How to do a midlife career pivot as Jools Oliver trains to be a midwife

Jools Oliver has revealed she is embarking on a new career as she approaches her 50th birthday.

The model, 49, who is married to celebrity chef Jamie Oliver, with whom she shares five children: Poppy, Daisy, Petal, Buddy and River, has shared her plans to switch careers and is retraining to become a midwife.

During a chat on the podcast Postcards From Midlife, the mum-of-five told listeners it has been two years since she started her course and it was her husband who initially encouraged her to follow her career dreams.

"Everyone said: 'There's still time, this is the time you do it'," she explained. "It's been two years now, it should have been done in a year, this is very me.

"Ideally, I'd like to I think I just want to hold newborn babies left, right and centre. It's the dream job, catching newborn babies."

Oliver revealed she didn't have much job advice while she was at school. So instead of choosing midwifery, as a career she embarked on a career in modelling.

"I didn't really have much guidance...I wish I'd just gone straight to college and been a midwife," she explained. "That would hands down be the job I'd be still doing now and I think I'd probably have been quite good at it."

The midlife career pivot

Jools Oliver isn't the only midlifer dreaming of sunnier career climes. Recent research has revealed that more than four in 10 employees want to change roles to something more fulfilling, but worry they’ve left it too late.

The study, of 2,000 employees by Bupa Global and UK, revealed 43% would like to switch sectors, with around a third (34%) wanting to do something more rewarding and a quarter longing for a career which is more worthwhile.

Others want to work in a role they can be proud of (21%), that makes a difference (18%) or that gives back to society (13%).

But only 17% think they will manage to make the leap within the next year, with 12% admitting they don’t think they’ll ever manage to start something new.

For over a fifth (27%) a lack of confidence is the biggest barrier, while 26% believe they are too old to start again. A further 26% feel they can’t afford not to work while they retrain.

"Changing career has always been a mid-life fantasy, and it often stays in the imagination as it can be too easy to find reasons to avoid risk: security, income, a feeling that you’ve invested a lot of time in one pathway already," explains careers expert John Lees, author of How to Get a Job You Love.

"Perhaps the biggest blocker is habit. It’s easiest doing what you’re already doing, even if it feels like a rut. If you’re reasonably well paid it might be a ‘velvet rut’ ie just too comfortable to get out of. But it’s entirely possible if you have the passion and determination and follow some key steps.

"Also, many people often don’t realise that their experience and career to date also gives them many transferable skills which they can apply to their new career."

How to change career in midlife

Don't decide – explore

Lees suggests researching roles, organisations and sectors that interest you. "Do some online, but also set up real conversations; talk to people doing interesting jobs," he adds. "Don’t feel you have to sell yourself or name a target job – just say ‘I’m exploring’. Keep asking who else should I be talking to?"

Discover what’s out there for yourself; don’t rely on second-hand information

New roles and sectors are being created every day, and many jobs aren’t advertised. "Active exploring allows you to discover a strong match between what you do well and what you believe in," advises Lees. "It also helps you fall over jobs."

Learn to talk about yourself

This is often the hardest thing about career change. "Practice with friends, especially if they have any hiring experience," Lees advises. "Find encouragers to help you practice talking about your skills and experience effectively - but staying authentic."

Build a small support team of cheerleaders

According to Lees these are people who remind you what you’re good at, listen to your job ideas and keep you accountable for the actions you commit to.

Reflect on the skills you've developed

By choosing to transition into a new career, it can feel like you’re walking away from all you’ve accomplished to start again, but it's important to realise that you’re not starting again! "What you’ve done so far still counts," Ruth Kudzi, psychologist, coach and author of How to Feel Better.

"Reflect on existing skills that can be carried over into your new role/career. Even if you choose to step away from your career entirely, you bring your experience and knowledge, plus lived experience that will help you understand your people better."

Create a realistic plan you can stick to

It might be that you don’t need to leave your job to train. That might not be an option for you. So, think about what could be an option. Kudzi suggests asking yourself how you can fit in your training around your day-to-day tasks and how much money you'll need to earn to be able to switch to a new career fully. "If you do want to leave your job first, also ask yourself how long you can sustain yourself for," she adds. "A transition plan is important and keeps you on track."

Get some expert support

This will help you find out for sure if this is the right path for you. "Maybe this will be what you need to do to commit to your new journey," Kudzi advises.