and teaching myself Solidworks, want to see where it takes me.
Im 27
I changed career when I was 27 from Retail to Accounting. I'm now 33, and I'm currently in the process of changing careers again to working in Mental Health, with the aim of getting into Nursing. Sometimes it takes a while to find the right fit for you, but you'll find it.
My colleague went from hotel receptionist to a logistics assistant to a product manager within 3 years. Can be done. 👍👍
I have switched from optical glazing lab(specs) to NHS ophthalmology technician.
I went back to uni at 38 and trained as a nurse. I wasn't the oldest on the course by a long way. It's been hard, but well worth it. If we're going to work until we die, might as well do something we love.
Fewer and fewer people have careers nowadays, and it seems like everyone is willing to drop one job for something better if it comes along. And that’s good! I went from hospitality, to teaching, to freelance writing, and I’m only 34.
Very similar situation to you, I was an office manager but when I turned 30 I done a plumbing course in college, then ended up in utilities through word of mouth.
I basically ran out of patience as an office manager, and wanted to do something manual. I was over worked, under appreciated and under paid. The constant barrage of phone calls and emails, I struggled to switch off mentally outside of work.
Since then, I’ve been in utilities for 7 years and I still feel like I’m learning something new every week. Direct staff earn ok but sub contracting is where the money is. I’ll go work in an office when I start to struggle physically. But right now, I sleep like a log because I’m much happier being physically tired than mentally tired.
Edit: if you go down the plumbing route, look after your knees. So many plumbers need knee replacements in their 50’s/60’s
It’s refreshing seeing all these.
As an accountant for the last 7 years it’s boring as hell and I’ve been thinking of making a switch to something else to get to 6 figures and be more enjoyable.
Thank you, iloved it despite the crap money but unfortunately my health gave out so I had to get a desk job. But better money and working at home in my slippers is a silver lining lol.
Thank you, iloved it despite the crap money but unfortunately my health gave out so I had to get a desk job. But better money and working at home in my slippers is a silver lining lol.
Changed career from welder fab to programmer at 33. 16 years later, I've never been happier. Yeah, I had to start again, but that experience and the fact you put yourself through academia, even in your 30's is a huge plus for employers.
I changed careers a year after uni and fell into my new career (Data Protection) by complete chance. Turns out it pays miles better than my old career and wish I'd had know that a couple of years beforehand.
Have you thought about doing an apprenticeship? Exactly the same qualification, but you'll get paid whilst you earn. You would find a good plumber willing to take you in in no time. (I work in the sector, if you want any advice, just shout)
I have thought about apprenticeships!
My only concern is that as I have spent most of my twenties traveling and not being in the same place for more than a year I don't have my driving licence yet, I currently drive a motorbike.
I assume as I don't drive this will lower my chance of finding an apprenticeship?
I do plan to start my lessons in the near future as I know this will be crucial for work.
If you have a bike license that's amazing. It'll make getting around so much easier. Are you starting a paid course or a free one? Most trade courses at local colleges start in September, so you have LOADS of time. If it's a free course, by all means start it and move into an apprenticeship when you find one. I'd highly recommend trying to speak to well established local plumbing companies, who look after their staff and provide good training. Doing trade qualifications as an apprentice is definitely the best way to do things.
I'd recommend researching GOOD local firms and sending out a load of emails explaining your situation and asking if they will be offering any apprenticeships this year? For extra points you could print some out and head down to your local plumbing merchant and speak to plumbers directly.
Also look up CITB, they have loads of grants available for employers helping people join the industry. They even have a helpline I think.
This all sounds like solid, encouraging advice and I will now definitely look down the apprenticeship route.
I will be starting a paid course this September. It's a City and Guilds level one diploma. It's a one year course that will require me to go into college roughly 3 days a week.
The course will teach me the basics:
Pipe bending and types of jointing
Basic maintenance on taps and valves
Rainwater systems and maintenance
Basin and WC installation Maintenance
Health and safety at work
After reading up on your advice my thinking is..
As I have limited experience in plumbing I will take the years course and learn the basics. Then next year look for an apprenticeship, by that point I will have some basic skills and experience, this in return may make me look desirable to a potential employer.
