Retraining at 50: A Helpful Breakdown of Your Options

Our Unretirement Uprising study found that 90% of over-50s believe they have transferable skills to change roles or industry if the employer offered technical training.

Society often leads us to believe that once you’ve found a solid career path, it’s safer to stick to it. While your longstanding loyalty and expertise have been invaluable to your employer, it’s time to shake things up.

So, what are your options? 

From freeing yourself up for more travel or family time, to diving headfirst into a new qualification, we unpack the best options for you and why you need a change.

Grab the Opportunity

When you’re used to seeing the same faces in the same office every day, it can be hard to get out of your comfort zone. But ask yourself – are you truly happy or simply comfortable?

According to Careers Can Change, 68% of adults aged 55-75 have done nothing to change their careers in the past six months – one of the main reasons being that some feel “it’s too late”. Yet, studies show that our personal lives are constantly changing and evolving, so it doesn’t make sense to let our professional life stagnate.

If you’re sick of Sunday evening dread and you want your Monday mornings to be brighter, take the leap!

Ask the Big Questions

If you’re toying with the idea of retraining, this opens a natural opportunity to reassess many areas of your life. Getting stuck in the motions of day to day living is far too common, and it’s healthy to break yourself out of a monotonous mentality to find out what you really want. 

Allow your daydreams of retraining to shape conversations you have with yourself, family and friends. Consider these questions:

• Why do I want to retrain?
• What can I see myself doing?
• How can my skills transfer to a new industry?
• How will I fund my retraining?
• Do I want to retrain, or is there something else in my life I need to change?
• Is it the industry or the job role I want to change?
• Am I committed enough to retrain?
• Where do I see myself in five years' time?

While some of these questions may be difficult to answer, give yourself the time and space to think them through and answer them properly. 

Remember that retraining is a hugely exciting yet equally daunting decision to make, and careful attention and planning is needed for the best possible outcome.

Be Open to Adventure

Working for 25-plus years may mean you have the financial freedom to adjust your work schedule to a more flexible one. If you’re dreaming of soaking up the sun in the south of France or island hopping in the Caribbean, why not opt for a part time path? 

Retraining in a role that doesn’t take up traditional work hours doesn’t have to equate to slowing things down, instead it can open you up to the opportunities you’ve put off due to working 9-5.

Financial freedom gives you access to adventures outside of work, but it can also help to fund a new passion or interest. Assess whether you have the funds to retrain in a new area, and for those looking for a helping hand, why not consider government funded grants and bursaries or read up on returnerships?

Explore Uncharted Territory 

Are you an established writer eager to explore the world of photography? Perhaps you’re a teacher yearning to spend your days on the pottery wheel. Whatever your circumstance, we all have dreams and desires to try something new. 

An article by the Guardian demonstrated that retraining at 50 and beyond is as good a time as any, showing how midlifers who deemed a career out of reach reassessed their beliefs during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

With a wealth of experience under our belts, we midlifers know how to go for what we want in a professional manner. 

Why not enquire at your workplace about retraining options? You may also want to take a sabbatical, enjoy night classes or return to university to retrain.

Regardless of how you do it, retraining in an area that has always interested you can reignite the spark you may have lost through working in the same industry for some time.

Equally, you may love your job and simply wish to build on the skills you have developed. If you’re looking to switch departments, remind your employer that multigenerational teams are key to bringing a broad perspective, which can strengthen decision making. 

Either way, retraining is a great step to rediscover or uncover a professional passion you may not have thought you’d ever explore.

Get Career Advice 

So, you need the change but you don’t know where to turn. Who said career advice was reserved for 16-24 year olds? 

If you’re no longer happy with your job, take the opportunity to get some career advice. Our careers advice page is filled with useful resources. Whether you need to spruce up your CV or learn more about the benefits of networking, there’s advice for every step of your career change process.

For those lacking direction ready to redefine their journey, our purpose finder helps you discover the best route in work, adventure and community.

What Transferable Skills Can People in Their 50s Use to Retrain?

You may not be able to imagine yourself in a new role, but you’d be surprised by how many of your existing skills can work in an entirely new industry. 

Here are five transferable skills to consider when applying for a new role.

