Am i too old to retrain?

[SUPERSTARDJ01]

Hi all,

I've been in IT for 4yrs and have lost all drive and interest in learning more about IT, I've not been able to retrain sooner because of our young children, now my wife is going to be retraining I have to change my hours to part time work, so I maybe able to retrain, I want to do something more labour intensive like motor mechanics, but have been a bit discouraged by the local collage syaing I'm too old :-(

Oh yeah in 34.

[Tom_the_great]

IMO your not too old to retrain, the problem is you are going to be battling for jobs with kids that are younger fresh out of collage etc/ the latest tech ie robots so jobs are less likly and also your wage unless you can afford to go back to basic which is what they can pay some of the younger workers.

[Icanopit]

NEVER too old to retrain/learn additional skills.
Prior to retireing I took on training in 2 new skills between 60 - 62, then in the last 3 years of employement as an already qualified trainer/trainer was able to pass on "hopefully" my skills/trade to the benifit of others.
Yes it's tough out there but I believe that LIFE SKILLS are being valued greater now than in recent years.

Go for it and use your spare time constructively and thumbs down to the college that said your too old, report them to the Education minister :smt013

JOHN

[Fallout]

I'm in a similar situation mate. I'm 30, sick of IT, and currently trying to do something different. I would say you can get into almost anything else, but the difficulty is in the actual retraining part of the career change. You will struggle to get apprenticeships because generally they are aimed at younguns who will take £10-£12k / year and can be more easily moulded than you. You're overqualified for that kind of thing.

What I'm trying to do is use my qualifications to move me into another sector that will value my experience, but still give me completely different work. So something that has a technical element, but could still be hands on. You'll still need to aim low and accept a pay cut while you learn the ropes.

As for manual/labour jobs, you really need to be sure about that. I've thought about being a mechanic before too, but have been put off by everyone I've spoken to about it. Plus, when I've worked on cars before, I actually find it quite frustrating. I do not get on with corroded bolts :D which is half the job really. Bikes are more fun to work on, but still, you have to really enjoy it as a hobby for it to be something you'll enjoy a bit as a career.

Here's a cool site with a really thorough list of career ideas and what they're all about, plus required qualifications. http://www.career-descriptions.co.uk/complete-list-of-careers.htm

I think it's really important to at least get some satisfaction from your work, so I strongly believe you're making the right choice to try something else, but I would say your best bet is to try and find a job that utilizes some of your skill set but gives you something new and excited that more matches your personality.

[missyburd]

You only live once, you've got to at least give it a go.

In my supposed field (conservation) with my degree I find many jobs are taken by others fancying a career change later on in life. Bank and retail managers especially, decide they want to do something completely different and end up taking jobs with the big conservation organisations easy as pie because of experience, regardless of what sector they've come from. As long as you are committed, why wouldn't you be able to retrain? So don't rule yourself out, and certainly don't do it because of age, you could be just what someone is looking for :)

[daveyrach]

My uncle started to retrain as a gas engineer at 32, he's now a fully blown Gas Safe engineer and earns a massive wedge every month.

[yorkie_chris]

Do you really want to be scratting round under motors when you're 54?

Retrain, sure, but something else :)

[Paul the 6th]

Hi all,

I've been in IT for 4yrs and have lost all drive and interest in learning more about IT, I've not been able to retrain sooner because of our young children, now my wife is going to be retraining I have to change my hours to part time work, so I maybe able to retrain, I want to do something more labour intensive like motor mechanics, but have been a bit discouraged by the local collage syaing I'm too old :-(

Oh yeah in 34.

Sounds like discrimination to me? What if you were too gay or too french?

Plumbing sounds like it could be a winner to be fair, as long as you don't mind getting your hands dirty, from replacing a leaking inlet valve on a toilet to fitting a new full bathroom suite (a plumber has just quoted my dad £2400 to supply and fit new toilet, sink and shower cubicle), plus it's in doors and as long as you don't rip people off/look after them well then you should be in for a roaring trade. Build it up for a while & get in there with some insurance companies for emergency jobs - bosch!

[Paul the 6th]

p.s. motor mechanic stuff sounds fun because it would be useful for your own vehicles, and admittedly I do get excited when my fuel/oil/air filter set arrives because I'm gonna get to work on the van... but then when you're underneath the van and some road crud has dropped in your eye again and some arssewhole has rounded off the sump nut - you do find yourself asking if you should even have bothered in the first place.

[Biker Biggles]

Id suggest retraining as a banking executive.Ask Mr S Hester how to go about it.

[Fallout]

... but then when you're underneath the van and some road crud has dropped in your eye again and some arssewhole has rounded off the sump nut - you do find yourself asking if you should even have bothered in the first place.

Exactly. When it's a warm sunny day and you're out on your driveway, everything comes off easy as pie, the new stuff fits on perfectly, and nothing gets broken in the process, the bike fires up and all is perfect, it's great. When its cold, and your fingers are numb, everything is corroded to hell and filthy, and you keep lacerating your hand when your hand slips off the wrench on a jammed bolt, it must get old really fast.

I do enjoy working on my bike normally, but I have never enjoyed working on a car.

[NTECUK]

Being a motor tec is ok.
But new stuff is allot of electrical issues .
But it is generally very mixed ,one day be finding rattles seats striped down .
Next fitting a new flywheel to a 4x4.
But don't think your get rich .

[-Ralph-]

Not at all, my wife retrained as a teacher at 35/36. Got out of language based office jobs and into teaching languages instead. You could teach IT if you have a degree and you can hack the kids. Nice holidays, but it's damn hard work during term time. You'd need to be able to afford to go back to being a student for a year. You would start on about £22 grand, probably comparable if your a IT support engineer, probably a salary drop if your any higher than that. Maybe you hate the idea, it's just a suggestion.

[sorebutt]

Of couse there ae also plenty of high paid posts whee taining/expeience isn't equied such as pimeministe chancello of the excheque foeign secetay etc etc - damn keyboad is naff again

I etained at the age of 50 and all is ok now, meanwhile I'll use only sentences that don't contain the missing button you know, the one that lies alphabetically between 'Q' and 'S' - wasn't that good!

[Bluefish]

^^ That a mild fom of dislexia you got thee mate, damm i've got it now, lol.

[Mrs DJ Fridge]

It is never too late to learn new stuff, the only problem is the pay cut whilst you do it. Our stores guy at work decided to train as a refrigeration engineer, did most of it in night school and is really happy with how it has turned out.