Education
It’s never too late to learn something new
From arts & crafts to coding queen
When Anna Greaves attended an open evening at a coding institute, she had no idea her life was about to change course. In London, Anna ran an online business selling portraits she created. By 23, she was living in Amsterdam and finishing her art degree. Being creative, Anna started making handcrafted artisan mice as gifts for friends. They proved so popular that Anna grew her hobby into a business over the next eight years while she juggled the demands of motherhood.
Humans are born with a natural drive to explore, learn and grow. While formal education is important, not all of our learning comes from the classroom.
BY JACINTA NOONAN
This business was labour intensive and profit margins were small, so by her late 30’s, Anna was ready for a better paid career. When it comes to retraining, particularly for a career move, an assumption is often that another university degree is needed. “On the contrary”, says Colleen Reithrath-Smith, career coach and part of the ACCESS Trainers’ Network (ATN). “It is not necessary to start from scratch. You are building forwards. Recognise and value your skills and knowledge and create your own opportunities.”
Volunteering at Amsterdam Mamas, Anna noticed job opportunities for coding skills and investigated. She completed free online coding courses, discovered she loved coding, and took a paid course with Code Institute which “changed the course of my life.” Coding utilises both Anna’s creative and technical talents. By daring to try something new, Anna, now 40, earns a great salary, doing something she loves. Her advice for others wanting to upskill: • Attend open evenings • Be open • Age is not a barrier • Previous experience is an asset From classical violinist to TEDx trainer
PHOTO: NESA BY MAKERS
When Jonathan Talbott started a new line of work, his intention was to enhance his career as a professional violinist, not replace it.
44 | ACCESS | WINTER 2020
At 38, Jonathan was looking for a change. He signed up for a marketing course, discovered he loved it and, upon certification, became a successful marketing manager for a small orchestra. While volunteering on a fundraising project, Jonathan realised there were opportunities beyond the classical music industry where he could excel. Around this time, he was