Retraining at 40

I retrained as a teacher. Although I'd never want to do anything else, it has a limited life span in the UK. Anymore than about 6 years in and unless you want to be a manager, you are out and replaced with cheaper, new teacher.

There is always working overseas though. BUT then she'll be away from home.

Many thanks for reply
Overseas is not an option due to very young children.
Could you expand on “ limited life span ..... 6 years”.
Thanks again

Well, as a teacher, you move up the pay bands annually. In theory, it is to reward experience but what it actually does is make teachers too expensive to employ as the new academy system means any money saved goes into the pockets of the company as profit. Therefore, once you're out of the 'new teachers' payscale and onto the Main Pay Scale, you're out. Unemployable, more or less.

Overseas teaching is great for parents with young children. They get free school places in very good quality private schools. A lot of teachers go overseas for that very reason.

I have a friend with a son that ended up at Harvard due to the quality of private education she managed to give him as a teacher in an exclusive private school.

My DiL is retraining as a teacher at the age of 45. It depends where you live but most cities have a chronic shortage of teachers and she will have no problem in getting a job. But you have to be committed to the training and NQT year are horrendously full on and you have to work incredibly hard. She is finding it exhausting but she is still positive about it.

I retrained as a photographer at age 50. I went on to do freelance photography, arts outreach projects, picture editing and singing workshops.

Better the social work which had become insupportable - unless acting as a financial gatekeeper turns you on.

Teaching seems to be the go-to career change - but maybe look at something a bit off-the-wall and far removed from previous career - it worked for me.

Or, is taching is what she wants, maybe TEFAL.

"if teaching"

As teaching can be very stressful, however rewarding, perhaps, as Luckygirl suggests, taking a TEFL or CELTA course might be a good career change. Most of the students want to be learning, smaller classes and knowing exactly what subject you will be teaching rather than doing supply and ending up teaching anything but your own subject.

I retrained (on the job) for a career that I never believed I could do at the grand age of 53 and spent a further 16 years in the best job I d ever had or considered having

Yes, TEFAL would be easier.

I agree Vegansrock. In the uk I used to work 70 hour weeks and was never up to date with my work.

Overseas teaching is 1) hugely better paid, 2) much easier.

She needs to be very dedicated if she wants to teach. The training is not too bad but the NQT year can be really hard. Teaching hasn't a good record for staff retention most only last a few years. She could look at teaching adults-although most classes have been cut there is still a market if she was prepared to run courses herself. There is a government retraining scheme but I'm not sure she would qualify www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-retraining-scheme/national-retraining-scheme
Good luck to you both!

I moved to another country and re-trained as a Chef.
Best thing I ever did, I loved my previous career but my next promotion would have meant sitting behind a desk all day.
Not for me, although retired now I still cook for friends, family and others.
Great.

As a teacher, I found my niche in further education, mainly teaching adults. When I was made redundant, I asked for re-training in ESOL as part of the package, and for a couple of years, I enjoyed teaching refugees and asylum seekers. Then I began to crack up physically with osteo arthritis and had ten good years as a CAB volunteer.
Apart from school teaching, you DD might find a post in journalism training or in PR. The Police have many civilian vacancies and some forces employ civilians in PR posts.
There is a chance that your DD will find an opening for her skills.

Not teaching - but I started a nursing degree at 49 and wished I'd done it years ago. Never too late and I was not the oldest student nurse in my cohort. Go for it!! X

I retrained in my early 40s and it gave me a lot more self confidence than previously. Is there somewhere she can go to get guidance on what she is suited for? Some sort of psychometric assessment.

Definitely not too late at 40! What about Comms if she's worked in the media?

Redundant and young kids - not good, retraining is not difficult, it all depends what her talents are, teaching or health service are obvious choices.
As she would have done a lot of admin in her media work, any clerical, administration or accounts job, she will be computer fluent already. Accounts are particularly attractive because in many cases home work is a realistic option and you can also increase your qualifications while working.

Just another thought - if she already has a degree then the TEFL or CELTA courses are shorter, therefore probably less expensive, than doing a PGCE course.

Stoker48 Your daughter may well be able to get another job using her existing skills in writing. The number of jobs in print journalism is going, but there is an enormous demand for people with writing skills. Many companies are desperate for such people, in Public Relations,Press Offices and in other jobs you have never heard of.

My DD, in her mid-forties, worked in the broadcast media. When she was made redundant she went on to all the local online job sites and had 2 job offers in jobs nothing to do with media within 10 days. In each case it was her writing skills that got her the job. She has a technology degree and was offered a job by an engineering research centre to write research funding proposals, she needed the technical background but it was the writing skills that got her the job.

What your DD has to do is see her previous profession as a set of skills and then search the job adverts for jobs requiring those skills even though ostensibly they are looking for a PR executive, or an events organiser, to name but two obvious alternative careers for a journalist. Others work editing company websites and doing all kinds of in-house writing

I think she has the skills to get back into work without retraining. She just needs to think outside the box of her current career and look for other jobs that use those same skills.

I would suggest that she analyses what she wants out of work, skills she has where she wants to work etc. I am sure that there's lots of advice on the web. She should look at her skill set and see what gaps there are. What training is available in the area that appeals to her, what's the job market like? She should look on this as an opportunity. She has years of working life ahead of her and years of experience to build on. I would think carefully if jumping into a new career without a lot of commitment.

I agree, she definitely needs to look at the gaps in the jobs market, what is disappearing and what appeals.
A teaching qualification is always a good standby, though.

Thank you all for your helpful and informative responses.
Onwards and upwards ....