The plan behind the story · The BBC producer who put a train driver's words on the news, then went to train driver school
Test a career change in eight weeks, before you hand in your notice
Eight weeks to find out whether a new line of work suits you. If you are only wondering, you end with one job you know well and a conversation with someone who does it. If you are ready to move, you end with an application sent and the money for the training period worked out.
Why this works
Alex Worsick spent 22 years at the BBC before she heard Lauren Pugh, a Northern driver, describe her job on the radio. Worsick had never thought about the railway. She applied in 2024, in her mid-40s, went through interviews, psychometric tests and a medical, then 20 weeks in a classroom and 230 hours in the cab with an instructor. She told the Lancashire Evening Post she had never learnt so much in so short a time.
Two things in her story are worth copying: the idea came from hearing someone describe the job, and the selection asked about things she could prepare for. This plan builds in both. Learning new skills is also one of the five steps the NHS suggests for mental wellbeing, so the weeks of finding out are worth something even if you stay where you are.
Before you start
- The official job profiles. In the UK, the National Careers Service website has a profile for most jobs: entry routes, hours and pay. In the US, the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook does the same.
- A free adviser. In England, adults can call 0800 072 0288 to speak to a careers adviser (8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday; free from landlines and most mobiles). In the US, American Job Centers offer free help with job searches, career changes and training: find one at careeronestop.org/JobCenter.
- Money is a question to take to someone qualified. If a change means a pay cut or a gap, MoneyHelper (UK) or a regulated adviser can help you think it through. Nothing here is financial advice.
The plan
| Week | Do this | How often | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (just wondering) | List three jobs you have wondered about. Read each official job profile. | One sitting | Note the way in, the hours and the starting pay. |
| 1 (ready to apply) | Choose one role. List two employers that hire for it and read their careers pages. | One sitting | Write down every stage of their selection. |
| 2 (both) | Book a careers adviser call (England) or an American Job Center appointment (US). | Once | Take your notes; ask what the realistic route in is for you. |
| 3 to 4 (just wondering) | Find one person who does each job on your list and ask how they got in and what the first year was like. | One conversation a week | Friends of friends, professional groups, open days. |
| 3 to 4 (ready to apply) | Write down an example from your own work for each thing the employer’s selection asks about. | Two sessions a week | Worsick’s form asked about people, emergencies, deadlines and shift work. |
| 5 to 6 (just wondering) | Narrow the list to one job. Live its hours for a week where you can: the early start, the weekend. | Daily for a week | If the shift pattern does not fit your life, that is a useful answer. |
| 5 to 6 (ready to apply) | If the selection uses aptitude or psychometric tests, sit a timed practice test. | Once a week, four weeks running | Log your scores and what slowed you down. |
| 7 (both) | Map the money: current pay against the new role’s starting pay, month by month, through any training period. | One sitting | In England the National Careers Service gives £28,000 to start for a train driver. |
| 8 (just wondering) | Decide: apply, learn more, or stop here. All three are good outcomes. | Once | See “What next”. |
| 8 (ready to apply) | Send your first application. | Once | Diary a date to send the second. |
If it goes wrong
- Nobody will talk to you. Try a professional body, an open day, or your careers adviser.
- The selection rejects you. Ask for feedback. Many employers let you reapply after a set period; check theirs.
- The money does not work. Look for a route with paid training (an apprenticeship, or a trainee post with a salary), or a part-time way to try the work first.
- You lose interest. That is the plan working. You have saved yourself a mistake, and you can start again with the next job on the list.
Track it
Just wondering: one page per job, with the way in, the hours, the pay, and what the person you spoke to said. Ready to apply: the selection stages, your examples, your practice test scores, and the date of each application sent.
What next
If the answer is yes, apply, and keep a second employer in reserve. Read how Barbara O’Donnell left IT management to lead walkers; our guide to job hunting covers CVs, interviews and your rights at work. If what you really want is more learning rather than a new job, going back to study has the routes.
General information, not medical advice. Check with your GP before starting a new exercise programme.