1. Communication

Be it emails, over the phone or in person, you will have learned to communicate clearly in your job. Don’t underestimate the benefits that this experience can bring – coming across as personable and professional is key to finding success in many industries.

2. Leadership

If you’re hoping to retrain in a managerial role, previous experience in leading a team will come in handy. Even when working in a new industry, knowing how to listen to and communicate effectively with others whilst setting a professional example is a highly transferable skill.

3. Technology

Whether you’re switching from teaching to running a shop or from marketing to sales, technological competency will set you in good stead for new working practices. For example, knowing your way around Microsoft Excel will help you get to grips with Google Sheets, the search giant’s own spreadsheet software.

4. Problem Solving

Whether you work with numbers or manage client relationships, having critical thinking on your side is a skill that many employers prioritise during the hiring process.

5. Creativity

Be it moving from a painter to a mentor or project manager to interior designer, being able to think outside the box is something that can set you apart from others. This, paired with the experience you may have over other candidates, can help you to snap up that new creative role you’ve been thinking about.

What Are the Best Midlife Career Changes in the UK?

Ultimately, the best midlife career change has to be the one that brings value and joy to your life. But, for those open to learning the best industries to enter into, transferable skills in tow, we’ve looked at four popular options.

Whilst these industries are popular for a reason, it’s worth researching which elements of the UK market may be saturated in your area. 

It’s also important to understand the reason behind why you want to retrain. If you’re looking for a more casual work style, signing up to train in a sector where high levels of stress and long hours come with the territory may not be your best move. 

Similarly, if you want to step things up a gear, make sure that the area you’re retraining in is going to be challenging enough for your skillset – it’s important to feel motivated and enlivened in your job after you’ve put the effort in.

Healthcare

Staff shortages in the UK’s health sector are no secret. Towards the end of last year, ONS data found that one in ten job vacancies were in healthcare, and a report by the Guardian revealed that the top two occupations with the largest number of adverts were “31,870 adverts for support workers and 21,170 for nurses”. It’s clear that demand for support in the healthcare sector remains prevalent. 

So, if you’re thinking of retraining as a nurse or paramedic, this could be the route for you.

Working for the NHS doesn't necessarily mean you have to commit to full time hours. If you’re looking for flexibility alongside a rewarding job that serves the community, enquire about part time or even casual contracts.

Hospitality

A sector known for its flexible work hours and casual contracts, hospitality is a feasible option for those seeking a more laid back lifestyle. 

The Caterer reported that between November 2022 and January 2023, the number of vacancies in the hospitality sector reached 146,000, demonstrating a need for more support in the industry.

Compared to other areas, hospitality is a relatively accessible sector, where your soft skills in people management and customer service can be applied. 

Hospitality is also a great option for those that are ready to dive straight into their new role, where training on the job is the norm.

To explore more jobs that give you flexibility, read our article, Jobs That Give You Flexibility: 18 Jobs for 50 and 60 Year-Olds.

Teaching

Recent reports by the Education Committee have shown that schools are still facing huge teacher shortages. 

If you’ve worked in a certain sector for years, and you’re eager to work with young people and share your passion for the subject, teaching could be for you. 

Working Wise explains that the teaching profession values lived experience, where a mature perspective is celebrated.

If you’re educated at degree level in a certain subject, and you’re ready to commit to up to two years in teacher training, Teaching explains the various processes necessary to become a fully qualified teacher.

It’s also worth bearing in mind that you don’t have to go into teaching as a full time job. Part time and temporary contracts are available – and the term time holiday structure is an appealing model for those eager to travel when schools break up for summer.

Tourism 

Tourism could be a great reason to change more than your job. If you’re a history professor specialising in a certain area of the world, why not consider going into tourism as a tour guide? These contracts can offer flexibility as well as a chance to transfer many interpersonal skills from teaching.

Equally, if you’re based in a location known for its tourism, and you know everything there is to know about your home town or city, why not investigate becoming a tour operator? In recovering from record low numbers throughout Covid-19, Visit Britain predicts that the UK expects 35.1 million visits in 2023.

Taking calls, answering emails and building customer relationships are all skills you may well have plenty of experience in, and when you’re talking to others about a location that you’re particularly passionate about, work doesn’t really feel like work, does it?

For more career options, read our recent article, Find the best careers to retrain for in the UK or check out our jobs board for ideas.