Can peope change life direction after 40?

Hi Tilly
I really would not worry about age, we are living in a population which was once sybolised by a triangle with the pointy bit belong the old folks. Now we the graph is kinda like a column and within our lifetime the triangle will return but this time with them younguns at the pointy end. My point is the govenrnment aint gonna let any of us retire before 70 without a note from the Drs.
Fear not chances are that in an interview you are more likely to be judged on accent, colour, sex and bra size before your age.
... hope that helps :)

Hi Tilly,
After 9 years as a stay at home mum I got a job five years ago as a Teaching Assistant (in my children's school - not very adventurous maybe!) and started to study with the OU at the same time.
I've just completed my degree and got a place on a PGCE course next September, when I will be nearly 45.
I don't know if teaching is typical, but of the twelve candidates in my interview group, only one was not a mature student, the rest of being in our thirties, forties or fifties.
Good luck and whatever you fancy doing, go for it I say! :-)

Hie Tilly
There is nothing late in life when it comes to studying. My mother got her first degree at 45 years old and went on to acquire her PHD at 53. She has changed her life greatly since improving herself academically. She has been an inspiration to me.

Tilly,

I was made redundant at 39 (3 months before 40). I found it impossible to even get an interview for a job in my then profession.

I'd worked with computers as a hobby - and somehow managed to find a way to get a job providing computer support. That then lead onto network administration and then management.

I started my OU courses to put some academic weight behind my experience - and I would say that generally, it has been vey worth while. Although I'm very comfortable in my current career, I'm preparing for another potential change - again, the OU courses are providing the necessary academic skills to balance the job experince.

There is still a very definite ageist bias despite government legislation. But the population demographic is changing and those of us with the greying hair will still be required - and in some cases, more than ever. I expect to work until I am at least 70 (although posibly part time for the last part) - and I may even consider taking a "senior gap year" if I can afford it.

I say go for it - you have nothing to lose, and much to gain.

I'm 40 next year and have decided to knuckle down and finish the degree. I've got 180 points so far and am taking next year off to get 120 in one go, aiming to get a high level pass into the bargain. When I get the final 60 I'm going to go on to do teacher training.
I'm still unsure of what I want to do when I grow up but I know that I'll be better prepared for it with a decent degree and the confidence that comes from it.
Good luck!

Hi Tilly, and to you're question I answer 'I sincerely hope so'. I am 41 and just embarking on the first course in a potential degree. I have no points to transfer so I am starting from scratch.I also have a couple of diplomas in the holistic field, and this degree will either complement that area or take me in a completely new direction...who knows; but that's what it's all about isn't it...the journey. I personally thrive on the anticipation.
Good luck to you, and to everyone on their courses. I expect it will be stimulating, hard work and fun:)Ness.x

Made Honours at 49 and then went to Imperial College to do a Masters.

Came back to the same company but to a better job.

Apart from that, one of the family gave me a small plaque which hung over my desk. It said "The person who graduated yesterday, and stopped learning today will be ignorant tomorrow".

I would add, "The person who stops learning has stopped living."

Aternatively, "A mind, like a parachute, must be open to be safe".

Hi Tilly,
Just read your question. My inspiration is a Jewish grandfather of 2 who learnt to ski at 45, made aliyah (emmigrated to Israel ) at 92 to be near to his son and his grandchildren, and who has his own e-mail account which he can and does use regularly. Today he is 94 years young, regularly sends text messages on his mobile phone and is very interested in the world around him.
Maturity brings its own benefits I do truly believe. The problem I have is not worrying about the numbers, ( I am 45) but the fact that inside I don't feel any different to when I was in my mid twenties, the mirror tells a different story. Still like fine wine we only improve with age.
Plus just heard from a friend who I went to summer school with. He is retired and had been for a few years but has just got his MA in music.
What I am trying to say is age is only numbers and if you don't mind, they don't matter.

I am sure that you can, though at present the economic and employment situation may make it more difficult. I changed direction at 50+ when I retired from the police and eventually became a qualified Nursery Education inspector with Ofsted.

It is great to hear so many inspirational stories (dreamer what an inspiration your grandfather is)
When I look back on the last few years, I am constantly amazed at how quickly time flies, I think my problem is that I tend to leave things till tomorrow as I am so busy (usually doing not a lot) then tomorrow becomes next year and the year after.

I am about to embark on course U212, aiming at an open degree. I don't have a destination really, am just aiming to move forward. I too get a shock when I look in the mirror as my mind is certainly that of someone who is much much younger than the wrinkles suggest.

When I look back on my life so far, I have amassed so much ife experience and am now keen to get some academic qualifications to convince those in the world of employment that I am a valuable member of the workforce once again.

