If you’re
thinking about making a career change in your 60s, then it’s worth looking at
roles that will allow you to really make the most of your life experience.
These tend to be jobs that involve making a difference to the lives of others –
for example, supporting someone through a major life event like giving birth or
learning to drive.

The knowledge
and skills that you have developed over the years are precious and many over
60s find it extremely rewarding to be able to put them into practice on a daily
basis. With that said, here are five career opportunities where having life
experience can give you an advantage.

Midwife

Could you help
women safely deliver the gift of life, by supporting them before, during,
and/or after childbirth? Midwives work in a fascinating and fast-paced role
where no two days are ever the same.

If you have a
background in coaching or leadership, then you may find that this helps you to
adopt the firm, yet reassuring presence needed to get women and their families
through the childbirth process.

To become a Midwife,
you’ll need to complete a degree course over a three-year period. Midwifery
degrees combine theory and practice (with there being greater focus on the
practical side in the second and third years of the course) and universities
welcome applicants of all ages.

Rest Less
offers more information about retraining to become a midwife later in
life.

Counsellor

If you love
being that listening ear and a shoulder to cry on for friends and family
members, then it might be worth considering a career in counselling.

People with
plenty of life experience tend to have an easier time empathising with people
who could be going through a range of different experiences – from having a
hard time at work to grieving the loss of a loved one.

The British
Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) recommends a three step
process for those interested in training to become a Counsellor, which you can
read more about here.

Driving
Instructor

If you enjoy
being out on the open road and can appreciate all that your driving licence has
offered you over the years, then it could be the perfect time to help give the
gift of driving to others.

Driving
Instructors work with people of all ages, working with them right up until the
day that they pass their test, and sometimes even after! The most important
trait that you can have as a Driving Instructor is the ability to stay calm
behind the wheel, which often comes with experience.

Interested in
getting started? The first step in your journey is to apply to the Driving Standards Vehicle Agency (DVSA) so
that they can assess your suitability for the role.

Youth
Worker

Young people
often find it much easier to relate to individuals who have been through similar
experiences to them and come out the other side, which is why life experience
can be a real bonus when working as a Youth Worker.

Youth Workers
work with 11–25-year-olds; supporting them through difficult situations like
bullying, substance abuse, and family issues. They help those in need to look
beyond their current situation and see the light at the end of the tunnel.

The first
step to becoming a youth worker can be joining
a youth club as a volunteer, whilst working towards a college-level
qualification in youth work practice, or applying for an undergraduate degree
in youth work or youth work studies.

Consultant

If you’ve
spent many years working in the corporate world but no longer want to work in
the same role, then you could consider passing your niche skills and knowledge
onto others instead.

Consultants usually
work on a freelance basis and are paid to provide expertise (which is a
combination of knowledge, problem-solving, and industry understanding) to
businesses who are looking to make improvements and increase their success.

The trickiest thing about becoming a Consultant is landing clients. Freelance sites like Guru.com and Upwork.com are helpful for building up a client base. You can also try browsing job sites for more permanent in-house opportunities.

Are you keen to find a role where you can make the most of your life experience? What would that role be for you? Have you started looking into your options? Please share your thoughts and stories, and let’s have a conversation!