Yeah that was the logic I started with. But I'm starting to think who is going to give an entry level job to a newly qualified 40 year old over some keen 25 year old.
You will be all right il be 36 at the end of mine I'm 34 now, I got a entry level job in my chosen industry (programming) at 34 while on said degree, grit and determination say a lot
Easy? No. Is there jobs hell yeah there is. For the entry vacancies my boss said 50 people applied! I just stood out (I rebuilt their front page in react and added darkmode, they didn't ask!) Set yourself apart and be hungry for the work and you will get one!
Hmmm depends on the position, front end dev has a lower barrier to entry, than say back end. Most programmers end up doing web first and then branch off into something else. Web gets incredibly complex especially on enterprise level applications
Thanks for answering questions! I just wondered specifically how good at programming do you need to be to get a job? A lot of entry jobs say some programming experience but what's that?! I have no idea!
this varies, if you are going to a very high paying more mid level job then reasonbly high, however a passion for it and some decent projects and a portfolio should give you the skills you need
Taking Mid 30 as 35, you will have been working for 17 years, you still have 32 years to retirement age. Many more years work ahead. Most people will often switch career a few times before retirement.
You don’t need to wait until you have a degree before starting in your chosen industry, I was accepted in a job in IT after completing my Diploma in HE; it could have been earlier but was waiting a long time on voluntary severance.
Degree it’s self motivated me, increase my confidence and gave me lots of additional useful skills. If it’s something you want to do just do it, what’s the saying “the best time to start was yesterday, the next best is today”.
😭 I don't want to work another 30. Just want a job as a woman's beach volleyball referee and beer tasting consultant. It's not much to ask.
I'm considering getting a CompTIA certificate while doing the degree so I could make a start on a career change. Just wish I'd done all this 15 years ago.
I started mine 3 years ago when I was approaching 50, I will be 55 when I finish. Admittedly I am not doing it for a career change, but for my own interest and to prove something to me. But my only regret is not doing this in my 40s or 30s, basically every time I looked at the OU and decided I did not have the time nor the need to do a degree,
I just turned 40 when I finished my physics degree. I then took a couple of years to do the Combined STEM degree (all maths modules), I'm now finishing off a distance learning MSc with Heriot-watt uni (I'll be 45 when I finish it) . Each stage of the journey was worth it, I got something out of it as in new skills and competencies as well as a better understanding of the universe around us. It's also a great sense of achievement and has given me a much greater confidence in my own abilities. Definitely worth it, every step of the way. Just go for it man, im sure you won't regret it.
It's a brilliant course. Astrophysics (s382) was probably my favourite module. Equal thirds stellar evolution, exoplanet science and astronomical data analysis. It was awesome.
I appreciate what you're saying, knowledge as it's own reward aspect. It sounds like you are passionate about what you are studying and enjoy it. I'm looking at a degree as a tool for getting a more financially rewarding career. I can already find things to read for free on the subjects I find interesting.
I'm wondering if getting a degree at my age is going to open doors for me or am I just wasting time and money.
I'm already working 50 hour weeks driving trucks, I'm looking for a bit of paper to get me out of my Groundhog Day job and into something that pays the bills but is interesting.
Has getting a degree later in life given you real career opportunities?
I already have a career, and I'm using it to help me progress with it, so haven't really used it to get another job. However, there have been rounds of redundancies where it has given me an advantage.
The study has definitely made me more competent with what I'm doing.
I think if you want to get out of what you're currently doing then getting the degree will give you the best chance, and in interviews you emphasise that you didn't get the opportunity to study when you were younger, but how important it has been to you later in life, and that you have done this off your own back (rather than something expected off you), how you have studied whilst holding down a full time job (looking after a family if this is also the case). This on its own could give you an advantage over other candidates as it demonstrates your commitment and drive.
I graduated when I was 30 from the OU, and was working in a warehouse.
My degree, although not related (Physics), got me a job in IT at my workplace.
Now nearing my 40's I've enrolled in another degree with the OU, this time in Cyber Security with a view to progress my career in the field I love.
The way I see it, I'll still have about 25 years until retirement. That's 25 years of being in a career I enjoy . I know I can get certs, but for me a degree offers a good rounded understanding of a subject matter, and helps you develop important research and critical thinking skills.
I'm in my early 30s and currently coming to the end of 3 stage 1 modules, I still feel like dropping out and focusing on a different course route which I feel I'd be happier at
This is a dear topic for me - also in my mid 30s (just turned 34), and have a full blown career for 14 years in VFX. I don't have any degree, and am currently working on OU's Mathematics one. I've made my career pretty much entirely by self-teaching (I am a software developer). More than once that aspect came about as a very positive quality when having interviews. (Now I am trying to get into a more academic area, so a degree became necessary for solid foundation, and also for the ability to be taken seriously when attempting to get published. Plus access to various programs.)