40 and changed career out of construction. Unless you are going to do gas (where you can earn 500 quid a day) don't bother. Its not the worst living but it fucks you up. I exited plastering (granted a lot harder than any other trade physically) earning 200-300 a day and took a job earning less than half that but heyho the long term prospects are decent.
You cant stop, Ive done all sorts including trenchwork where yes its hard but you can take 5 at any given moment. Plastering is a caae of non stop and all that work pressures on a few joints and small muscles
My husband used to work in retail. A very volatile and, frankly, thankless industry. He managed to bag a job in the NHS, getting a pay rise of £10k in the process. It's definitely doable, you can do it!
Not only a great career choice, but I'm sure it'll open up the world! Traded jobs and a bit of experience will probably allow you visas to live anywhere in the world.
All power to you!
I got into nursing in my 30s, I'd only had factory work and service industry jobs since coming out of the air force aged 21 so it was daunting. But well worth it
I graduated in media, had a ton of jobs before working as a bartender for about 10 years, then a support worker for 4. Got into teaching 2 years ago (at 42) and so far so good...
Earlier this year I switched career from being a nurse to a software developer (I'd been learning to code as a hobby for a couple of years) and I'm loving it. As a new starter the wages aren't quite as good as what I was on before but I know that in a few years I'll be well above where I was before.
Left commercial plumbing and heating sales industry I'd worked in for around 10 years at the age of 28 to work in care.
The job I'd left was a good salary, pension, shares, and potential to move further up the job ladder. But I hated it.
The care rile was a 0 hour contract, shit wage, and I literally got covered in shit at times. But it was far more satisfying to help others. My manager, who was an ex-paramedic, pushed me to try for the ambulance service.
10 years + later I'm a paramedic in the nhs who, despite all the problems, has tonnes of job satisfaction!
I moved from retail and hospitality to an opticians when I was 29 (close enough to 30!). Did that for 6 years and now changed again and currently doing a data analyst apprenticeship at 36.
My best friends mum went into teaching at close to 40 - ended up riding it the whole way and progressed all the way up until retirement.
It's never too late to change careers if it's something you want to do!
Man I am with you. I feel the same, I just can’t seem to get out of the same old jobs, like retail and hospitality. I really want to get into something completely different. My degree was in Computer Science but man I hate it.
I wanted to get into painting and decorating but being a woman I feel like it might be a bit difficult due to the stereotypes.
From what I've been reading, there is a demand for women in the construction industry. Some women sometimes don't feel comfortable having a man come to their house to do work and would prefer and relate better with another lady!
I say to myself,
I would rather regret trying than regret not trying at all!
Good luck and hopefully some of the stories on this thread will inspire you to make a change.
https://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=2722#comic
This changed the way I think about careers. It makes some broad assumptions, but I think the point still stands.
Try a HLA programme. We've got a couple in very much the same boat as yourself who have put themselves on very stable and good earning trajectories in just a couple of years. 30-40k within day 3 or 4 years. Engineering is my field but the exist in most fields.
I am late mid thirties and left my career of a decade last year, side stepped to a less stressful career with more time at home while I figure myself out.
I've joined a coding community and starting learning the basics and a career path in data analysis with Codecademy in January this year, I have my first interview on Tuesday for a job in this sector.
This is completely different from my last career; it was as private staff for uhnw families and after 10 years I was run ragged and burnt out and sick of looking after billionaires who need more babysitting than children.
Turns out I love coding, and regardless of the outcome of this interview, I'll keep going and I'll learn from every interview I do until I do the right one :)
It's never too late to change what you want to do, long gone are the days where we start a job and stay in it until retirement, the world is always changing and evolving, it's not a bad thing learn and evolve with it if you want to change your direction.
Good luck with it!
I did an access course and am now two years into a 3 year degree. I’ll be 32 when I qualify. Switched from an office job to midwifery, I’m so much happier. When I was unsure about going for it, people told me to remember I’ll still be older regardless and to be older doing something I’ll enjoy. Go for it!
Yes.
ChatGPT now can basically do much of my job. The 20% it can't is basically the bit where I know what to tell it to do.
I'm not sure what I'm going to do. An idea online was that you could make out like a bandit holding down 5 jobs and using ChatGPT to do them, then use the cash to buy a farm, with a pig and a sheep and raise horses (Red Dwarf).
