Retraining stories: from trading communications specialist to copywriter

Louise Fowen was a trading communications specialist until she retrained as a copywriter. She talks to workingmums.co.uk about how she did it and the challenges she has faced in part two of our focus on retraining.

Workingmums.co.uk: What job were you doing before you retrained?

Louise Fowen: I worked as a Trading Communications Specialist.

WMs: When did you retrain and did that result in a career change?

LF: I retrained starting from May 2018 – it’s an ongoing process! I have started my own business as a Freelance Copywriter,  louisefowencopywriter.com – launched in around November 2018. Still finding my feet and trying to get work though.

WMs: If so, are you working more flexibly?

LF: Yes, I work from home and make up my own hours.

WMs: Are you paid more, less or the same?

LF: At the moment I’m hardly making any money as I’ve found out it’s tough finding clients! I hope to make more than before once it’s off the ground, but I can see this taking a while yet.

WMs: What motivated you to retrain?

LF: I was made redundant in my old job and started job searching. However, finding jobs that were local enough to get back for school runs, flexible, paid enough and that I was qualified for seemed impossible. I had a good redundancy package so I could take the time to retrain without working too. .

WMs: How many children do you have and what are their ages?

LF: One daughter aged 11 – about to start senior school in September.

WMs: Would you recommend retraining?

LF: Definitely – but you need money behind you to be able to do it.

WMs: Did it take you a while to come up with the plan to retrain? Did you look at other options?

LF: I spent a month updating my CV and going on courses that were based around looking for employment. Then I spent three months job hunting.  After that I decided to retrain.

WMs: Could the process have been made easier, for instance, if more online training was available?

LF: There is an abundance of online training (this is what I have done). However, it’s very hard to know what’s a good course and what’s not. Also knowing what’s a recognised qualification and what’s not. Once thing I have struggled with is learning the business side of things. Learning how to write well was one thing… learning how to market myself is quite another!

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