What was your work situation before the Launch Pad?

I was working as a section manager in the construction sector.

How were you feeling about your work?

I wasn’t loving it – it was long days, quite stressful, and really busy. I was finding it difficult.

Why did you decide to join the Launch Pad?

I felt stuck, but I didn’t know what else to do. 

I came across the Careershifters website (I must have been googling “How to change career” or something like that) and attended a webinar.

Off the back of that, I signed up to their very first Launch Pad.

What had you previously tried to do to make progress on your career change?

Not much – the Launch Pad was one of the first steps I took.

What were your reservations or skepticism about the Launch Pad?

I felt really guilty spending money on a career change course. 

I felt like it was something that shouldn’t need a course, like a career change was something I should be able to work out for myself.

Which is silly, looking back, because you spend the majority of your life working, more or less.

What was the experience like?

I really enjoyed it.

One of the biggest things I got out of it was that there’s actually quite a lot of people who don’t enjoy their jobs and are looking to change – I wasn’t completely different, there wasn’t anything wrong with me.

The other thing it taught me was a different mindset – it helped me approach things from a different angle. To proactively approach people, rather than just putting in job applications and not hearing anything back.

What were the highlights?

The exercises about reaching out to people, even if it felt really awkward – they helped me get used to making those approaches.

And another exercise involved asking friends a series of questions about myself, which I found fascinating. 

What were the toughest moments?

It didn’t feel tough overall. 

The reaching-out exercises made me feel really nervous, but it was all presented in a way that you could get as involved or not as you wanted, and there was a lot of support through the course.

How did the Launch Pad help you get clear on and move into your new career?

There were a number of activities on the course that got me thinking and exploring.

Early on in the course, I got some personal insights from a course mission that really helped pin down what interested me and what I enjoyed doing most

Reaching out to people in areas of interest helped me approach career change with a lighter, more experimental attitude.

And one exercise we did helped me consolidate what type of roles, companies and sectors I did and didn’t want to work in, which gave me a framework for moving forward.

I also got a sense of clarity that I definitely wanted to change what I was doing.

I concluded I wanted to do something different, so I did a life coaching course. And because I’d identified I wanted to work more in the outdoors, I worked for an expeditions company and a sailing company on an around-the-world yacht race. 

What on the course led to that impact?

Listening to other people on the course talking about their careers was a big help. 

They’d just sound completely stuck– but as a spectator you could see things that they could do. That sparks the realisation that you’re the same: you’ve decided in your head that it’s impossible, but it’s not, you’ve put the barriers up yourself.

Sometimes it takes someone else to point that out to you, or you observe someone else going through that, and have a realisation that things don’t have to be as hard as you’re making them.

Where are you now in your career?

I’m now working for a solar company.

My partner and I have bought a block of land, which we’re going to build up into a glamping business, and I’m planning to start doing coaching from there as well. 

So over the next five to ten years I’m planning to work less in full-time employment and more in my own thing.

How do you feel about your work?

I’m a lot happier now. 

I enjoy what I’m doing at the moment, and I’m looking forward to the next transition and building up our business. 

I’ve accepted that I’m going to be someone who continues to change roles – and that’s OK.

What’s been the impact of your shift on your wider life?

It’s a mindset change – being happier with work just makes life in general feel better.

What would you recommend to anyone considering the Launch Pad?

I’d say, if people are feeling stuck and unhappy in their jobs, and they haven’t managed to resolve that by themselves, then this is a really great resource to help them get unstuck.

You can find full details about the course on our dedicated Launch Pad page.