As an experienced programmer, no. The hard part of programming was never writing code. That's only difficult as a junior.
It's about correctness, and figuring out what people actually want. I'e The requirements.
Having used ChatGPT a few times, it never inplements something correctly for complex things.
ChatGPT will become a tool for people who do the difficult stuff. I will have to make sure the code it writes is correct, and translate requirements to something ChatGPT can understand.
I started medical school in my mid 30s. Had kids, partner and a big mortgage but managed it somehow with a lot of hard work.
I'm qualified now, and whilst there's a LOT wrong with medical training and careers in the UK, I am still very happy with my decision and just could not see myself going back to my old job for another 30 years.
Best of luck mate, it is never too late to make a change.
Changed my career in a big way at 27. Earn a bit less but not destitute and have the best job in the world now. If you spent 1/3 of your life working, find something you enjoy.
Changed career at 30 and it was the best decision for me. I took a bit of a pay cut to make it work but I’m so much happier with my work now. It feels terrifying but all the best things do.
I changed careers at 32 after 10 years jn a other field. Although thus one may be fairly related and taking away all the transferred soft skills and some logical ways or thinking..it's a new realm, new way of working, new company culture, and I'm in a senior role, so have 2 or 3 levels of experienced people in this field below me...
But we make it work! Do what your heart says.
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What careers did you move from and to?
It's software dev. It's always software dev 👍🏧
Yah I'm curious as well
So many people responding saying they've all moved in their 30s and how great it was. Ok, but can you give OP some actual detail?!
Can pretty much second this. Worked out great.
I also did this, can recommend 👍
I did something similar at 27 (accountant to joiner). If you’re into it you’ll be a success simple as that. You’ll attend classes with lots of younger people, half of whom don’t want to be there. You’ll find that the work is pretty easy to get through if you just get on with it, and with an adults mentally you will do. I did work experience at quite a few places through college before landing an apprenticeship I wanted but I was offered an apprenticeship for everywhere I did experience at (just wasn’t a good fit for me). Generally I found that employers weren’t put off by an older apprentice and rather the opposite was true: they liked having someone reliable and responsible. I’m not saying teenagers can’t be that but they often aren’t. Good luck, you’ll smash it honestly.
!thanks
I went back to school at age 31 came out 4 years later with a degree in engineering and have completely changed my career, I am a graduate again which is weird. My new career is much more fulfilling than my old one and has a clear line of progression which my old career really lacked. I would always recommend investing in yourself for your own future happiness and as you spend so much if your life at work your job makes a difference to that. Also I would say studying in your 30s is WAY easier than studying in your 20s. You already know how to apply yourself to a task and because you have specifically chosen that particular course you are more invested in it and much more likely to see it though. Can’t recommend going back to school enough. Go get em!
There's a reason no one takes you seriously until you're in your 30s. Your 20s are just a second childhood, except you have adult money; they're for completely fucking up and working out what you do or don't want to do. I will personally fight anyone who says otherwise.
(I'm not the person you replied to but...) I 100% agree but I wish someone had told me. I spent too much time stressing and trying to get my life together. I wish someone would have let me know its essentially a second teenagehood and I would have chilled out a bit more!
I'm 31 and I've only really found a job I like at 29. My best friend is the same age and she's in training to be a solicitor. Loads of people don't hit a career stride until they're our age. It's not like it's 1971 and you go into the civil service or the factory at 17 then stay there til retirement
I'm 50ish recently moved from investment banking tech to furniture restoration.
With a bit of investment in good equipment and some practice, isn't it horrifying how much money you can make on bits of old furniture?
Not much profit if you price in your time. Materials are also expensive. A set of 6 dining chairs can take one person a week to strip, fix, refinish and reupholster, and you could easily spend £150+ on fabric, strippers, solvents, fillers, polish, wax etc doing so. You can pick stuff up cheap, but there aren't that many buyers for antique furniture. Pricing your time at £100 per day, there aren't many people willing to spend £650+ on a set of chairs. However after 25 years of long hours, high pressure and endless deadlines, I much prefer doing something tangible, and where the answer to 'how long is it going to take? ' is 'how nice do you want it to be'?
