---
title: You Are Never Too Old to Change to a Tech Career
osem_url: https://osem.seagl.org/conferences/seagl2018/program/proposals/460
beginning: '2018-11-09T16:00:00.000-08:00'
end: '2018-11-09T16:20:00.000-08:00'
presenters:
- name: Carla Schroder
  osem_url: https://osem.seagl.org/users/743
  gravatar_id: 872c5814d788dacafae4e1fcd6b5615c
  biography: 'Lifelong nerd, Linux howto author since 1995, author of hundreds of
    tutorials and three books: Linux Cookbook, Linux Networking Cookbook, and the
    Book of Audacity. System administrator, network administrator, happy member of
    the amazing SUSE documentation team, currently working on bleeding-edge cloud
    technologies. Other careers include managing editor, farmer, auto mechanic, handymam,
    photographer, and others lost in the misty dawns of time.'
---

_Dear Abby, I have always wanted to get into tech, but I'm afraid I am too old to start now. There is a training program I want to enroll in that looks really good and interesting, but it takes a year, and I know I will need continual training to develop meaningful skills. I'm already 50, so spending five or ten years learning a new career may not make sense. What should I do? Signed, Feeling Desperate

Dear Feeling Desperate, How old will you be in 5 or 10 years if you DON'T make your career change now?_

High tech needs people from all walks of life, especially older people. Please allow me, as the Queen of Career Changers, to inspire and delight you with an assortment of proven reasons to follow your dreams no matter your age. Anyone can learn to do anything, you're never too old to try something new, and life experience is more important than almost anything.