Tilly

Go for it... if you don't, you'll always be left with that nagging "what if...?" feeling. I started studying music with the OU when I turned 40 - a DipMus and one year into the MA later and I'm still going strong (well, I would be if it wasn't for this damn recession, I can't afford A871 next year, it seems my "gap year" has been forced upon me!). If nothing else it's made me realise I don't have to be a programmer for the rest of my life, that I *can* do other things, and that one day I *will* :-)

Hi, I finished in the Army after 22 years when I was 40 and went striaght into the Police. I lasted two years before the travel bug hit again and I went to work as a Security Consultant initially in Iraq and then in West Africa where I still work. I decided when at work I would start to study with the OU and have completed a Certificate in Social Science and am going on to do a Foundation Degree/Dipolma of Higher Education, In leadership and Management. I Start BU130 in May 09. It will take me a couple of years but I hope by the time I am 49 to have a BA Hons in Leadership and Management. (I am only 46 for goodness sake)I could never see myself not doing some sort of work. Maybe in the future I will move completely from the security field into another line of work. However I do know something I have learned in life. Life is short, grasp every opportunity, try to experience as much as possible and see as much as possible of the world. I as you can see have changed direction 3 times at least since I was forty all be it that retirement from the Army was forced. However I have no regrets. Life for living, live every day as if its your last because there is one definate. One day it will be!! This is not a dress rehearsal as my old Aunty says. Lolo

I had not been in employment for nearly 20 yrs and had worked as a freelance artist for over 15 years when I decided to study with the OU. I was probably classed as unemployable!
I started studying with the OU when I was 38, I can't remember why but it just felt like the right thing to do. I had no qualifications worth speaking about, no money, two children and hadn't read a book for over 10 yrs! I started with the Human Genome course simply because it was the first course that I could get on to, I intended to study social sciences but having attended an open day in Birmingham somebody convinced me that if I could add up and subtract then I wouldn't have any problem pursuing a science programme - it seemed quite appealing! I studied for a few years with the OU doing maximum points and then decided to apply to the University of Aberdeen - to my surprise I was accepted into the Biology BSc Hons programme at 3rd yr level (a shock to the system and a 100 mile round drive every day for 2 yrs). I graduated in 2006 with a 2:1 and within a month got a full time 'proper' job with the local authority. I have just been seconded as the only Sustainable Development Officer within the Education Service (170+ schools) it's a great job. I have carried on with my studies at post grad level and have just completed Ecology, Justice and Citizenship. Looking forward to my next course after Christmas. So yes I'm sure it's possible to change direction after 40 but it's hard work. Oh and I still paint - my courses in biology helped me to focus my art work too and I have since won two RHS Silver medals for my studies of native species.

Hi Tilly
I wanted to start an OU degree some years ago, but was stuck in an unhappy marriage and it wasn't the right time. Fast forward ten years - I got a divorce and started studying for a BSc Open Degree in sciences. I'm now in my third year and hope to achieve honours within the next four years depending on the demands of my present job. It's a long process but with every course passed and the points earned I feel energised and motivated to continue. I hit the Big 50 next year, but with the raise in retirement age for women and the rules about age discrimination I hope I have the potential for many more years of work where I can use what I have learned from my degree. All the mature students I have met on my courses have been lively, tenacious and capable of anything, and if we believe in ourselves we will get to where we want to be. So you go for it Tilly !
Best wishes
Karen

I am now 52 and did my Arts Foundation course with the OU 18 years ago! Many difficult things came my way including divorce, re-marriage and critical illness. I have become single again and moved house and job this year. I have resumed my OU studies once more and am more determined than ever to complete my degree. It is never too late and many barriers can be overcome with self-belief and an open mind. A positive attitude and flexibility are always attractive to potential employers, so don't think about age, just keep your eyes on your goal. Good luck!

To Tilly and others,

I too went through a period where within a few months I lost access to my profession, was becoming divorced, went bankrupt, lost access to my entire estate, was briefly incarcerated, was flying solo in a corrupt legal system, was involved with a tribunal for wrongful dismissal, prevailed in that and was awarded a substantial sum in compensation which was taken away by the aforementioned corrupt legal system after it was originally 'stolen' and then returned to a court trust account and eventually disbursed in its entirety as spousal support, and because no good deed goes unpunished I was also awarded 100% of the debt from my marriage which I am carrying to this day.

I have been estranged from my US family for 5 years now, and upon returning to UK with unresolved legal and tax issues, I attempted to resurrect my career here. Because my father died shortly after I returned to UK I inherited a small sum in 2004 and was able to qualify to work in my profession here but because of our weak laws relating to ageism, the investment was unhelpful. I don't know whether those who took my money for training knew that I was unlikely to be able return to my former profession or not, but it was soon apparent that I would need to make other arrangements.

