Learning programs after 50

To be honest, the travel, the issues, the 3 a. Financially, a wonderful life. When I look at what truly was and is most gratifying to me throughout my career, it has been the interpersonal connections that come with this profession.

The trust placed in me, and my ability to work through issues where conflicting personalities inevitably clash, and the fact clients from the start maintain a connection with me with issues that have arisen with their marriages and children.

So, my query. There would be no debt incurred. Although I already feel like one, the degree is required to obtain the necessary recognized certification. To become a therapist there is a significant number of hours of supervised client hours where the pay is very low. In Texas, it is hours or more. I had one former client who had to go to rural east Texas to be able to get the hours needed in a reasonable amount of time.

That former client is struggling to make ends meet financially. The second thing is to really understand who you will be working with. Mostly likely at the beginning it will be groups from lower socioeconomic groups, i. This is where the demand resides. When I went off to teach high school math, so many people thought I would be hired in a suburban high school. I was hired where there was a demand, i. Very rewarding experience but exhausting. Hello Marc, I am a 50 year old nurse and I have just started a masters degree in clinical psychology.

I am beginning to question whether or not this is a good investment? I am concerned that the market for therapists is saturated I live on the west coast of Canada , and that with the excellent salary I make now as a nurse will not be repeated as a therapist.

I have looked into some certificate programs that I could take that would enhance the nursing work I do now which is in community care. I had thought I could be a therapist part time after retirement to supplement my pension. Thank you for your time. I have worked with one individual who became a therapist in the US. The challenge is the internship hours that you are required to work before you can work on your own.

You will not be able to get those hours in while working full time as a nurse. I am not familiar with the process in Canada but this is a path similar to teaching school, it is much harder to do and pays much less than one would expect. Marc, why does everyone on this post think that earning a higher income is the way to wealth? Let me tell you man, it is definitely NOT. It is also how you define wealth. I define wealth today very differently than I did 10 years ago. Marc, money is important if you come from a position of not having any.

But I believe most people can attain their goals in life through better management of what they already get, rather than being like most and trying to make a high income. You are indeed right though, there is much more to wealth than just money. I agree with you up to a point. Most of the people who are commenting on this post are not trying to attain a higher income but trying to maintain their careers in a constant fluxuating market.

We have so much creative destruction that is disrupting peoples careers that is difficult to determine how one stay relevant in an ever-changing world. I Am 49, Lead Software Engineer at a company.

I am getting burned out. I went to school for pyshcology and computer science within mathematics. I am looking to pivot, either into a manager role or pivot out into a teacher role.

So I was looking at obtaining a masters in either computers or io psychology. Figured the io psychology would help pivot up in the leadership roles as well as teach. Programs will run about the price of a new car. I am not looking at ivy league schools. I am just looking at affordable online schools while I continue to work. I like to set myself up for a second career as I head towards retirement.

But I could see myself teaching into my 70s at community and other colleges or substitute teaching at high schools. Wanted to know your thoughts? Programming is a burn out profession and honestly at my age it is a miracle I have survived it this long. Several things to think about: Make sure the the masters degree is from a reputable online program. You need to talk to hiring managers to see if getting the ip psychology would really help rather than just what you think.

I have colleagues who have received their MBAs from respected universities in their 50s and it did nothing for them. You need a masters degree to teach at a community college but all higher education institutions are being disrupted. They are rapidly moving away from in class programs to online programs. One of the members of my online community is teaching at a major state university and it is all online.

It is not really teaching but more of a mentoring role. As I did, what I am thinking is getting a masters in io psychology and work in the industry another 10 years hopefully into a managers role… The Lead Software Engineer is sort of assistant manager role to the actual manager.

I have an hr buddy from my last job so I will reach out and ask him if this would give me the edge over other candidates. Then after 10 years of experience I can go teach. I researched some and most adjunct profs they want you to have experience.

I would probably put more effort into it then mentoring. Meaning hold online voice or video chats with students. Perhaps due some youtube videos for the class to watch… Have to give it some more thought.

I also reached out to someone online in the industry and asked them to recommend some IO psychology books you might read for the graduate studies…. To gage whether or not what I think it is from the research I did online is actually what the course material is. Then maybe I could start a meetup group in my local area to help employees better engage or work around issues at work…. Hopefully get a few other IO psychology degree people to join in and to help.

