Ask yourself this question: “Do I like what I do for a living?” If you answered “no”, what are you doing about it? Maybe you have a “good” job, but it’s not very rewarding to you personally. Maybe you have job with good pay, but bad hours or worse – a job with good hours, but bad pay. Perhaps you’ve just done your job for too many years, or are excited to work in some of
new careers that just weren’t available when you finished school.Whatever reason is for you wanting to switch careers, there are some practical considerations to take into account.
How long will it take? How will I find time to do it? How much will it cost?
This article will answer these questions and point you towards a more fulfilling career.
How long will it take to train for a new career?
The answer to this depends on what you want to train for. But, majority of well paying careers that are currently seeking workers, take two years or less to train for. For example, becoming a machinist takes about 10 months. Training to become an X-ray technician can be done in a year. There are other training options that can get you a new job in only six months!
Your experience can also count. For example, if you work with computers on your job now, you won’t have to take word processing and spreadsheet classes if you want to be a medical coder. If you tinker with computers in your spare time while you’re working a retail management position, you’ll be ahead of class when you train to become a help desk technician. Also, if you like working on projects around your house more than your job in an office, you’ll be more likely to obtain employment as an HVAC tech or electrician.
How will I find time to go to school? If you decide you want to train for a new career, there are many educational options. Traditional universities and colleges are one option, but tend not to offer a lot of flexibility in their class times. Community colleges are a better option since they have flexible classes, but due to limited resources, some of most in demand training programs like nursing and dental hygiene have several year waiting lists in many markets across U.S.