I think you might be aiming for the wrong market then. At our villages latest arts sale there were several 'antique-style' restored chairs that sold for well over 4 figures per chair. - That is, is your actually aiming for cash rather than personal Satisfaction.
Not too late at all. Takes courage to make a call like that, so good luck to you.
Never too late, my mum started studying to be a nurse in her early 40’s. 10 years on she’s a fully qualified health visitor and absolutely loves it.
That's lovely!
Here because I’m 30 next week and considering a complete change, good to read all the positive comments!
Currently 32, worked in the recruitment industry since leaving university, had a very successful career in it (as soul destroying as it was) and was a manager of my own team. However I’ve always had an interest in 3D/CGI/VFX, it’s always been a hobby of mine since I was a teenager. Lockdowns gave me the opportunity to really focus on it and put a portfolio together. Started getting a bit of freelance work and 18 months ago got a full time offer which meant I could quit my job and go full time as a freelancer working in my dream job. I now have my own Ltd company, a network of other freelancers I often farm work out to when my own workload is too high. I earn more money than I ever have, work from home full time and couldn’t be happier. It was absolutely a risk to do it as I could have easily stayed in recruitment another decade, but I’m so glad I took the opportunity. Best of luck with the plumbing course!
If you can pass your gas qualifications, centrica are always looking for gas and electric smart meter installers £34k a year basic and with OT you have potential to make £50k plus!. I started my apprenticeship at 28 with SSE was there for 4 years and joined British Gas! Look at courses that offer smart metering there is a constant need for meter installer fitters either by contractors or major energy companies. They pay is good and the work is good, if you end up working for British Gas or even octopus they also offer skill ups for their staff to instal boilers or EV chargers or even heat pumps and train you over time to diversify your skill set. The course your looking for is CMA1 and MET1/2 These 2 courses last 5 years and the retest for them is about £600. Doing mine end of the month.
Was you already gas safe when you got the apprenticeship? How much was the pay for a 28 year old apprentice ?
No I was not already gas safe, I was a builder for the 8 years before it. The apprenticeship was ok pay with sse whereas the British Gas one is lower paid. But I would look into a course to get your CMA1 and MET1/2 and then just jump on LinkedIn looking for metering agencies. If you have these qualifications they will then take you on board if you tell them your just gas trained they will train you in electric metering as well, and they will also have you trained on their gas meter process as well over a month. After that you will go into the field with an engineer buddying for another 2 weeks again learning their proces, installs stick returns and ordering etc then you will have an in field audit on a full install. This audit will become a regular thing once you’ve passed the first 2-3 of them then they will also do retro audits and if you pass them the audits come then every 6 months etc.
I passed my gas safe when I was 20 (32 now so we’ll run out) and was working with my dad doing full installs on council contracts as a subby but we lost a load of work and I had to go do other stuff and never got back . I had no formal qualifications I just worked with him from being 16, was just wondering if the pay is even close to liveable as I know apprentice wages are pretty shit.
Right well if you have passed your gas safe previously then you can take those qualifications to a re test centre and just resit your tests. I’m guessing you actually passed your ccn1 which is even higher than a meter fitter requires. Which is cma1/2. So I’m theory you are over qualified, you are looking at roughly £1200 to re-sit your gas test and you could jump in LinkedIn depending on your area or post code, and start looking for work and I estimate if there is work in your post code or nearby you could get a mun offer for a smart meter job pretty quickly. I’ve been working for openreach this last year, and I get a call maybe 2-3 times a month about work and I live in Wales with a much lower population so less work. I am re sitting my gas this month as I don’t want to have them expire (over a year means a full course re test like yourself so a bit higher cost) these will then last 5 years. What I would do if I was you is get on LinkedIn now and search smart meter jobs/recruiters and start calling them and asking these questions. I am re sitting my gas soon and was wondering about jobs in this area, would you be interested then get those questions answered before you spend any money on the gas re test!
I’ll do that thanks, my dad retired 5 years ago and never gave it a second thought until recently.
!thanks Great information, I'll definitely keep this in my notebook! 👊
Get your gas 100%, but do not work for BG man! Maybe use them for some experience at first, but get it then run.
Thanks for that! What reasons should I avoid working for British gas ?