I have sporadic employment history due to being a military spouse and stay at home mom. I have worked in healthcare, mostly volunteer work, with family and friends.

I will pay for this personally. Is it a good Idea? It sounds like a good idea to me. I started my first semester last January.

The only reason I am able to do this is through financial aid. My tuition is almost completely paid for, for which I am extremely grateful.

It is more of a personal choice than anything else. What I hope to do with this Associates degree is teach adult students as an independent contractor in a program for retirees; not sure yet of the subject, but my major is Humanities so there are many choices. I have looked into certificate programs, but preference is almost always given to younger folks. It was the minimum qualification to get my foot in the door at most companies, but not required for my telecom career.

What to do now? Dave, What kind of certificate programs have you looked into? If you are looking at technical programs like coding, you are correct they are targeting young people. Happy to chat and maybe brainstorm some ideas with you. Hit the contact button above and let me know. Hello, I was a journalist for nearly 18 years at a major U.

It was operated with very little ethics, therefore the boss, who often turned the office upside-down for every young woman who paid any attention to him, eliminated my position unfairly. Even the HR department began to cover for him, like publishing photos of his dancer every time she performed, allowing coworkers the entire week off, and calling it home work, keeping assignments secret and off the budget, allowing coworkers to apply for credentials to sports events without an assignment, and allowing coworkers to exchange coverage for concert tickets.

It was obvious: she had won zero awards, opposed to my numerous awards in photo, writing and video, and she was a journalism major. I polled teachers, school principals, counselors. They mostly directed me to pursue becoming a teacher in adult education, substitute, or public information officer or public relations.

Dean, Breaking into teaching in your mids is really hard. I know this because I taught in an inner-city high school from All forms of education are going through incredible disruption due to changing demographics and funding.

I have been able to stay home and take care of my six kids while my other half worked for the last 14 years. I started looking for a job when I only had a BS, and nothing developed. I have been in healthcare for over 30 years, and I have resorted to applying for administrative assistant jobs again and being rejected and still wondering if my k in debt will ever be paid before I cannot work.

I realize not working for the last 14 years, and being 50 is a drawback. Still, I have erased all of my experience from my resume and only listed my practicum experience, not even to show my age. Completely sad about it all. Kurt, You really need to work on your LinkedIn profile. Also, applying on line will not cut it. Listen to my podcast with Thea Kelley this week to see if you can get some ideas. Hi Marc, can you tell me the date of your article?

I also got a 2 year technical associates degree back in after high school, and worked as a CAD operator, mechanical designer, engineer, program tech lead, up to a VP of Ops for a small international Mfr and was laid off from that job at the end of I worked in my other career while also running the business my wife and I had.

The day I was hired for the VP job, we tragically lost our oldest son in I got a job at Verizon in mid because I could not find a job to save my life then during the recession. It will take me about months to complete. Or I could start a new business — but I have zero retirement at this point and time is out; and not sure I want to take such risk of success or failure. I have not updated my Linked in profile yet because I feel I need to decide which way to go, then rebrand myself accordingly on there to try to land the new job while I try to get some certs or new masters.

I will still have to help out with my granddaughter she requires 4 full time people to care for her, and it has only mostly myself and my wife, and my daughter part time — and often we are walking zombies from a lack of sleep. I wrote the article back in and I think it is even more relevant today than then. Getting an advanced degree does not guarantee you anything.

Secondly, you are entering a very dangerous age group. Before you embark on my education find someone who looks, tastes and smells like you who has pursued the degree and gotten somewhere. The university should be able to point you to a graduate. Retaining the job longer term in line with the link article you eluded to is another challenge. I have enough income for the next years to keep the lights on, and have a small window to get something new going; just not sure what at this point.

Even if you are an employee of some corporation, you are responsible. The sooner you get used to that idea the better and use those skills you gained from getting all of those degrees to make a living.

On one side, reading this just so mean going for a degree after this is can be productive or counter productive. If one can be able to cut down the cost, and still get the degree, its productive. I also want to be realistic about how physical the work is as I age. I want to take a Certificate program if possible, but am also willing to consider an Associates.

