Going back to college in your early 40s...sounds like a terrible idea...but Im considering it.

[ramsdude47]

There is a lot of flexibility with nursing and so many different little niche areas you can work in. It pays well enough, and can be very rewarding at times.

Based on everything you wrote I would not recommend it however. I’m pretty burned out on it after 6 years. Mostly just because our healthcare system is broken. Add to that that a large percentage of boomers SUCK, and they are (and will continue to be) the majority of the patients for the next decade.

 

[Fatcamp]

I've heard nursing mentioned alot. Not something I've ever even thought of. Not sure I'd do well caring for other people as I'm about the opposite of a 'people person'...and i can't stand being in hospitals even visiting folks for more than a hour or two.
I have some very successful friends in nursing, but I definitely don't think that would be a path I'd pursue personally.
Appreciate the input though and very glad it worked out for you!

Unless it was on someone's radar already I wouldn't reccomend nursing to anyone. It's a challenging course of study and is a brutal job at times.

That said, I'm an operating room nurse and find it pretty fascinating. After a lifetime in construction it just makes sense that it would be a good fit.

 

[timekiller13]

There is a lot of flexibility with nursing and so many different little niche areas you can work in. It pays well enough, and can be very rewarding at times.

Based on everything you wrote I would not recommend it however. I’m pretty burned out on it after 6 years. Mostly just because our healthcare system is broken. Add to that that a large percentage of boomers SUCK, and they are (and will continue to be) the majority of the patients for the next decade.

This is why I got out of bedside nursing.

Pre-covid healthcare was OK and I enjoyed working in the ER.

COVID was hell and wrecked our healthcare system.

Post COVID our system is worse than ever and I’m exhausted after a decade at the bedside.

I found a chance to move into an education position and jumped on it. Stayed at the same hospital, but now I handle all the new nurse orientation and skills training.

 

[WannaBeRambo]

Title pretty well sums it up.
I'll be 41 next week...and I'm more than lightly kicking around the idea of going back to college to finish out a 4 year degree in one of various natural resource related fields. Im still working on the specifics major wise.
Long of it short...my time turning wrenches and dealing with the general public in a customer facing manner will be coming to a close sooner than later for a multitude of reasons the biggest being that I simply dislike/loath every aspect of the auto/auto repair industry in general after 22 years in it. I can give specifics if anyone wants but I'm not here to b$%ch and moan about all the reasons my job makes me miserable...the fact simply is that the work hasn't brought me the slightest joy other than income for many years and I'm finally at that breaking point.

So I'm thinking hard about retooling to finish out my last 10-20 years of full time work chasing something I enjoy at least sometimes and find purpose in more than just getting POS cars down the road for a bit longer and earning a paycheck.
I'm leaning towards state, federal or oil and gas work that will get me outside and out of the same building everyday. Whether that be fish and game, BLM/Forest service or oil and gas production, etc... I need to do a bit more homework on specific paths, but all will require 1.5 to two years additional education at a minimum to get a foot in any door...and all will likeky be a staggering pay cut starting out I'm well aware. Oil and gas maybe not so much.

While I'm aware that federal employment options are a train wreck presently, I don't forsee that
to be a long term condition and hopefully be settled into a new normal by the time I'd finish my degree. Im not sold on Fed work though, honestly last option I'd likely consider even before the current chaos erupted after many discussions with my father who retires from the Corps of Engineeers in a couple months. Thats a whole other topic for another place and time...but it is still an option.

Any other late bloomers around here with input on returning to the higher education scene later in life?
Any state/federal/oil/gas guys that have any specifics on what to focus on course/major wise for a certain career path.
Any recommendations on colleges in the mountain west to consider for specific natural resources oriented degrees?
My secondary goal in this is finding a career path that gives me better potential in finding meaningful work in the mountain west.

We are moving, its just a matter of exactly when and exactly where...Im seeing schooling may play into that at least at first.
My wife is game for about anything, she knows I need a change more than I do I think. She didn't bat an eye when i threw out the random idea of moving to Larimie for a year or two and living cheap while I finish a degree at U of WY...She just started looking at realestate, elementary schools and churches in the area. Thats just one of many options currently being explored, but the point is she's on board.