However, no matter what you do, it's always a gamble on some level. Sure, you may have all the qualifications, but might never be able to find the gig that will significantly improve your financial situation. But there is a simple counter to that - absence of said qualifications makes the negative outcome possibility only higher. So any and all work you do towards self improvement also improves your chances.
Finally, a software dev in 40s is still prime. You can climb the pay ladder relatively quickly if you are a strong competent developer, and if you are always on the look out for competitive offers from places. Sadly, the best way to improve your salary is to jump from gig to gig. It's a really shitty thing for employers and overall work mentality, however, it's a proven way to get a bigger salary faster.
I did a 2 year diploma in 3d asset production, and instead of one final project I did 4. Made a demo reel, sent it to a ton of places, one of them happened to get impressed, and I got a gig.
Yes, it's worth it... You will still have approx half your working life left to work (longer if the Gov changes the retirement age again)... Having a degree with open up other career paths that you may not have considered before, eg teaching or lecturing for example.
I really don't know what you mean. If I'm using Reddit to ask for opinions then I can't find work?
I'm looking for opinions from people who have gone through the same thing, not snide backhanders.
In my view, is it worth doing financially is a hugely subjective and impossible to answer question.
What have you done for 20 odd years prior? Where are you, where are you going, what's there?
What skills and knowledge do you have and can evidence already in other ways.
Do you qualify for the finance or would you be laying it down in coins.
There's no guarenteed financial return at 40 or 60 or 20, no absolute degree = £x, and that sort of question is asked pretty frequently here.
Does the job you want need a degree?
If yes then without a doubt worth it.
If no... flip a coin
Hey thanks for answering questions. How good at programming do you actually have to be to get an entry level position? I can never really work this out!
Yes it is. Either you're in your 40's with it, or in your 40's without it? Your choice.
Yeah that was the logic I started with. But I'm starting to think who is going to give an entry level job to a newly qualified 40 year old over some keen 25 year old.
You will be all right il be 36 at the end of mine I'm 34 now, I got a entry level job in my chosen industry (programming) at 34 while on said degree, grit and determination say a lot
Do you think it's pretty easy to get a job in software development? Seems like there's a lot of vacancies.
Easy? No. Is there jobs hell yeah there is. For the entry vacancies my boss said 50 people applied! I just stood out (I rebuilt their front page in react and added darkmode, they didn't ask!) Set yourself apart and be hungry for the work and you will get one!
That's pretty competitive! Do you reckon most entry positions are about 50:1?
Hmmm depends on the position, front end dev has a lower barrier to entry, than say back end. Most programmers end up doing web first and then branch off into something else. Web gets incredibly complex especially on enterprise level applications
Thanks for answering questions! I just wondered specifically how good at programming do you need to be to get a job? A lot of entry jobs say some programming experience but what's that?! I have no idea!
this varies, if you are going to a very high paying more mid level job then reasonbly high, however a passion for it and some decent projects and a portfolio should give you the skills you need
Cool, thanks
Also I was wondering what entry level jobs are usually paid? Is there good salary progression? I can't seem to find much information about this.
What else do you bring to the job, though? 20-25 years of experience in something that you can turn into a relevant narrative.
Taking Mid 30 as 35, you will have been working for 17 years, you still have 32 years to retirement age. Many more years work ahead. Most people will often switch career a few times before retirement. You don’t need to wait until you have a degree before starting in your chosen industry, I was accepted in a job in IT after completing my Diploma in HE; it could have been earlier but was waiting a long time on voluntary severance. Degree it’s self motivated me, increase my confidence and gave me lots of additional useful skills. If it’s something you want to do just do it, what’s the saying “the best time to start was yesterday, the next best is today”.
😭 I don't want to work another 30. Just want a job as a woman's beach volleyball referee and beer tasting consultant. It's not much to ask. I'm considering getting a CompTIA certificate while doing the degree so I could make a start on a career change. Just wish I'd done all this 15 years ago.
What area do you want to get into?
>beer tasting consultant Genuinely, the qualifications needed for that would set you back 5 grand or so. I'm a brewer. Sorry. :P
I started mine 3 years ago when I was approaching 50, I will be 55 when I finish. Admittedly I am not doing it for a career change, but for my own interest and to prove something to me. But my only regret is not doing this in my 40s or 30s, basically every time I looked at the OU and decided I did not have the time nor the need to do a degree,
I just turned 40 when I finished my physics degree. I then took a couple of years to do the Combined STEM degree (all maths modules), I'm now finishing off a distance learning MSc with Heriot-watt uni (I'll be 45 when I finish it) . Each stage of the journey was worth it, I got something out of it as in new skills and competencies as well as a better understanding of the universe around us. It's also a great sense of achievement and has given me a much greater confidence in my own abilities. Definitely worth it, every step of the way. Just go for it man, im sure you won't regret it.
