re: Need the OT's help: Finding a new career path

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Yes which is why I said “which I understand” in the original pos

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But you really don’t cause you then state your ideal scenario which likely won’t happen. You’re just paying lip service. Quit hoping/looking for the ideal and get on with it. Take the entry level gig and get your foot in the door. From there you can leap frog your way to your ideal. Your prior teaching/coaching experience is irrelevant to procurement, logistics, scheduling, etc. you need experience of and in whatever industry you want to get into.

I’m not trying to hurt your feelings, I’m being honest. The jobs you listed are sought after and the people who get them have experience relevant to them. You’re the odd man out. Do something to fix that. Then you can be the replacement for the retiree who’s on their way out the door.

I don’t have any specific job offers for you, but it sounds to me like you would be a good safety person or something like that where you have to be able to get along well with people as well as leading safety meetings, give CPR training, etc.

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You are too old to start a career in construction.

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Lol. I started at 39 with just home renovation experience.

Phase 1: Couple months working for someone. $1500/ week
Phase 2: Self-employed subcontractor for 3 years. 80 -150k a year
Phase 3: Contractor with one big client and one crew. 400 - 500k a year
Phase 4: Get more clients and crews (working on it now). Untold riches

If you have some skill and can dress and speak well, you can write your own ticket. You just can’t get too comfortable working for other people.

Go to craigslist - lots of cheap paying jobs on there

Supply chain management

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you sound like someone who would love a Project Management kind of role in a corporation

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Exactly what I thought. Project managers are squared away, intelligent, disciplined, and strong communicators. OP, look into some local classes, join the local chapter of PMI, and see if that's a good route for you. Network your arse off.

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I'd love something in planning, scheduling, logistics, procurement, estimating, etc.

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Drug gangs are always looking for a good stash house manager. Your skills in planning and scheduling would really help you shine as a strip club dj.

But all joking aside, you're looking at a career in real estate. Go ahead and get started on the zumba. Toned thighs and arse really make or break a realtor.

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suggestions on how to get in,

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How’s your cover letter looking? Resume? People with experience in a career tend to bloviate about themselves thinking they can rhetorically get the interview.

Also - not sure if you read my response earlier - you say you’re going to have another kid soon. Have you thought about how different your schedule will be when you do get that entry level job? Assuming you’re tenured, you currently get a lot of time off and have the ability to be finished with work by ~3pm. You don’t have to coach. You can be a “3 o’clock and go home” teacher if you want. You get a ton of vacation. You have a defined pension plan. You’ve probably accumulated dozens of sick days.

With a new baby on the way, life is going to get hard at home for a few years. Two kids is way different than one kid. You’re talking about taking a pay cut to learn a new career with hours that most likely keep you away from home until 5pm. Most likely later because the entry level folks are going to put in more hours when going for promotions. Then there’s the possibility for traffic on a commute. What does your wife do? Is she taking a maternity leave? Does she get off work at 3pm? How much more time could your kids get with you or your wife if you’re not focused on building a new career? How hard will it be on your wife to take care of the baby, possibly work at the same time, and be there as support for you who gave up job security for a risk?

You want to switch careers but could you spend the next few years developing a hard skill? Maybe use it to generate side income? That’s something I’ve done - I make about $1500/month after taxes working some side jobs that I established in my time off from education. If you want more money, you certainly have the time to do it working as a teacher. Then when your baby is preschool age and less of a strain on your wife, you’ll have an established portfolio to send to potential employers.

I don’t know, man. You sound a lot like me. I quit teaching two weeks before my first kid was born. It’s really fricking hard and I have an amazingly supportive wife who felt really tired and drained during that time. Some may see my story as “sad” or a failure, but in the end, I’m content and financially stable. What more should a person seek in life?