Obviously I'm amassing information from many sources, but I figured it couldn't hurt to drop something here in a community of at least somewhat like minded individuals. Some of whom may very we do the type of work I may be looking for.

My next step is to get in touch with a few advisors and send transcripts of previous course work, as I have 2 associates degrees and couple years of early mechanical engineering courses under my belt, and see what kind of course schedules they can work up on a couple degree programs to help me get better grasp on timing. Perhaps see about knocking a few courses out through online programs before making a move to a specific school and dropping my paycheck for a year or two to just get it done.

If anyone has anything insightful...or just wanna tell me I'm an idiot for even thinking about it...Im all ears

Lot more common than you think. I went back in my 40’s and halfway through got hired as senior manager based on experience and courses I took (I would not bank on that.)

Couple thoughts occur…
Things are not getting cheaper and anything steps back in salary I think it going to hurt you harder than you think.
I think you will regret taking major salary cut. I also think prices are going to increase substantially in the next few years, can you sustain that?

Federal and certain other employees get generous PTO and I think the better strategy is to find a gov’t job that pays well and gives you lots of PTO so you can do extended trips.

Reason is you are still young enough to be able to sustain a rugged hunting trip, but a lot of people after 55 or so, start getting medical or family issues that preclude this. So rather then keying your job around being outdoors as a job requirement, better to have lots of time to enjoy the outdoors on your own terms. May later spend that time helping mom at the senior home….

If you end up with a medical condition the prevents you from being outdoors a lot, that could mean your new career is over. I see most of the field work being done by young people. Probably good reasons for that.

Finally, is your retirement savings on track? I had 400k in th bank by 40. (Focused on Roth). This is very important, as the $400k was earinging interest and dividends, basically “free money” fattening my savings, so I did not have to. It made it a lot easier to get the $1.5M goal I se for myself.

I think it’s great you wanting to better yourself, but at the end of the day, if you are not bettering your financial situation as a result, you are buying a non-performing investment.

If i had to do my live over again, I’d find a job with a pension. At 40 you may be able to accomplish this.

(PS I think most of the non-noob fired employees by Trump are going to get their Federal benefits and pension and come back as contractors billing at twice their salaried rate. In other words, workforce cost will increase, but that’s off topic.)

 

[WannaBeRambo]

This is why I got out of bedside nursing.

Pre-covid healthcare was OK and I enjoyed working in the ER.

COVID was hell and wrecked our healthcare system.

Post COVID our system is worse than ever and I’m exhausted after a decade at the bedside.

I found a chance to move into an education position and jumped on it. Stayed at the same hospital, but now I handle all the new nurse orientation and skills training.

That’s something else people need to factor in. Our world is far less stable since 9/11 than it was before. AI is going to change things that we can’t even imagine and the USA alone has gone from 3 $1B disasters per year before 9/11 to 18 in a year now. Insurers, even in Iowa and other places you would not expect, are pricing that instability in.

 

[loganwayne]

I say go for it. That said to get into fed/state jobs your going to have to do temp work and move around.

 

[Stubborn_bowhunter]

Inspiring thread. Sometimes I feel like I'm starting late at 29. Switching from hands-on welding and mechanic roles into more project management focus.
2-4 classes a semester while working full-time depending on the season and difficulty of classes.

An old manager told me "You should only go to school if you are interested in learning. A new title won't bring you anything you can't already get."
That spoke to me and I refound a love of learning with online courses. I always hated school!

 

[pacoalcracker]

As stated, AI is going to replace a lot of office/white collar/technical jobs over the next 2-10 years, its already taking place, so choose that career, or the next career very carefully. A company that has say 10 positions, will only need 2 or 3. With humanoid robots also on the horizon, who knows where that is going. At any rate, it's never too late to start a next career if that's what makes you happy....and forget about whether it's going to make you financially better or not.....more money does not make you happier. Being content with your life does.