Take part in our retraining survey

Are you thinking of retraining? If so, you’re not alone. Workingmums.co.uk’s latest annual survey of over 2,300 mums showed 65% were interested in retraining and almost a third had retrained in the last year.

Another more recent poll found finding a flexible job is the main reason mums are looking to retrain. Nearly a third of mums said they were looking to retrain to find a more flexible job. Others were looking for a better paid job or to try something new or find something nearer home.

One woman who said she was looking to find a more flexible job had swapped a career in law for HR. She stated: “I’ve stepped away from being an employment lawyer to set up my own HR consultancy as my job couldn’t give me the flexibility I needed.”

Workingmums.co.uk is looking to find out more information on why mums want to retrain, what jobs or sectors they are moving from and, if they have retrained, where they have moved to, and what kind of retraining suits them best. Its retraining survey, conducted in partnership with PathPlnr.com, contains a series of questions, including what prompted you to retrain, how long it took you to find a job after retraining, how much retraining cost and how it was delivered and the time commitment required.

One mum who has successfully retrained is Catherine Baigent who was a scriptwriter and editor for Eastenders, but felt the long hours were incompatible with having children. She retrained as a Montessori teacher, although she has since moved on to working with older children. She says: “One minute I had a high-powered career and the next minute I was living in the countryside with a load of nappies. Doing the Montessori training has made me feel I have something to offer. It has engaged my imagination and intellect. It is very rewarding and I can see the achievement I am making. It feels like I am contributing something.”

Coach Emma Louise O’Brien says retraining should be looked on as a chance to enhance working mums’ skillset and open up more opportunities. She states: “Retraining might initially be daunting as you venture in a new direction. It could also be the quickest route to finding new fulfilling opportunities whilst also ensuring the right work life balance for you.

*To take part in the short survey, click here. Everyone who takes part in the survey has the option to enter into a free prize draw to win £50 worth of M&S Vouchers. 

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