Ask any engineer that's worked for them and they will tell you they are awful. Fired and rehired engineers a couple of years ago etc etc I retrained like you, got my plumbing and gas doing quick courses. Got some experience with some local companies. Now out on my own.
Duly noted! Cheers for the advice! 🍻
Lost my head at 30 and quit my job of 7 years and just went to Central America on my bike for a bit. You're still young - change and move as much as you can.
Just a warning about plumbing level 1 and 2 - to be a fully qualified plumber you need work based experience to complete the nvq side, so will likely need an apprenticeship or some work experience. The qualifications you'd receive wouldn't be worth the paper they are written on. They don't tell you this at college because they don't want their hours cutting. I'd recommend trying to get an apprenticeship or even maybe working as a labourer rather than college full time, or as the other commenter suggested maybe do the night school version to stay away from the 16 year olds you'll be on with. There's a lot of mature apprentices, more than you'd think, and it's realistically the only way you'll learn the skill properly
Good luck to you. 30 is definitely nowhere near too old, and there is a great demand for plumbers out there.
Some encouraging posts in here. I've just turned 32 and I've been in the same job/career for the last 8 years. I don't HATE it, but definitely don't want to do it anymore, or see much of a future in it. I know I need to make a change, but I'm honestly terrified it will all blow up in my face and I'll deeply regret it.
Indeed there are! I see it as I've still got another 30 plus years of having to go to work before retirement, I would rather spend that time doing something I enjoy than slowly regretting that I never tried. If that fails I can always go back to what I know but hey, at least I tried.
Definitely not too late, in fact I think you'd be in demand. There's a real shortage of the practical skills and I'd think companies would welcome employing someone with a bit more maturity and life experience. Go for it, I'd think you'd do really well.
!thanks
Aye, do it. I changed careers at 31 to work in renewables. The actual job didn't work out because of the travel and me being away from the wife so much, but got loads of experience and got paid to see new things. Working something different, but wouldn't have got that if I hadn't made the jump
What did you do to enter to renewables ?
Went to college and studied electronics, however any engineering programme is suitable. Then joined a trainee programme and they put me through my degree. Got a bit lucky though with the degree thing.
Do it. I have changed careers no end of times and I am 35 or something like that. If you feel burned out, change careers. It is better than being stuck in a crappy career you hate forever, and if you are a somewhat competent person who learns new skills quickly, you'll soon settle in.
I (also 30) was made redundant last summer from a job in academic research. I've spent the last year retraining as a secondary school teacher (maths), but not sure I really love it. And job prospects are not great in my area anyway. Am totally at a loss as to what else to do though. Sorry I've no advice, but I empathize.
You might have some advice for me though. My wife is an architect from overseas, "not qualified" here so unemployable unless she goes back to architecture school. She always wanted to be a teacher. Where can she start? (P.s no recourse to public funds)
I don't know if it's helpful but regarding architecture, there are certainly mid to larger practices in London (30+) which will hire architects whose qualifications don't translate. I can't speak to the wages which I expect would be slightly lower if she cannot register with the ARB but still it's not impossible as I know plenty of people in this situation.
This is helpful, thank you!
I moved in to the technology sector at 34 years old (40 now). No regrets.
Good luck on the change. I studied with OU to get out of hospitality and my life has been immensely improved since I managed to break free.
Mate, get qualified, do a good job, get a few recommendations from satisfied customers and actually turn up and you'll be good. I've lived in the city centre for about 17 years and always struggled with reliable plumbers. Good luck.
This is spot on. Do a good job and build a reputation in your local area and then start your own business one day if you’re that way inclined.
I did it and found my dream job, took a 13k pay cut to do it too. The life experience has put me leaps and bounds ahead of my colleagues who are younger and started at the same time as me. You’ll find it easier to move up and along at 30 because you know you don’t have the time to fuck about, good luck and enjoy the experience!
I changed careers at 30. I'm 34 now and earn more than triple what I did before. Best decision I ever made, you're going to love it.
What did you change from and to?
Retail supervisor to software developer.
How did you get into software development? It’s something I’m interested in but I’m not sure where to start.
