Dilemma - Retrain or study for fun ??

Why not join your local U3A? There are a whole lot of things you can do there. No exams at the end! If you like teaching they are always in need of people who are willing to share their skills/experience. Not expensive and a great opportunity to meet other people. Most towns have one, look in the local paper or library for how to contact.

After working non-stop (except for a break of 8 yrs to have my children) up to retirement I decided it was 'Me time'. I took and got a degree in Art and then Art History. Loved every minute.

Why not do both? Why not train to be a museum curator?

A bachelor's degree in art, history, archeology, museum studies or a related field is the minimum education requirement for museum curators.

Doing something you love is important.Excellent ideas already put forward by other Gransnetters! However, unless you are certain that you will be financially secure for ever, it may be worth getting some/updating formal qualifications - in whatever area of interest is your choice - that will help you to help yourself in the jobs market if ever things go wrong in your life.N.B.if you are limited to one geographical area, don't pick something where opportunities to use these qualifications are far and few between!

I have a friend who most people would think had had it all - but suddenly lost everything in six months through no fault of her own (death in the family, a long-term illness, collapse of a successful business after partner ran off with the profits).
Because she had few formal qualifications, when the chips were down, what she could earn as an employee was minimal.She worked full time five days a week and two half days at weekends for six years in order to pay the bills - and another five years beyond retirement age.

I myself retrained in middle age after redundancy. Best thing I ever did. Really interesting and stimulating course/ people - and likewise job opportunities afterwards. If your skills are up to date, and your enthusiasm matches that of a younger person, no one cares how old you are!

I went to a cousin's funeral on Thursday. She was an inspiration. Widowed at 40 with 5 children she retrained as a teacher & a few years later at 47 successfully applied to Cambridge to do a Theology degree. After running courses at Colleges & for U3A she decided to do an OU course at 91. She was 93 when she died & very alert until she died of an infection. I got my PhD 2 years bedore my bus pass - it was about my professional practice & very therapeutic.

Go for the Masters. It will always look good on the CV whatever area you choose to study.

Do what you enjoy! I did a course in Antiques in my fifties and then decided to attempt an MA in Victorian Studies at Birkbeck. It was hard work but most enjoyable. So why not go for the MA in history that you're considering. What is there to lose? The only problem I had was being taught by 'young' people!!! But I got used to it and I've enjoyed learning from the younger generation ever since on all sorts of fronts. Good Luck!

Definitely study something you love, I keep thinking about it but at the moment still too much to do in House & Garden. OU is very expensive, I hoped to do an Access Course to see if I could cope with it now, because I hold an HND & Teaching Certificate I would have to pay (finished studying in 1989).

Law fascinates me but I could not afford a full Degree & would not make a Career of it as I'm 61 but would love the study experience.

Definitely go for what you feel passionate about.
Who knows where an MA in history will lead you?
Maybe it is meant to be ?

Do something you love and do some volunteering. That always helps.

Do something you'd love to do. You won't go far wrong.

The best thing I ever did was spend one day a week (for three years) at horticultural college. I was my late forties and beginning to develop a real passion for gardening rather than just doing what needed doing because of work/children/running a home etc., taking up all my time.

DH looked at the pile of books, magazines and terrible drawings (mine) cluttering up the kitchen table and said, 'Why don't you sign up for the RHS General and learn to do it properly.

It was the best thing I've ever done. I was hooked from the beginning so stayed on after the General spending the next year on a Garden Design Diploma and then the third year doing the RHS Diploma which is no mean feat in one year! I made some lovely like-minded friends who were all around my age having decided to 'do something for themselves'

We have a two acre property with a large garden so all that hard work has been put to good use over and over again.

Go where your heart leads you, holdthetonic as there's nothing more satisfying than working hard at something you love doing.

If you can do something that would bring in money of you fancied it then that would be s great solution. A friend of mine was made redundant at the age of 50 & used her redundancy money to train as a cabinet maker- she had always fancied making things from wood.
She now has a very successful business that she runs from home having converted her garage into a workshop & makes the most stunning furniture which she sends abroad & sells at home too. She s rarely without a commision & totally fulfilled doing something she loves in her own home.
When the children were young I turned a hobby into a career by taking my sugarcraft city & guilds & taught sugarcraft & ran a cake decorating business from home. Now I do crafty stuff & sell it at craft fayres. Lovely to make money out of something you want to do anyway.

Wonderful advice from everyone to follow your heart. Can I also suggest a few hours a week volunteering for something you enjoy will add another dimension to your life and is so desperately needed. These days so many people have to continue to work well into their 60's or longer that volunteers are like hens teeth in some areas.

I am in the same position. Retired at 56 in October and have just enrolled on a sewing course, nothing like my employment but an interest I have dabbled with for many years. Go with your heart, I cannot wait to start. Good luck.

Definitely go for the History degree. I started my degree at the age of 68 and loved every minute of it. It's of absolutely no use financially unless I write a bestseller of course on my particular subject, but the feeling of achievement is quite priceless.
And I met some very interesting and nice people in the process.
Go for it!

Futurelearn has LOADS of free courses you can do as a starter for 10. I've completed 5 of them so far including 2 on forensic science which were really interesting. Will give you an idea of the things you might like to look at in more detail. Most of the courses are short (6-8 weeks) so a good way to dip th toe...

Study for pleasure. You never know what it may lead to.

My sister retired from nursing in her 40's and spent several years studying English, History and Music with the OU because she was passionate about them. Last year, all the skills she acquired from the OU experience came together almost unbidden to give her a successful career as a community film producer!!

For 'fun'. Every time for fun. Firstly, you will learn much more with enthusiasm and zeal and, secondly, you never know where it will lead. Be prepared to be amazed. There are many hidden and less obvious channels out there. Good luck.

Just echoing what others have said here. Do whatever interests you the most. An adult education programme would be good if you can find one that interests you. It would also be an opportunity for meeting new people and maybe lead to a job later on if you want one. As both my DH and I are living reasonably well on pensions, I started doing leatherwork about six months ago and it is totally absorbing as it offers a challenge and I am learning new skills.

I retrained in my 40's and started my own business and didn't retire until 68 because I loved it so much. But I would suggest volunteering for something you would enjoy and that might give you some ideas as to how to go forward, as would the suggestion to look in your local job centre! Can you not also do a course in something you are really passionate about as well? Are they mutually exclusive?

Def what u enjoy, but what about university of third age? Interesting, fun, informative, not dear.

Dont write yourself off as being unsuitable for the job market. At 57 I found that the career I had followed for 30+ years had become far too stressful. I wanted a job I could pick up when I got to work and put down (and out of my mind) until the next day. I saw an ad in the Evening Standard, applied and was accepted for position as an Immigration Officer. Long a francophile, to my amazement and beyond my wildest dreams, four years later I found myself based and working in Paris (I'm still there, though retired). There wasn't a day that I didn't thank my lucky stars for taking that fascinating job. So, don't rule out the Civil Service, you just might be amazed at what life has in store for you.

I went and did a B.A. in English, then went on to do a M.A. in my forties. I did it just for fun and had the best time ever. After that I did a bit of tuition at home, which was quite rewarding. I could have taken an evening class too if I'd have wanted to. Getting qualifications opens up all sorts of possibilities, but it's important to enjoy doing it at the same time.