A lot will depend on your existing skill sets. What did you do before you exited the workforce? Do you have a college degree and if so, in what? I am 59 and was let go from my employer of 23 years recently. Well, now here I am unemployed, 59 years old, no degree.

I believe I am now about 5 or 6 classes away from a degree but that field Business Marketing bores me. Not sure where to go next…. Great job, Marc. This is a very helpful site. Reading your replies to concerns posted herein have helped me find answers to lots of my own questions. Thanks very much. Unfortunately, the deck has been stacked against this generation.

Researchers and popular media typically use birth years around to to define Generation Xers, although some sources use birth years beginning as early as and ending somewhere from to We are being denied the positions that our parents held to save for their own retirement, and in exchange have bequeathed the positions to their grandchildren. This puts the grandchildren millennials in the ubiquitous position of funding the retirements of themselves millennials , their parents generation X , and their grandparents baby boomers.

Hello, I am almost 47 and am feeling lost. I got a AS in Hospitality Mgt from a school that no longer exists. I decided when my kids were little I would go back to school for an Education degree in part to spend summers with them and to work with children. Part of my issue is my state requires a General Knowledge Exam that includes Math before I can proceed to my concentration. I took the exam and passed everything but the Math.

My current job is only part time hate it and was always meant to get me through school. I bought a calculator that would solve everything.

You probably just need to get coached on taking the test. I would be happy to discuss this with you. Special education is tough! I have known many people who tried this later in life and failed. I will be running an interview on my podcast with Wendy Mayhew in a few weeks. Thank you for your article, and all that you share. I would have to pay for school, and it is draining the time it consumes. I enjoy my current job and being government, while the pay is low, I believe to be secure for me to work for years to come.

The recent tragedy has really shifted my life perspective, along with my age and less years ahead of me than behind. I will not never catch up or make it to the point of my financial security I had when I was married, and part of me is okay with that. I have other things in which to be grateful, but at the same time I want to be smart about my financial situation and keeping my job.

Am I being unreasonable? Do I just need to push thru and finish this two year AS degree? Thank you for your time and reading. I had a GREAT career in the production world at the same ad agency, and thought surely my reel and my reputation would get me in the door.

But so much hiring is done now via career portal, where they ask for info on your education. If you leave that blank, your CV will not be considered. The algorithm disqualifies you. Also, in case i want to do something different in my 60s, I think it will be valuable to have a degree esp if this trend continues. Work your network. There are ways to get around educational requirements on forms.

I have been working my whole life starting at 15 to support myself and eventually family. It has always been difficult. There was plans to go to school several times but they never panned out. I am 50 now and find myself single. I work in HVAC as a tech now for over 11 years. I have been attempting to get into management or sales but for some reason have not been able to break into them.

Corey, I had a similar discussion with a guy who installed wood and vinyl flooring. He was a real expert. I suggested he start a YouYube Channel and start teaching people how to solve all of the minor and then major issues in installing floors. You could do the same and build this up over time. That way you are leveraging your expertise and work yourself out of doing the installations.

Have been accepted to a well know local MSW program — online. I was bullied in my former position by a 34 year old, stayed as long as I could, tried to get help, nothing worked so I quit due to the stress without another job.

I have yet to find full time employment after almost 2 years. I would have to take out a loan. My husband is It sounds like the MSW would be a financial mistake at this point and I need to keep looking for full time work while I go back to Amazon part time. I stayed home with our two kids and worked part time for most of it.

My biggest issue with getting an MSW is the internship hours required for licensing are significant. I have one former client who spent over a year working in rural East Texas because she could not get the hours required in a major metro area. She is still struggling making ends meet with the money she is making. However, that is changing because of the pandemic and the ability to work with clients remotely. I did see that notation on an earlier post.

I just checked and it is hours which is more than I expected. It works out to almost 2 years if one is employed full time.

LPC is 3, hrs. Interesting that Austin would not have enough work. Thank you Marc. I am 55 this year, graduating last June with an AA in communications. I have 35 plus years in office work and am considering returning back to school for a BA in Human Resources.

