Career change and uni in late 20’s

Megahurtz400 · 6 Apr 2019 at 18:49

Hey all,

Stuck in a rut at the moment working a job which pays ok, has good prospects but had ridiculous hours and I have zero interest in it and brings me no joy.

I’m not sure what I want to do, but having not finished a-levels and not gone to uni I find myself thinking I’d struggle to pass the papersift on any job I’d like to apply for, despite having great skills having effectively run a company for the past 5 years.

Now, as I say I’m not sure what I want to do (I don’t really have a “dream” job) but love the idea of seeing/designing a project from beginning to end, if that makes any sense, so was looking at Mechanical engineering degrees. To get myself an official qualification and to learn a new skill set which is applicable in a lot of industries.

Has any jacked in a career and gone back to uni in their late 20s?
I don’t have a mortgage/kids so have no real financial ties, is it affordable?
Am I just being stupid and should I just look for another job?

As I said stuck in a rut and after some advice tbh.

Cheers

Megahurtz400 · 6 Apr 2019 at 20:27

@flibbage0 I know what you mean, future looking bleak. I’m currently trying to find something online based/free to dip my toe into the water, but feel with something like mechanical engineering it’s the type of qualification you can only really get at a brick and mortar uni.

@harry5522, awesome that you’ve got the vision to improve technology in an industry you already work in, must be satisfying knowing you’re working towards something like that

If you don’t mind me asking, why could you not afford uni? That’s one thing I’m worried about, the shift from full time salary to student lifestyle. However have a good friend who’s currently a mature student and he says he gets by ok.

Megahurtz400 · 6 Apr 2019 at 21:17

@harry5522 Ah I see, I’ve pretty much accepted that if I were to get a degree I’d have to accept the student debt which goes along with it

While I earn ok now it’s not even to even contemplate saving and paying any serious amount of it up front.

Megahurtz400 · 6 Apr 2019 at 21:44

Quartz said:
Universities might well demand Maths and Physics A levels first, just to be sure you have the proper grounding in the basics.

The courses I’m looking at have foundation years which cover entry requirements, although I’m going to be brushing up on maths and physics before hand if I do go down that route.

Quartz said:
If you've done that then you're set for many managerial jobs.

Could you define managerial jobs? I don’t think I’d be able to get into an industry which fulfils the creative juices without the right pieces of paper and some experience, but I may be wrong?

Megahurtz400 · 8 Apr 2019 at 08:11

Quartz said:
Achievement trumps everything.

Certainly doesn’t seem that way when looking for anything new...

Megahurtz400 · 12 Apr 2019 at 20:34

tres said:
I too felt like I was stuck in a rut, lived in the most beautiful of places but felt life with slipping by without challenging myself.
Also didn't have a 'dream' job, more something I thought my skillset would do well in, and would forever push me.
Went back to uni at 28. Had to do an Access course to get myself the grades to get into uni.
Uni mostly covered by student loans - yeah, massive debt now but the only way I could do it.
Now I've been a doctor for a couple of years.
Best decision I ever made. Yeah, I see student loan deductions leaving my payslip until I retire, but I'm in a career that pushes me (good and band) rather than just lead a sedentary boring life. I feel privileged doing this job.

Thanks for your reply mate

What did you do at uni & what are you doing now if you don’t mind me asking?

Found out today I can’t do a degree with a foundation year as you need at least 1 A level for them, so will have to do a 1 year access to HE at a local college, is this similar to what you did?

Megahurtz400 · 13 Apr 2019 at 21:06

tres said:
Medicine (standard 5 yr course), and a (medical) doctor now

Wow, big boy degree!

Was your access course part of your degree or taken somewhere else?

Glad to hear it’s all going well for you!

Megahurtz400 · 13 Apr 2019 at 21:35

tres said:
Taken elsewhere, I moved to Kings Lynn in Norfolk for a year to do it at a college. That was a strange place.
And thanks!

Wow, yeah Kings Lynn isn’t too far from me, been there quite a few times with work and it is a rather odd place!

Was that at a college or a university? Did you receive any funding for it or were you able to save before hand?

Sorry the bombardment of questions mate!

Megahurtz400 · 26 Apr 2019 at 08:05

Cheers for all your replies guys, a lot of food for thought, just need to decide what to do with my life now!