The whole process of beginning again is a challenging one and requires that I remain optimistic and take advantage of any positive factors available to me. The greatest advantage I have had is a family that welcomed me home after an absence of 25 years and which has supported me in various ways ever since. The long list of woes I compiled above includes almost every conceivable misfortune I can think of other than ill health and the removal of basic freedoms, so the clear lesson is that I have just had to let all the frustration and possible resentment over 'why me', 'what did I do to deserve this' and 'I thought I lived in a just society' go as rapidly as possible and move on.

I realized that my prior profession was way too specialized to provide much access to anything other than itself, so I have had to begin a step by step process of understanding the realities of life in a work environment that is still very conservative and traditional in its thinking and behaviour.

Like many people who have spent a number of decades gaining independance of thought and action and a foundation of experience, I learned that many doors are closed for reasons like: this person has too much experience, is too qualified, has the wrong qualifications, does not have recency of experience, and it seems to me that unless I am lucky enough to have a valuable network of contacts who can promote me to prospective employers, or I am pre-eminent in my field, have skills or am gifted in ways that are exceptional, or have so much money saved that I need not be bothered with this nonsense any longer (which I don't), the only logical conclusion is to form my own company, become self employed, and work on broadening my skills and qualifications which is why I am writing this now, why I am associated with OU that is.

Apart from the psychological adjustments, there are the challenges of re-establishing a workable life for myself in an alien culture (I was in many ways a child when I left UK, innocent and ignorant at 25) and I needed to find a way to navigate these unchartered waters using only my inbuilt compass, because there are no charts to follow, no single place to go that can answer all my questions, anticipate each hurdle and make me aware before I run into them.

On the whole, I find the prognosis promising. Some of this is because of my existing notions and intentions. One of these is that I never really intended to 'retire' at 65 and begin the process of dying. Another is that I never really imagined myself not being involved in some process that most would classify as work.

Ultimately I believe I will look back with some relief that I have been freed by circumstances from spending 'too' much time in what was a lucrative but otherwise increasingly unfulfilling career, and therefore something of a money trap, and I now have the opportunity to grow as a person in many ways that I otherwise might not have done.

I hope I have not been discouraging because that is far from my intention, neither do I wish to pretend that the transition is short, simple, straightforward, but it is genuinely an opportunity and will create possibilities that would otherwise probably not have come into being. So take heart and proceed with clear and firm intent, and yes good luck too.

John

At 21 I dropped out of university after only two years.
At the age of 39, I had a baby and was elected as a Councillor.
At 45 I got a new job in a completely new direction and ran as a parliamentary candidate (unsuccessfully).
At 47 I started my open university degree.
I am now nearly 53 and in my 5th year - Is it worth it? Yes, just to prove to myself that I can do it.
I have spent years feeling inferior to those with degrees, but I now know that I can do it and hold down a demanding job and have a family. I couldn't have done that at the age of 21.
Age is no barrier it just makes you more determined to prove you can do it!

Tilly,

My husband is 41 and he has just left priesthood to marry me. When he came to me he didn't have a penny and he has to study in order to get a decent job (maybe). He was very respected and had a specific role in life before he came to me, but he decided to come to me. No one knows how things will turn out in life.
Trust me, you're not alone!

Hello Tilly,

'40' is the new '30'apparently. I'm 39 years old, semi-skilled and comparitively poorly-paid. Alas I don't know if my (eventual) history degree will result in a swanky new job or not. However, the process of acquiring a degree has undoubtedly boosted my confidence and sense of self-worth. I'm sure this will be a valuable asset when I do eventually try to see how I get on in my post-degree 'Brave New World'.
PS, I'm also approaching 40 (in May) but If you think about it we're only about half-way through our working lives. 5 years to get a degree leaves 20 years in a well-paid dream job (sounds good to me).

Yes, of course they can, and do.

I started studying with the OU at the age of 41, graduated when I was 47. The following year I got a place on a PGCE and started my studies to become a teacher. In fact I dropped out after a few months, realising that I didn't want my life to change that much. I felt some guilt at quitting: after all, I had been given this great opportunity when many other, younger, people were turned down. However, it was the right thing to do.

This year, at the age of 54, I decided on another change of direction and have set up a walking holiday/B&B business. That may not seem a huge change of direction - I haven't moved house, haven't studied anything to achieve this - but inviting strangers into your house is quite a lifestyle change.

My husband works in HR and has been very impressed with people who have studied later in life. Good luck to you - whatever happens, it's still worth it.

Hello Tilly,
go for it!
It is never (!!!!!!!) to late to develop your personality. And this, in some way or other, will also help your professional life. Maybe not in a straightforward way, but there will be a way if you want to make it happen.