Your earlier question about student loans being taken out of my social security scares me. Suggestions as to the viability of a BA in HR would be very welcome. Any ideas to figure out how big a problem my age would be? Looking for a salary of 50 to 75K. Is this a realistic idea? Junior HR positions are usually filled with young people just starting out.

I joined the military two years after high school. I retired with 27 years and my AAS Degree. Why has it taken so long to get where I am. Constant moving around would answer that question. Some people can go into the military and complete their years and come out with degree in hand. Since retiring I have been working in my field as a contractor. I have attempted several schools, but most are scams. I finally found a real brick and mortar university that I can finish without a hassle.

I am not going to name any schools here because it is not my intention to drag all from my past here. One thing I have found is society has pushed us to having to have a college education to make a decent wage. I have a trade that I can fall back on and use if I have to with credentials in my pocket to do so.

I had three intentions when I joined the military. Serve my country. See the world. Get my education. I have not touched my GI Bill. I have about S6, in student loans. Once I start at the university level next year, I will use it. They are no longer with me and I will finish it not for me, but for them and my kids. Currently, I work for a Big Ten university where I provide IT support for those performing research in the alternative energy , but I have also worked in IT in the insurance and transportation logistics sectors.

I have several Microsoft server certifications as well as certifications from other vendors. I also have a B. Although the need for systems and network administration will not be going away anytime soon, the IT industry is becoming more Cloud focused. At this time, my current employer does not integrate Cloud technology but they might in the future. I am considering a 6 month Post Graduate Certificate program offered by an online learning vendor in Cloud Computing in which you would become proficient in working with a range of cloud environments, including the 3 well known Cloud providers.

The learning is mostly online with simulation labs, mini-projects with online peers, a 3 month Capstone project for developing a Cloud solution for a given scenario, and mandatory weekly online meetings with an advisor to discuss your progress and to have questions answered. They also assist with job placement. There are other ways I can learn the material for free, but I would not get the real world hands on project experience.

If I were to get another job outside of where I am now, then great but mainly, I want to do this to increase my skill set because technology changes fast. I feel the only real cost to me would be the time and commitment to complete the program and the sacrifice of time with family, friends, and hobbies. At 53 years old, is this a wise plan? Derek, This sounds like a wise move. Cloud is where it is at and this would position yourself well for the changing world of IT.

As long as you can manage your time and finances … why not. My career has been in sales. I just turned 46 and do not have a degree.

Last year I took a full time program for a graphic and web design certificate from the University of California. I really like it and have been freelancing for the past year. The course credits are University transferable so I am thinking of working during the day and slowing chipping away at night to get that degree.

That way I am keeping my skills sharp and getting industry knowledge while meeting the baseline requirements for larger companies. Plus no student loans if I pay as I go. I think people should try to learn something new every day. My oldest has a physiology degree, did good in all classes, was working on getting into a med program at a state university, then covid19 happened.

If vocational training is accessible then consider that if you want to learn a trade. Maybe even survivalist classes. You can save a little money that way. Money still matters although bitcoin is gaining popularity. It offers a variety of extra tools to help you make calls and stay connected to co-workers and family. There are plenty of training resources available to help you get started. Video conferencing is often used for meetings and in hiring situations. All of these sites offer FAQs and customer support.

Many employers look to your digital presence when making hiring decisions. LinkedIn can be useful when looking for a job as it allows you to promote yourself and your skillset — think of it as a basic digital portfolio. Evernote : Evernote keeps tracks of all your notes one system that will sync across all of your devices. Use it to collaborate and share data. Technology For Seniors Made Easy : This is a Facebook group offering tips and info for working and managing life online. Trello : Trello is an online project management app that lets you set deadlines, assign tasks, and have conversations with coworkers.

It gives you a simple way to see a project through to completion. People age 50 and over are in a unique position to have plenty of workforce experience to bring to a new career, while still being able to obtain the knowledge they need to take on something new. This guidebook walks you through the process of changing careers over the age of 50, including how to get started, where to get additional training, and what types of careers might be right for you.

What constitutes a career change? Even the U. A career change can be dramatic, like a lawyer becoming a tugboat captain, or more subtle, like a teacher becoming a corporate trainer. With Lantern's Career Quiz, you can be matched to career options that align with your personal characteristics. Take the free Career Quiz. According to the U. Bureau of Labor Statistics , the average baby boomer held The fastest growing occupation for older workers through is working as a primary, secondary, and special education teacher.

