Career Change/Back to Uni Advice Wanted

akira181

I’m looking to hear some opinions on whether or not I should finish my masters at 37. I have a BEng Hons degree in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and have been working for the last 14 years or so in a various industries and roles. I feel like I’ve reached the end of my career path unless I move into a management type position, which I don’t really want.

When I was at university, I always wanted to do design work, CAD type of stuff, but while I took jobs that promised that kind of work, they never delivered. I’ve always ended up doing project management, document writing, process dev, or on the tool’s technician type work.  

At this stage, I don’t have the experience to go for an actual design engineer type role, so I was thinking about doing a postgrad MSc in Engineering Design or something along those lines. Full time it’s 12 months, part time typically 2 to 3 years.

I’m not really in a position where I can be a full-time student and not have a solid income for 12 months and 2-3 years would mean I’m looking for grad positions at 40. Unsure how employable that would make me when I’m competing with a bunch of grads almost half my age.

What’s the opinions on this and anyone got any experiences they can share?

tooldle

Why would you be competing with new grads? With the masters and your previous experience, you surely have more to offer? Or, are you saying your career path to date is not in Engineering?
I see a lot of new engineering grads in my work. It is relatively rare to find one with industry experience and understanding of how to function / operate in a professional work environment. Many have never had a job of any sort and bring only their academic learning to the table. 
Are you aware of the postgrad loan offering? Your old university may also offer a discounted fee to returning students. Quite a boom in PGT at the moment.

Marcon

akira181 said:

I’m looking to hear some opinions on whether or not I should finish my masters at 37. I have a BEng Hons degree in Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and have been working for the last 14 years or so in a various industries and roles. I feel like I’ve reached the end of my career path unless I move into a management type position, which I don’t really want.

When I was at university, I always wanted to do design work, CAD type of stuff, but while I took jobs that promised that kind of work, they never delivered. I’ve always ended up doing project management, document writing, process dev, or on the tool’s technician type work.  

The trouble with giving opinions based on so little information is they aren't going to be of any real help to you. You don't say whereabouts in the country you live, what the job situation is like, whether you are free to relocate. 

You say you've had a lot of jobs which promised but didn't deliver, so surely one thing to consider is whether you could find another job now which would actually tick the boxes others have claimed to tick and then didn't. Also - how would you change your job finding strategy/assessment to ensure you didn't fall into the same hole again? 

akira181 said:

At this stage, I don’t have the experience to go for an actual design engineer type role, so I was thinking about doing a postgrad MSc in Engineering Design or something along those lines. Full time it’s 12 months, part time typically 2 to 3 years.

I’m not really in a position where I can be a full-time student and not have a solid income for 12 months and 2-3 years would mean I’m looking for grad positions at 40. Unsure how employable that would make me when I’m competing with a bunch of grads almost half my age.

Competing with people half you age...so by definition with nothing like your level of work (and general life) experience. If you're competing at the same sort of salary level, why is a sane employer going to find that some sort of problem?

Brie

Can't help you specifically other than to say that a friend of mine just got a grad job.  Think she's 52.  And the job is nothing like what she's been doing for the last decade or 2 but more related to the degree she got in her 20s.  It's all the other stuff that got her the job I think.

MalMonroe

Hi, I'd say go for it. You really are very young, as yet. (I say that as a 73 year old . . . oh dear, same numbers, different order. . . )

My daughter, aged 44, has just completed a part-time MA for which she was awarded a distinction. So, older than you. It took her two years and she is over the moon about her result. She did work hard but thoroughly enjoyed it and made some new friends, too. All online.She was also working part time from home and to be honest, I think the fact that she had quite a lot to do really made her feel better, rather than tiring her out, as I'd expected it to do.  Her MA is in the Arts, though and she is a journalist by trade who has had quite a few publications in prestigious and international newspapers and journals. 

So, like you, she has a lot of experience and other life skills behind her, as well as her MA. There's been some talk of starting a PhD next year. Something you may want to consider later?

But the fact that you may be competing with other graduates at the age of 40 shouldn't put you off because, as others have said, you have been in the workforce for a few years so have built up your experience and skills, as well as having academic qualifications. You'll only be 40 when you finish and that's a great time to start over, to my mind. Wasn't there that saying about life beginning at 40? I think it's true.

You don't want to be miserable at work for the next however many years. Knowledge and learning are never wasted.

Obviously these are just my own thoughts and opinions but if you have the opportunity to train to do something you really want to do then I'd say take it. Things do have a way of working out when you're determined.

All the very best for your future, the world really is your oyster.        (sorry, that's a bit corny - but so true!)