Scubaemma

I changed careers and became a copper (at age 30). I love it (most of the time!). It's something different every day and you never know what's going to happen. I don't miss being stuck behind a desk one little bit.

Go for it, it's better to regret something you've done than something you haven't

BadgeIsBack

I don't think I have made a life-changing decision.

All my decisions have been made on the basis of what has come before...

there is nothing but a chain of circumstances...even if the end does not match the start...and people sometimes ask me.

Even moving to Australia was the result of a year sabbatical. Which was just a decision to slope around for a year.

ahem. Sorry, feeling profound tonight.

EvannTel

Me nowt but OH has done a bit.
Having worked in corporate hospitality in premiership football for one of the biggest clubs and another "trier" then going golf in SE London, she found country WA a little challenge career wise.
A complete about face led to Cert III and Cert iV in disability services to be completed 12 months. During that time she worked hands on as a carer. She now has a management position and after 18 months of this complete change would never look at the money and glamour of premier sport in London again.
I'm proud of her.

LittleKittyCat

I used to be an optometrist, but found the whole thing so completely stressful that I packed it up after I had our eldest daughter. The final straw for me were some stress-related health problems that I had when I was pregnant with her, that almost caused me to lose her at 29 weeks. At that moment, I decided enough was enough, took holiday that I was owed and maternity and decided not to go back.

Fast forward five years, we now have two children, our eldest has just started school, our youngest will be at home for a further two years. We moved to Australia two years ago, and whilst the salary from me working as an optometrist would be excellent ($100k+ versus my hubbys $69k), we manage fine on what we have and don't actually need it. I run a small home business making and selling handmade jewellery which has been reasonably sucessful, and I am just in the midst of re-launching that and negotiating with a couple of stockists in the local area. The hope is that I can continue to make jewellery as a part-time job around the children, and then maybe look for a second part-time job working in the national park (I also have a degree in Zoology, and love bio sciences).

I am lucky, though in that we don't actually need my income through careful budgeting, which is just as well, because I put every cent back in to the business at the moment.

iamthecreaturefromuranus

My wife took Cert III in disability services as well. Now works in disabled aged care.
Tough, tough work and for generally lousy pay. Much to be admired in the people who stick at it.

Cheetah7

There are some excellent and inspiring stories on here, keep them coming.

Mr PP handed in my paperwork to the college yesterday so its all go, I have sold my shares and should just make enough to cover the cost - it all happened at once, the whole applying and payment, when I thought I couldnt raise the cash - I realised I could sell my shares - dont have many but just enough.

Yesterday I sat at my desk at work and stared out of the window and realised if I dont do something now and quickly to change my life in the direction I want it to go in, the view from my desk would be mine for the near future and it isnt a view I like very much.

I am determined not to be one of those people that get old and say 'I wish I had done that' The TV industry is so hard to get in to and this is a mere stepping stone, and I have occasional work experience going out with a guy that owns his own production company, I went out with him last week to photograph wildlife and loved it.

So its starting to move slowly in the right direction but I need to find a job that allows me to be creative and who knows, may just encourage it.

koalakim

Good luck PP! If you are able to, then go for it!

I'm doing what I'm doing as an evolution rather than an "excutive decision" although we did decide to do the photography full time when we came out here although we were heading that way in the UK had we decided to stay.

I originally wanted to work in tv so joined the BBC after school then decided to get married, being young and broke at the time I looked for a job nearer home and ended up working on Autocar magazine who was local. My job was to look after all the photos and archive and had to sell images to other publications then the company created a stock agency out of the archive and I moved over when the magazine was sold.

One day on holiday I picked up the camera and started using it artistically instead of just recording a scene. I used to paint but found once I went to work I never had the time so creating images with a camera was an alternative. I also started taking transport images for our collections at work and sold travel images through other stock libraries. Then one day a friend asked us to shoot her wedding! We said noooooo initially (too much responsibility etc etc) but she insisted, found we loved it and had a natural leaning to it then one wedding lead to another, did an expo and got heaps of bookings and the rest is history as they say!

If someone had told me even 10 years ago this is what I would be doing as a career I would have laughed!

My hubby also has had a number of careers all completely different but one lead to another in a strange way and for us to end up working together doing something we both love is pretty good!

Stick at it, it may take time but I'm sure you'll get the career you want!

Beachband

Great thread, and the very best PP.

Margaret3

I've done a Cert1V in Human resoruces, and still doing the same old job, although it was good to do some study again after a 100 years

Am definately have an 'age-crisis' thing, i feel soooo old these days, doesnt hellp at work when most of the peeps are young sassy nurses! Am definately losing confidence due to being self-conscious about my age.

There was also an internal advert at our work looking for a 'young nurse' to do a certain job, well i complained magnificiantly about that due to what i had learned during above course, heehee they wont do that again!


I also felt obligated to do a course, just on the off chance we return to the u.k and can add it to my c.v , so i might possible get some sort of nursing job again, as there is not a great shortage in scotland, so i would be up against nurses half my age with twice my qualifications.

Pomster

I have just taken redundancy after 21 years in a great company with good opportunities, but can see things changing and not for the better...so leaving was a hard choice but I hope for the best.
Am now deciding what to do- after spending some time with my daughter before she starts school next year

Mr P moved from insurance and took a mature age apprenticeship as a plumber- he is much happier.

Go for it we have to work for a long time so a change mid career is a great idea.

koalakim

So when will you be coming back to Oz Pomster? Are you going to hang on and enjoy an English Summer after all the snow!

Beedubya

Great thread and well done all of you that have made the change, and good luck to all of you in transition.

eddie007

One thing i did that changed my life...


Survived a brain tumour....


Completely re ordered my prIorities in life... Gave me the ability to turn nearly everything on its head to make a negative into a positive, appreciate life, the simple things and be grateful for ALL my blessings...

I know peeps think my middle name is "mary bleedin poppins" but i genuinely love the life that i have

Centurion

daunted

I know exactly what you mean PP! I've been a Chef all my working life, starting off in the armed forces and now on civvy street. I no longer enjoy cooking, the fun has been taken out of it for me. I looked into doing Health education but it all involves so much expensive study, which I just don't have. I can tell you exactly what i will be cooking on any given day for the next 25 years if i stay where i am. I dont want to go back to split shifts and quite honestly i want to re discover my passion for cooking. For me the only way to do this is a complete change out of the kitchen. I am currently applying to join the WA police force. Initially just an Auxillary officer based in station but who knows where it will end up? All I know is that I am excited at the prospect of a new challenge and something that has some sort of career prospects. There is no where for me to go within my current job on the career ladder and that prospect depresses me.

In the meantime if anyone has a spare couch in Joondalup i may be needing it if i am successful in my application.