Any second or third career learners here?

I guess I should update this thread. For now, I have decided on a business/marketing degree. It could take me in one of several different directions, but at this point my plans are geared toward something in marketing/public relations. Job oportunities in this field are expected to continue to grow, and they pay relatively well. One day I may even run my own firm or business. I like the idea of eventually working for myself.

I am currently studying "Introduction to Business" in an associates degree program. I have not chosen a school for my bachelors yet, although the distance program at Ohio University recently caught my eye. You designe your own program, and I may do that and choose Integrated Marketing Communications as my concentration. I have plenty of time before I make my final decision.

 

Well, I am 45 and reside in Johannesburg, South Arica. I have decided to enroll for an LLB degree through University of South Africa (UNISA) and to do this over 5 years at 8 subject modules per year, starting in January 2006. I need to do this in this manner as I need my daytime job until such time that I have completed this degree.

This is a step out of my current business/marketing career and has been brought on mainly by the fact that (1) I have been considering this for a long time, and (2) my youngest daughter is commencing her LLB studies at University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg in January 2007. We will therefore finish together, and it looks as if father and daughter will go into a law practice together!

Never too old to change!

Len.

 

Ok, do you want me to tell you what you want to hear or are you interested in what I really think?

If it's the second (you have yourself for the first choice), sincerely I think:

1) Is it realistic to think of getting a degree in engineering over forty if you don't come from a technical background? Even if you did, what sort of job opoortunities will you have at 45 or when you finish as a recent greaduate looking for an entry level job in engineering? Maybe it is, good luck with it, personally I doubt it.

2) Personally, I'm 47, just finishing now my first degree, a small Associate's in Business at Excelsior, if I had the money, the time, and were younger, personally I'd do Computer Science. I know there's a lot of black clouds with the outsourcing, but getting such a degree I think would give me a much more solid foundation in computers, which then can develop into so many different fields in todays computerized world. If i were much younger I might even consisder the medical field, but I think that is quite vocational...

3) As for the best career perspective right now I believe that the medical sector is really looking promising. In places like Ontario (Canada) there is a real shortage of doctors. A young doctor that had the required qualifications to work there, and would be willing to work hard could become rich in just a few years. I know this because I have family there, including a doctor. A lot of citizens have a real hard time finding timely medical care for their children there now.
Nursing is in great demand all over the world, including Canada, and the UK; probably in many places also.
Specializing in something medical having to do with older people really insures you a job for the rest of your likfe in view of the drastic ageing of the population in all of the western world.
Again, I don't see myself working as a nurse unless I had some sort of vocation for it, don't know if I could eventually learn to take it just as a job without feeling disturbed about all the blood and horrible situations I'd have to face on a daily basis...

Just my bit.

 

Forgot to mention it, and now that you are talking about business, there's one specialty in business/marketing that I especially find fascinating: CONSUMER STUDIES.
The wife of a family member in the US got this one and was able to work at home for a large company. Although personally I am on my way out of consumerism, I really think it's a good field to get into, and it sounds super really interesting.

 

Re: Re: Any second or third career learners here?

OK, let's see how i can go about this post without hurting anybody's feelings.
I do believe that one should try, as far as possible, to match passion with career. In an ideal world we would all get a chance to make a living doing what we prefer. Perhaps the most determined, the most passionate, the ones who concentrate on this idea using "think and grow rich" sort of programs, can achieve it, I don't know.

But let me also tell you this: I have suffered all my life because I've had to do a lot of jobs that I just didn't enjoy, whilst there were many other activites and interests I had that I could not spend time in because they gave no money. sometimes I think that I trusted to much those ideas of "Do what you love and the money will follow".

One thing that seems clear is that someone has to clean the toilets. If i am realistic, if I take a look around to see what the rest of people are doing, I see that a majority of people are not doing what they love, but rather doing what allows them to make a living.

So, to summarize all this: The questions is how to find a balance between striving to be able to earn a living doing things one likes, and striving to like what one does because it's the best way to earn a living.

Any thoughts?