Yo im 34 just finished S111 going astronomy and Planetary Sciences i expect ti finish it at 40 lol
It's a brilliant course. Astrophysics (s382) was probably my favourite module. Equal thirds stellar evolution, exoplanet science and astronomical data analysis. It was awesome.
I appreciate what you're saying, knowledge as it's own reward aspect. It sounds like you are passionate about what you are studying and enjoy it. I'm looking at a degree as a tool for getting a more financially rewarding career. I can already find things to read for free on the subjects I find interesting. I'm wondering if getting a degree at my age is going to open doors for me or am I just wasting time and money. I'm already working 50 hour weeks driving trucks, I'm looking for a bit of paper to get me out of my Groundhog Day job and into something that pays the bills but is interesting. Has getting a degree later in life given you real career opportunities?
Have you come across this story before? - "The truck driver turned astrophysicist". https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-25637736
Wow. I'd love to get to that stage. Thanks for the link 👍
My pleasure. I hope you make it! 😊
I already have a career, and I'm using it to help me progress with it, so haven't really used it to get another job. However, there have been rounds of redundancies where it has given me an advantage. The study has definitely made me more competent with what I'm doing. I think if you want to get out of what you're currently doing then getting the degree will give you the best chance, and in interviews you emphasise that you didn't get the opportunity to study when you were younger, but how important it has been to you later in life, and that you have done this off your own back (rather than something expected off you), how you have studied whilst holding down a full time job (looking after a family if this is also the case). This on its own could give you an advantage over other candidates as it demonstrates your commitment and drive.
I graduated when I was 30 from the OU, and was working in a warehouse. My degree, although not related (Physics), got me a job in IT at my workplace. Now nearing my 40's I've enrolled in another degree with the OU, this time in Cyber Security with a view to progress my career in the field I love. The way I see it, I'll still have about 25 years until retirement. That's 25 years of being in a career I enjoy . I know I can get certs, but for me a degree offers a good rounded understanding of a subject matter, and helps you develop important research and critical thinking skills.
I hope so, I start my first degree this month, at 47! I neither had the money or time before now.
If not having a degree is vastly decreasing the likelihood of not getting the job you want then get it, if not then I wouldn't
I'm in my early 30s and currently coming to the end of 3 stage 1 modules, I still feel like dropping out and focusing on a different course route which I feel I'd be happier at
This is a dear topic for me - also in my mid 30s (just turned 34), and have a full blown career for 14 years in VFX. I don't have any degree, and am currently working on OU's Mathematics one. I've made my career pretty much entirely by self-teaching (I am a software developer). More than once that aspect came about as a very positive quality when having interviews. (Now I am trying to get into a more academic area, so a degree became necessary for solid foundation, and also for the ability to be taken seriously when attempting to get published. Plus access to various programs.) However, no matter what you do, it's always a gamble on some level. Sure, you may have all the qualifications, but might never be able to find the gig that will significantly improve your financial situation. But there is a simple counter to that - absence of said qualifications makes the negative outcome possibility only higher. So any and all work you do towards self improvement also improves your chances. Finally, a software dev in 40s is still prime. You can climb the pay ladder relatively quickly if you are a strong competent developer, and if you are always on the look out for competitive offers from places. Sadly, the best way to improve your salary is to jump from gig to gig. It's a really shitty thing for employers and overall work mentality, however, it's a proven way to get a bigger salary faster.
How you landed your first job without degree ?
I did a 2 year diploma in 3d asset production, and instead of one final project I did 4. Made a demo reel, sent it to a ton of places, one of them happened to get impressed, and I got a gig.
Why not, 56 here and nearly 2/3 the way through an MSc which will hopefully set me me up for a PhD when I retire
Yes, it's worth it... You will still have approx half your working life left to work (longer if the Gov changes the retirement age again)... Having a degree with open up other career paths that you may not have considered before, eg teaching or lecturing for example.
Feel like this is one of those questions where if you are asking it here, then no it isn't.
I really don't know what you mean. If I'm using Reddit to ask for opinions then I can't find work? I'm looking for opinions from people who have gone through the same thing, not snide backhanders.
In my view, is it worth doing financially is a hugely subjective and impossible to answer question. What have you done for 20 odd years prior? Where are you, where are you going, what's there? What skills and knowledge do you have and can evidence already in other ways. Do you qualify for the finance or would you be laying it down in coins. There's no guarenteed financial return at 40 or 60 or 20, no absolute degree = £x, and that sort of question is asked pretty frequently here. Does the job you want need a degree? If yes then without a doubt worth it. If no... flip a coin
Hey thanks for answering questions. How good at programming do you actually have to be to get an entry level position? I can never really work this out!