I did a career change a few years ago and haven't looked back with any regret at all. But I have a history of career changes and this probably won't be my last.
The list so far is:
Motor vehicle mechanic - heavy goods
Electrician - domestic, commercial, industrial, heat and vent
Housing officer -special needs
Housing development - housing associations
Area renewal - Local Authority
Furniture maker and carpenter and part time teacher
I also have a full range of construction and engineering skills and have rarely gone a year without studying something somewhere as a short course.
Changing from a suit to a trade meant a huge drop in income but also a lot less stress. I don't worry about work as I do 'enough' to get by and that is all I want for now. However, I can also temp in any of the previous jobs as and when.
The hardest and easiest part was walking out of a job with nowhere to go to and then to start looking at college courses.
Plumbing is over subscribed, electrical is getting there and carpentry and joinery will probably be next. The trick is to get in early to the one that will become popular when you have qualified. Then you will not only have a lot of work coming in but, if you are good, the colleges will be looking for part time lecturers so you could do that and get a Cert Ed or PGCE too. The college will often pay for that and there may be a golden handshake as well.
Whatever course you do try to get a small business course as well as you will need it and the small amount of business studies that may be included in the course is not enough to get set up with.
Good luck.