 

about that Tcord was saying:

"Here is my question: if you had it to do over again (or perhaps you've already done it) what type of degree would you obtain which would have the biggest monetary return on investment? I would really like to get into a field where I can make as much money as possible for the next 10-20 years to sock away for my "Golden Years", although I don't ever really plan to retire (how boring). I would just like to have the money to live very comfortably and travel. "

Already gave you my opinion as to what I'd do if I were younger. But from my present situation I am still happy with my choice of an AS in Business as my first degree, even at my age. It's just a good stepping stone to so many other Bacherlor's, and also a degree that practically any employer would appreciate in itself I think.

 

Re: Re: Re: Any second or third career learners here?

Well Will...I completely agree with you on most points. What is the point of doing anything in a career if you don't enjoy what you are doing? It's what my Dad has always preached to me. Let me give you some info about my situation. I am a few months away from turning 30 and have been in law enforcement for the last 10 years. I have completely enjoyed my run in this career but I am definately wanting a new career. I am really wanting to go into engineering and have been trying to go to LSU traditional because there are no DL engineering programs that are ABET certified. The problem I have is money. I have climbed the ladder really fast in law enforcement and I make as much as I'm goiung to make in this field. My wife and I are having major problems trying to come up with a way to supplement as much of my salary as possible so we don't get into a bind and lose everything we have. Like I said I truly believe in doing what makes you happy regardless of the pay but I think that some people like myself just can't seem to find a way to do it after so many years of being in the same profession and making a certain wage. On a side not guys...this Hurricane has made me want to go into engineering more than ever. I love Law Enforcement but I have definately reached the point where it's time to get out. I came down with some kind of flu or something from being around all the nastiness I think which is the only way I am able to get a few days off. I'll be back to the grind on Monday.

 

Re: Re: Re: Any second or third career learners here?

Oh, if I could only make this much money fishing and boating.

I don't know what to tell people looking anymore. Pharmacy is OK. However, I work with a number of pharmacists who cannot stand it anymore. They come into corporate. I don't see them leave so they must like a corporate "office space" environment more than a drugstore.

Engineering is outsourced heavily these days. I can tell you that civil engineers are about the lowest paid there are. Maybe in line with ag engineers. I have known many engineers that got sucked into IT and when the bubble burst many went back to engineering. IT is outsourced heavily, although a few on the forum will tell you it's got a great and rosy outlook. I'm in IT and I say it doesn't...especially for a 40+ dude.

Try med school if interested in that. You'd still have 20 years of practice time left when you finish. Be a nurse maybe?

 

I guess I don't buy the whole argument that after the age of 40 "you're too old" to learn something new, even if it is a technical degree such as engineering. Now, I did not choose engineering for a future career path for a number of reasons, but the main one was the lack of distance education programs which lead to an actual, respected engineering degree.

I chose business/marketing. There will always be plenty of opportunities in this field, and eventually I may run my own business. I would much rather work for myself. At least I'll know I'm in good with the "boss"!

I think somebody can change careers to something completely the opposite of what they were doing, no matter their age. To me, age is just a number. Of course, I know some employers look at it differently. I have been in a position of hiring people, and age has never been a consideration in my hiring decisions. Some of the best workers out there are in the over-50 age bracket, in my opinion.

 

You're right about age, if not I don't know what I'm doing here at 47 finishing my first mini degree.

All I'm saying is that if you're after the money, I really wonder if it is, realistically speaking, a good choice to try and get a degree in engineering at this point. It's possible to do, but mighty hard for someone over forty without any technical background at least. Also I don't think any employer will choose an entry level engineer in his fifties if he can get a younger one, all other conditions the same.

Of course one can study and finish any degree at whatever age, as long as there's health.

 

Pharmacy is definitely a career to look into! The pay is outrageous for those even with a degree that's not a PharmD. You really don't have to earn a Pharm Tech degree to work in a pharmacy. Many pharmacies seek out people willing to work behind the counter although the pay will be close to minimum wage. You'll get to learn what the pharmacist deals with all day long. The worst I've heard is putting up with upset customers and insurance companies.

I did an extreme makeover in careers a few years ago. I went from working in film and for temping agencies to nursing. Having had a BA in psychology wasn't doing anything for me so I took some pre-reqs and applied to one of the new accelerated BSN programs. I successfully graduated and am now working in the field. I'll start an online Family Nurse Practitioner program in January to move forward a little more.

Good luck in your endeavors! Let us know when you decide upon something.

 

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