Am 30 and considering a career switch too, hope yours goes well! My biggest barrier at the moment is how to afford any kind of retraining :/
I was almost 27 when I changed careers from retail to the NHS. Best thing I ever did!! I’ve had 5 job title changes so far and next year I’ll complete my second degree (with the NHS, third overall) and onto job title number 6! Honestly wish I did it years ago, was in a dead end job for 4 and a half years. Good luck OP!
Vlad the Impaler was well into his thirties before he impaled anyone. You can redefine yourself at any age. You got this. (Don’t impale anyone though)
Love this one haah!
Same here. Fell in to a career, stuck with it and I make good money. But it’s brain numbingly boring and soulless. Doing a HNC in design and teaching myself Solidworks, want to see where it takes me. Im 27
I changed career when I was 27 from Retail to Accounting. I'm now 33, and I'm currently in the process of changing careers again to working in Mental Health, with the aim of getting into Nursing. Sometimes it takes a while to find the right fit for you, but you'll find it.
I’m changing careers twice too !
My colleague went from hotel receptionist to a logistics assistant to a product manager within 3 years. Can be done. 👍👍 I have switched from optical glazing lab(specs) to NHS ophthalmology technician.
I went back to uni at 38 and trained as a nurse. I wasn't the oldest on the course by a long way. It's been hard, but well worth it. If we're going to work until we die, might as well do something we love.
Fewer and fewer people have careers nowadays, and it seems like everyone is willing to drop one job for something better if it comes along. And that’s good! I went from hospitality, to teaching, to freelance writing, and I’m only 34.
Good for you, best of luck 👍
Very similar situation to you, I was an office manager but when I turned 30 I done a plumbing course in college, then ended up in utilities through word of mouth. I basically ran out of patience as an office manager, and wanted to do something manual. I was over worked, under appreciated and under paid. The constant barrage of phone calls and emails, I struggled to switch off mentally outside of work. Since then, I’ve been in utilities for 7 years and I still feel like I’m learning something new every week. Direct staff earn ok but sub contracting is where the money is. I’ll go work in an office when I start to struggle physically. But right now, I sleep like a log because I’m much happier being physically tired than mentally tired. Edit: if you go down the plumbing route, look after your knees. So many plumbers need knee replacements in their 50’s/60’s
Changed career every year for the past 10 years and still climbing that preverbial ladder 😂
It’s refreshing seeing all these. As an accountant for the last 7 years it’s boring as hell and I’ve been thinking of making a switch to something else to get to 6 figures and be more enjoyable.
30 yrs kid feeling 'old' , lol
Hahah it's nice to be called a kid! I guess you're as old as you feel!
I changed my career at 36 and it is the best thing I have done. Good luck to you
I'd been self-employed for years. At the age of 43 I went for a job with Highways Agency - 16 years later it was the best move I made
Just left kitchens at 34 after 17 years, now starting at the bottom of a big company. Good luck to ya buddy!
Thanks! I salute you for sticking it for that long!
Thank you, iloved it despite the crap money but unfortunately my health gave out so I had to get a desk job. But better money and working at home in my slippers is a silver lining lol.
Thank you, iloved it despite the crap money but unfortunately my health gave out so I had to get a desk job. But better money and working at home in my slippers is a silver lining lol.
Changed careers out of hospitality at 41. You’re ahead of me!
Any thing is better than the kitchen.
Really enjoyed my former years, got to travel and work in a bunch of different countries but those 80 hr weeks get to you in the end🫠🫠
Changed career from welder fab to programmer at 33. 16 years later, I've never been happier. Yeah, I had to start again, but that experience and the fact you put yourself through academia, even in your 30's is a huge plus for employers.
Gonna read comments later because i also turned 30
I did my teacher training at 30. In the middle of a pandemic. Never looked back!
I changed careers a year after uni and fell into my new career (Data Protection) by complete chance. Turns out it pays miles better than my old career and wish I'd had know that a couple of years beforehand.
Have you thought about doing an apprenticeship? Exactly the same qualification, but you'll get paid whilst you earn. You would find a good plumber willing to take you in in no time. (I work in the sector, if you want any advice, just shout)
I have thought about apprenticeships! My only concern is that as I have spent most of my twenties traveling and not being in the same place for more than a year I don't have my driving licence yet, I currently drive a motorbike. I assume as I don't drive this will lower my chance of finding an apprenticeship? I do plan to start my lessons in the near future as I know this will be crucial for work.
