What's Happening

Work

Class Is Back in Session 

What’s going on: Remember when you swore you were done with homework forever? Turns out, that promise had an asterisk. More workers in their 40s are cracking open textbooks again — not out of nostalgia, but necessity. The Wall Street Journal reports that layoffs, stagnant pay, and artificial intelligence are pushing many mid-career professionals back to school in search of stability or a reset. Federal education data shows, about 1 million people in their 40s are currently enrolled in college or grad school. Some make dramatic pivots, like leaving restaurant kitchens for software engineering roles. Others pursue advanced degrees to stand out as hiring standards rise. And plenty of people see trade or vocational school as more stable paths. After all, AI still can’t fix your broken generator at 2 am. Yet. 

What it means: A career reset later in life asks a lot. Many women juggle jobs, family responsibilities, and classes — often while taking on new college debt just as their peers hit peak earning years. Even so, career experts say this moment offers a chance to get intentional. Start with what energizes you now, not what impressed people years ago. Here are four steps to get the ball rolling. If you feel stuck, take one practical step: research jobs with rising demand, then ask a few trusted friends from different corners of your life to name your biggest strengths. And don’t overlook the MVP of a mid-career move: your network. Those holiday parties, coffee chats, and break-room conversations built more value than you realized.

Related: Scholarships and Grants To Help Fund Your Midlife Career Pivot (Forbes)