Career change

Mandzhalas

My apologies if this post does not belong here, I am not sure what forum is best can to ask this question.

My wife is turning 40 this year and after 20 years spent working as a chef is going to try changing careers. Unsocial hours, burnt hands, heat, poor pay is just a few of many reasons. She hates it.

She loves maths and really really good at it. She wants career that involves numbers, I know anything involving calculations and numerical reasoning will bring her joy. If she would have job that can be done remotely, that would be dream come true

At this stage we as a family can't afford for her to spend 4 years on a degree, but considering a year or two (max) course to give her a chance of finding a job. At the moment no formal education other than 1 year in accountancy degree 20 years ago.

She is thinking looking at accountancy courses, but I reckon as a career it will be gone in next decade due to automation. I have suggested looking at data analytics instead

What roles are there that would suit person in love with maths?

BalboBiggins

Hello mate, get her to check Fastrack into IT. It's a two year course and work placement combination where you're paid minimum wage for the duration.

Jim2007

You seem to be confusing bookkeeping with accounting and not appreciating what accountants do... Accounting is about data analytics - they are there to provide the analysis needed to make business decisions not write up the books of first entry etc.

the_amazing_raisin

Second the comments on accountancy, it's actually a highly professional job and is also regulated and one of the few career paths where you might get an employer to pay you while studying for some of your exams

I think you need to go into some more details on how she's good with numbers. Does she enjoy pure mathematics, or something more like applied mathematics?

If it's the latter, then perhaps a more technical career could be worth looking at. The handy thing there is there's a lot of online courses to get started on lots of engineering and technology topics (programming, mechanics, electronics) which she can use to test the water

If she's more interested in pure mathematics then along with accountancy, there's also things like data science and analytics to consider. Some of them have relatively short degree courses which can be done remotely

Mandzhalas

Pure mathematics is her jam.

I am mechanical engineer and I know that any branch of engineering would not suit her

StupidLikeAFox

Has she tried computer programming? Mathematics help a lot, but it is very logical, lots of little puzzles and working out how things work together. It would be very easy for her to do a few free/cheap introductory courses and see what she thinks. Plenty of remote work also.

Mandzhalas

Yeah, not something she enjoyed.

gameoverdude

Dba, business analyst?

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120593513#Comment_120593513

Sounds like something finance or statistics related would suit her more

There's always going to be some applied element to them but it's probably closer to pure mathematics than anything (other than becoming a maths professor)

Is she happy with things like probability the like? My limited experience of data analysis involved a lot of that stuff (and also taught me that I don't like the data analysis side of engineering 😅)

funnyname

She would do well to look into courses on Python and R wrt Data Analytics, might scratch her itch when it comes to using maths in the current and future workforce.

Honestly, you're better off trying to make the most of her current career. What's the point in losing two years of pay, assignments, lectures and might not be much better off in the new career. You'd want a significant increase in pay just to claw back the lost years.

Could she not look at changing employer? Look at delis or work place canteens which won't be as anti social in hours. Or maybe move to management with the current employer.

Mrs OBumble

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120597038#Comment_120597038

I was thinking similar: build on the knowledge and contacts she already has.

Maybe get into management or planning with a major catering-services company (Sodexo or whoever has contracts in your area). They will likely pay for training.

Or some aspect of food-science.

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120597038#Comment_120597038

And what is the point of spending the next 25 years doing something she stress full that she does like rather than doing something she loves. You have one life to live, spending it doing something that you don't enjoy when there is still time to change is a pretty poor out look on life.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120598984#Comment_120598984

Couldn't have said it better myself, too many people are working jobs they hate because they're afraid to upset their "station" in life

I understand it's a risk and I think the OPs spouse is very smart to realise that there's a limit to how long they can go on one income and is trying to gather as much details ahead of time before making a decision

Jim2007

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120600652#Comment_120600652

There will always be some aspects of a job your prefer to avoid, but at the end of the day your are going to spend a very big chunk of your week doing, to it had better be something that interest you or that you find rewarding.