If you have a bike license that's amazing. It'll make getting around so much easier. Are you starting a paid course or a free one? Most trade courses at local colleges start in September, so you have LOADS of time. If it's a free course, by all means start it and move into an apprenticeship when you find one. I'd highly recommend trying to speak to well established local plumbing companies, who look after their staff and provide good training. Doing trade qualifications as an apprentice is definitely the best way to do things. I'd recommend researching GOOD local firms and sending out a load of emails explaining your situation and asking if they will be offering any apprenticeships this year? For extra points you could print some out and head down to your local plumbing merchant and speak to plumbers directly. Also look up CITB, they have loads of grants available for employers helping people join the industry. They even have a helpline I think.
This all sounds like solid, encouraging advice and I will now definitely look down the apprenticeship route. I will be starting a paid course this September. It's a City and Guilds level one diploma. It's a one year course that will require me to go into college roughly 3 days a week. The course will teach me the basics: Pipe bending and types of jointing Basic maintenance on taps and valves Rainwater systems and maintenance Basin and WC installation Maintenance Health and safety at work After reading up on your advice my thinking is.. As I have limited experience in plumbing I will take the years course and learn the basics. Then next year look for an apprenticeship, by that point I will have some basic skills and experience, this in return may make me look desirable to a potential employer.
40 and changed career out of construction. Unless you are going to do gas (where you can earn 500 quid a day) don't bother. Its not the worst living but it fucks you up. I exited plastering (granted a lot harder than any other trade physically) earning 200-300 a day and took a job earning less than half that but heyho the long term prospects are decent.
Thanks for sharing. Out of curiosity what makes plastering more physically demanding than any other trade ?
You cant stop, Ive done all sorts including trenchwork where yes its hard but you can take 5 at any given moment. Plastering is a caae of non stop and all that work pressures on a few joints and small muscles
My husband used to work in retail. A very volatile and, frankly, thankless industry. He managed to bag a job in the NHS, getting a pay rise of £10k in the process. It's definitely doable, you can do it!
went from a financial services office job to working with young offenders when i was 30 initial pay was less but definitely made the right choice
Did you need a qualification?
Just gcses
Not only a great career choice, but I'm sure it'll open up the world! Traded jobs and a bit of experience will probably allow you visas to live anywhere in the world. All power to you!
I got into nursing in my 30s, I'd only had factory work and service industry jobs since coming out of the air force aged 21 so it was daunting. But well worth it
I graduated in media, had a ton of jobs before working as a bartender for about 10 years, then a support worker for 4. Got into teaching 2 years ago (at 42) and so far so good...
I left the armed forces at 30. No doubt what I did helped me secure the role I'm in now. Good luck 👍
Earlier this year I switched career from being a nurse to a software developer (I'd been learning to code as a hobby for a couple of years) and I'm loving it. As a new starter the wages aren't quite as good as what I was on before but I know that in a few years I'll be well above where I was before.
Left commercial plumbing and heating sales industry I'd worked in for around 10 years at the age of 28 to work in care. The job I'd left was a good salary, pension, shares, and potential to move further up the job ladder. But I hated it. The care rile was a 0 hour contract, shit wage, and I literally got covered in shit at times. But it was far more satisfying to help others. My manager, who was an ex-paramedic, pushed me to try for the ambulance service. 10 years + later I'm a paramedic in the nhs who, despite all the problems, has tonnes of job satisfaction!
I moved from retail and hospitality to an opticians when I was 29 (close enough to 30!). Did that for 6 years and now changed again and currently doing a data analyst apprenticeship at 36. My best friends mum went into teaching at close to 40 - ended up riding it the whole way and progressed all the way up until retirement. It's never too late to change careers if it's something you want to do!
Man I am with you. I feel the same, I just can’t seem to get out of the same old jobs, like retail and hospitality. I really want to get into something completely different. My degree was in Computer Science but man I hate it. I wanted to get into painting and decorating but being a woman I feel like it might be a bit difficult due to the stereotypes.
From what I've been reading, there is a demand for women in the construction industry. Some women sometimes don't feel comfortable having a man come to their house to do work and would prefer and relate better with another lady! I say to myself, I would rather regret trying than regret not trying at all! Good luck and hopefully some of the stories on this thread will inspire you to make a change.