Registered nurses RNs and MDs heading towards retirement currently dominate the aging healthcare workforce —55 percent of RNs are older than 50 and Even though making a career switch can be intimidating, older workers can explore job opportunities that did not exist five years ago , such as jobs in social media, cybersecurity, financial regulation, and global relations.

According to a United States Government Accountability Office study , the number of long-term unemployed people over 55 years of age has more than doubled since the recession and more than third of unemployed older workers have been out of work for more than a year. Teachers and Nurses are among the fastest growing occupations for older workers in the coming decades, according to a report underwritten by MetLife Foundation and Civic Ventures.

Registered nurses and home health aides are the second and third fastest growing occupations for older workers through Laurence Shatkin, Ph. While it may seem like everyone else is happily settled in their career, some may be surprised to find that they are not alone in wanting to change careers. Here are some of the most common reasons people change careers:.

One of the major reasons people change careers is that they are tired of working in a stressful environment. Even if a career has a number of benefits — paid time off, medical care, high salary — there comes a point when the amount of stress they live with is not worth the benefits.

Many men and women have stepped down from lucrative positions either in the business or government contracting worlds to accept positions for a lower-paying position simply to reduce the amount of stress in their lives. For them, the lifestyle benefits of shorter working hours and a more defined schedule outweigh the extra zeros on their paychecks.

No matter how exciting it is at first, any career can get boring after years of service. Many people leave successful, established careers because their line of work does not excite them anymore. Instead, they turn to new careers that offer them opportunities to learn new information, perform new tasks, have new experiences, and interact with others in different ways.

Sometimes the desire to make money or to live a more stable life can keep a person from following their passion earlier in life. Many and-over career changers decide that there is more to life than making money and a stable living. They decide that it is worth earning less and that it can be worth living with a little risk in order to pursue their passion.

Many individuals over the age of 50 step away from traditional positions in the business world to work in the arts or to combine their love of art and business know-how to open a gallery or studio. Another major reason that people 50 and over decide to change careers is that they are tired of the frantic pace of their work.

Even if the work is fulfilling, the tasks exciting, and the money and benefits agreeable, they decide that they would rather live life at a calmer, more peaceful pace. This may mean something as simple as a change in company or office; but if the nature of the industry itself is hectic, it will mean a new career. Even though the idea of getting back into the workforce after being unemployed for some time or exploring an entirely new career path after 50 can be daunting, there are some ways to alleviate some of the anxiety about making the jump and enjoy the process.

Here are some important things to consider when changing careers after Create a list of skills you have acquired and determine what you are good at so you can present yourself to employers. Skills such as reading and writing, management skills, technical skills, and communication skills can transfer over to a number of positions and industries.

Is a lack of certain job skills holding you back from pursuing a new career later in life? Explore online training programs and local resources that will allow you to acquire relevant job skills that make you more marketable to a new employer, or, help you jump into entrepreneurship so you can work for yourself through retirement.

Make use of sites like jobskillshare. According to a survey by RetiredBrains. If you are not interested in retiring from the workforce early, consider ways to combine your existing skill set with a lifelong dream. For instance, if you have always been passionate about dancing but spent your working years as a teacher or educator, you may consider serving as a dance instructor or opening your own dance studio. Some companies and organizations go above and beyond to recruit older workers with attractive benefits packages and other perks.

Data from the Kauffman Foundation finds that the highest rate of entrepreneurship in America has shifted to the 55 to 64 age group. It took a year, but with tapes, a book, and a weekly tutor, he made enough progress to conduct business in Beijing. The challenge for him, as for most grown-ups, is feeling comfortable speaking a language badly. They already know one language and sometimes more than one quite well and have practiced with the linguistic capacities that speed language acquisition.

They are typically better at intentional learning: They have study strategies, mnemonic devices, literacy skills, and other resources. Despite my immersion program, I still have trouble deciding whether to say mucho gusto nice to meet you or me gusto mucho I like it very much on a particular occasion. You are leaving AARP. Please return to AARP. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age.

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