I am 39 now and just got my BSc in psychology - a first at that (and me not being a native speaker and having three children)...
The part-time job I am working in now I already had when I started studying five years ago, but it has been expanded (time-wise and money-wise) which certainly wouldn't have happened without my studying.

Last but not least, studying has vastly expanded my view on the world, has given me food for thinking, a goal to work for etc. - which in itself is worth all the trouble!
I will go on studying for a masters from May onwards, even if simply for these reasons of personal development.

Good luck!

Annette

I started my OU degree at the age of 40, while working as a teaching assistant. Ten years on, I've just got my BSc (Open) and I'm thrilled to bits!
Will it change my life? It already has - 3 years ago, on the strength of the study I'd done that far, I got a job as an adult education tutor. I really love my job as it's so rewarding.
It's never too late, Tilly, so go for it!
Judith

I realise I'm not in the same category as people needing to choose/change a career, but at 74 I am seeking a new outlet for my creativity/experience - I re-started a career after retirement as a consultant (as a health and safety advisor) in 1992 which lasted until I was 72. I am now studying a range of political philosophy modules in the OU (philosophy foundation/Islam/governing Europe) with the idea of joining a forum/think-tank.
Life only stops when you give up! I tell you - 40 or 50 is the beginning of the most exciting/productive stage in your life
Roger

Let's hope so, or else, at the age of 52, I'm definitely wasting my time! Really, I'm just doing what I should have done 34 years ago - but frankly hormones got well and truly in the way. Got lots more determination and concentration now. Hurrah for the menopause!

Hi Tilly

Although I'm not doing my OU degree to further my career, I can't see that it can ever be anything but a positive thing to broaden your education at any time in your life.

I think that the maturity, life experience and general common-sense know-how that you can bring to the table after the work you did for your family, doing the hardest job there is, puts you in a position of advantage over younger graduate applicants who have only yet seen a little of life. They might be easier to boss around, and they might in some areas of work be cheaper to start with; but you have so much more to offer. Any decent employer will understand this.

I think your worst enemy in the job hunt would be a mistaken belief that you're not as worthy of consideration for employment as the younger graduates are.

Have confidence. It's the only thing you need. Everything else you'll need is there already. (If you haven't got it, act like you have!)

Oh and of course everyone needs a bit of luck! which I'm sure we all wish you.

Wytesoxx

Hi Tilly and everyone,
I'm not 40 yet, but I will be by the time I finish my degree. I sincerely hope that it is possible to change careers at that point in life, as this is my main reason for studying. I have found some of the previous posts very encouraging though, it shows that with determination you can achieve your goals at any point in life.
I think studying as a "grown up" has a lot of advantages actually. When I was doing my original degree(s) in my early 20s I barely knew what I wanted and was much more interested in the social life than in the courses or career decisions. I got good enough degrees, but have often regretted not putting more effort in and thinking more carefully about what I wanted to do with my life while I was at university.
Now I'm more grown up, know where my interests lie, am more determined and definitely have a (slightly :-) more mature way of approaching things. I think these are things you mostly "pick up" with more life experience, and surely these are values that will be appreciated by employers?
In any case, good luck to everyone in achieving their goals!
Marianne

Hi Marianne,

I know it can be a bit daunting and scary to embark on a new direction in your 40s. But the other side is that it is interesting and exciting with lots to learn.

I formally trained as a manufacturing engineer and I retain my Chartered Engineer status. However, at around my 40th birthday manufacturing was not going through a good time and I did not want to move to America with my firm. As part of my MSc with the Open University I did study in Software Engineering, Project Management, Strategy and Internal Consulting. I decided to have a go at Management Consulting in the IT industry.

At first I felt like a fish out of water but quickly got established. I took some consulting qualifications and finally qualified as a Certified Management Consultant and a Fellow of the Institute of Business Consulting. This has given me the confidence to work in a number of new areas such as Environment and I now work principally in Local Government consulting.

Do not fall into the trap of underestimating your skills and capabilities. Have a go at new things; apply for jobs that are a real challenge; consider all sorts of new things. Many roles require the experience of older people as opposed to the raw energy of youngsters.

Go for it!

Lots of luck,

Simon

Hi Tilly
Do not despair there is life after forty! I changed career at Fifty, and became a carer. At sixty five I took an O U in art. Two years ago I took an I.T. course. Now at sixty nine I am about to start a M150 Computer course.
It's not how old you are it's how old you feel.
Best wishes.
Ivor

Hi Tilly,
The very fact that you are getting a deegree at an older age is already a plus.if you can back up the deegree with extra practical experience then you are heading for success.i am 48 and currently finishing my deegree in psychology with the open university next september.so don't be discouraged by the age factor.getting a job is the final destination but on the way yoy will be multiply rewarded.
hope this gives you an idea.if you have any courses that have a residential school do attend they are a mind opener and can really change your life.
webster11.