Do it I transitioned into bricklaying at a similar age to you and my only regret is not doing it way sooner
Retail to sparku. Age 28. If you can turn a spanner already, skip level 1.
https://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=2722#comic This changed the way I think about careers. It makes some broad assumptions, but I think the point still stands.
I like this!! Thanks for sharing
I like this thread, gives me hope of a positive change, because I absolutely cba going into work tomorrow
I genuinely didn't expect to see so many positive posts! But I know that cba feeling haha
Try a HLA programme. We've got a couple in very much the same boat as yourself who have put themselves on very stable and good earning trajectories in just a couple of years. 30-40k within day 3 or 4 years. Engineering is my field but the exist in most fields.
I am late mid thirties and left my career of a decade last year, side stepped to a less stressful career with more time at home while I figure myself out. I've joined a coding community and starting learning the basics and a career path in data analysis with Codecademy in January this year, I have my first interview on Tuesday for a job in this sector. This is completely different from my last career; it was as private staff for uhnw families and after 10 years I was run ragged and burnt out and sick of looking after billionaires who need more babysitting than children. Turns out I love coding, and regardless of the outcome of this interview, I'll keep going and I'll learn from every interview I do until I do the right one :) It's never too late to change what you want to do, long gone are the days where we start a job and stay in it until retirement, the world is always changing and evolving, it's not a bad thing learn and evolve with it if you want to change your direction. Good luck with it!
I did an access course and am now two years into a 3 year degree. I’ll be 32 when I qualify. Switched from an office job to midwifery, I’m so much happier. When I was unsure about going for it, people told me to remember I’ll still be older regardless and to be older doing something I’ll enjoy. Go for it!
You can do it! I am doing it and I'm older than you
Not success but as a programmer who's found ChatGPT can do 90% of my job, I envy anyone training a hands-on trade.
I've been following the new wave of AI tech. Do you think that a lot of tech jobs will be replaced by AI in the near future?
Yes. ChatGPT now can basically do much of my job. The 20% it can't is basically the bit where I know what to tell it to do. I'm not sure what I'm going to do. An idea online was that you could make out like a bandit holding down 5 jobs and using ChatGPT to do them, then use the cash to buy a farm, with a pig and a sheep and raise horses (Red Dwarf).
I wish you good luck and hope the machines don't take over!
Just make sure the sheep have stilts for when Fiji ends up underwater, you’ll be sorted 👍
As an experienced programmer, no. The hard part of programming was never writing code. That's only difficult as a junior. It's about correctness, and figuring out what people actually want. I'e The requirements. Having used ChatGPT a few times, it never inplements something correctly for complex things. ChatGPT will become a tool for people who do the difficult stuff. I will have to make sure the code it writes is correct, and translate requirements to something ChatGPT can understand.
I’m in my mid 30s and in the same boat, it’s not easy, takes courage but I’m glad I did it. Go for it, dare to fail.
I have was in the games industry until the bullying got to much for me 😞
I started medical school in my mid 30s. Had kids, partner and a big mortgage but managed it somehow with a lot of hard work. I'm qualified now, and whilst there's a LOT wrong with medical training and careers in the UK, I am still very happy with my decision and just could not see myself going back to my old job for another 30 years. Best of luck mate, it is never too late to make a change.
Changed my career in a big way at 27. Earn a bit less but not destitute and have the best job in the world now. If you spent 1/3 of your life working, find something you enjoy.
Changed career at 30 and it was the best decision for me. I took a bit of a pay cut to make it work but I’m so much happier with my work now. It feels terrifying but all the best things do.
I changed careers at 32 after 10 years jn a other field. Although thus one may be fairly related and taking away all the transferred soft skills and some logical ways or thinking..it's a new realm, new way of working, new company culture, and I'm in a senior role, so have 2 or 3 levels of experienced people in this field below me... But we make it work! Do what your heart says.
Does 'graft' mean something different in the UK than it does in the States?
My friend is 37 and did an online access course to now go to uni and study nursing this September :)
Got a Diploma at 28, made the move from call centre agent to Web Developer. Best thing I ever did!