Making a career change in 2021

2020 has been unusual for us all, with the pandemic and lockdown giving more people time to assess the bigger questions around life and jobs.

For some it's meant making a whole new change in career direction and involved a move to Nottinghamshire's School of Artisan Food in pursuit of a dream career.

For qualified chartered accountant, Sarah Worrall, the lockdown in March sparked a whole ‘it’s now or never’ moment.

She was working with a multi-national financial company and was about to move into the centre of Manchester when she decided to take a career break in order to follow her dream.

Sarah applied to the School and is now studying an Advanced Diploma in Artisan Baking. “I had a good financial career – but I wanted to take the opportunity to do something I’ve always wanted to do and am passionate about,” she explained.

“I was working in corporate finance having joined the company as a graduate and been there for six years, but when we went into lockdown, and having had some time to reflect, I decided that if I didn’t make the change now, I would never do it.”

“What this Advanced Diploma course is doing is helping me see what my options are. It is giving me the skills and the confidence to back up my plans for the future.”

She’s not on her own. Fellow student, Matthew Rideout, is following a similar path. He too decided that 2020 was the year he was going to take a leap of faith and switch careers.

"After completing the Advanced Diploma, I hope to start my own bakery, built on honesty and transparency," he said. "It will be a bakery with exceptional small batch sourdough products, fabulous provenance of ingredients and a focal point in the community. I hope to bring other food producers together, reflecting the same passion and ethos.”