17 Career Change Ideas & How To Achieve Them

Career change ideas can inspire you to switch careers and find a more fulfilling job, as well as turn your hobbies and passions into rewarding work. Here at OriGym, we’ve put together a comprehensive list to inspire your career change, ranging from health and fitness roles to marketing and digital careers. 

Did you know you can become a PT with OriGym's personal training diploma? You can go from no prior experience to a fully-fledged PT in just 4 weeks! You can also explore the range of additional courses we provide by downloading our free course prospectus.

#1 - Personal Training Is One Of The Few Career Change Options That Help People Get Healthier

Average Salary: £29,753

If helping people get into shape is paramount to your job satisfaction whilst considering career change ideas, then you may wish to learn how to become a personal trainer.

In terms of what you can do with a personal trainer certification, this can range from working in gyms and fitness centres, which is beneficial if you’re a sociable person, to starting your very own business.

If you’re self-employed, you’ll have the chance to make your schedule. This means you can escape working a standard 9 to 5 shift. You can even work outside if the weather and training program permits it!

You’ll need to hold both a Level 2 Gym Instructor and a Level 3 personal training qualification to become a qualified personal trainer.

Alternatively, you can complete a Diploma in Personal Training, which combines both qualifications, making it the perfect first step to launching your new career.

OriGym offers several study options to get you started in the PT business, allowing you to study for an online or part-time course around your existing commitments!

#2 - Becoming A Yoga Teacher Is One Of The Ideas For A New Career Working Anywhere In The World

Average Salary: £31,000

When considering ideas for a career change, you may wish to become a yoga teacher.

People become yogis because they find yoga teaching jobs to be rewarding, in that they allow you to watch others learn and grow on their spiritual path.  

This career change idea is also popular because it allows you to teach anywhere in the world and see its beautiful sights at the same time.

If you like the sound of this career path, you’ll need to get qualified. The best way to do this is by gaining a recognised Level 3 yoga qualification.

At OriGym, we qualify thousands of aspiring yogis through our award-nominated yoga teacher training courses each year. 

There are no prerequisites to enrol and you could be qualified in as little as 3 to 4 months. You can even complete the course around your existing work commitments, allowing you to complete the course at your own pace.

You will receive 400 hours of guided learning, allowing you to gain enough training to secure your first role in the industry. 

#3 - Social Media Marketing Is A Career Change Worth Considering If You Want A Customer-Focused Job

Average Salary: £23,057

Social media marketers are in high demand at the moment, so if you’re looking for career change ideas, this is an excellent choice.

If you’re passionate about social media and highly organised, you’d be a great fit for this role. Day-to-day tasks you can be expected to complete, include: 

• Creating and monitoring content on social platforms
• Building and maintaining a brand’s media presence
• Planning campaigns across social platforms

The field is fast-growing, with demand for paid social media skills rising by over 100%, according to Coursera. In today’s job market, job security is important, so this is useful information to have.  

A social media marketing position gives you creative freedom and caters to the needs and wants of your client base.

If you have a social media marketing position in the fitness industry, for example, you’ll understand how to write effective Facebook ads.

A digital marketing degree can give you a competitive edge in the job market but an apprenticeship, experience or a strong social media presence can often be more valuable.

#4 - Nutrition Coaching Is A Profession To Consider If You Want To Help Others Improve Their Diet

Average Salary: £29,454

If you’re passionate about helping others, you should consider becoming a nutrition coach. One of the primary duties is to inspire and lead others to become healthier versions of themselves.

To help improve people’s health, you’ll be required to: 

• Write and deliver diet plans to promote healthier living for clients
• Provide nutritional advice for important groups (for example, people with diabetes or pregnant women)
• Offer nutritional advice for athletes looking to improve their physical performance 

If you’re interested in chasing your passion for wellness and expanding your knowledge this is a great career change idea.

One of the great things about this career is that you don’t need a degree to work as a nutrition coach.

Instead, you can opt for a vocational qualification, like a Level 4 Certificate in Nutrition - a much more time and cost-effective route to a new career.

#5 - Working In Sales Is A Great Career Change Idea If You’ve Got A Determined Attitude

Average Salary: £34,882

If you’re a great communicator and possess a determined attitude, you can secure a sales position from product sales to marketing operations.

A big draw to this role is accessibility. Most sales positions do not require any specific training or qualifications, making it one of the easiest jobs to get into for those looking for a career change. 

Demonstrating your ability to learn about a company’s client base can often be enough to get you an entry-level position.

Ideas for a career change into sales are great because they also offer job security. This is because a business will always need staff to promote, market and sell its products and services.

To increase your chances of becoming employed in this sector, you’ll need to show employers you have some of the following skills:

• Customer service
• Flexibility and adaptability
• The ability to work alongside others

A sales career has great earning potential. Most companies offer commission bonuses on top of your annual salary, and the more successful a salesperson you are, the more money you’ll earn.

#6 - Event Planning Is The Perfect Job Swap If You’ve Got Strong Organisational Skills

Average Salary: £26,191

Event planning is a high-pressure role that requires you to work towards time-sensitive deadlines.

You’ll need to be highly organised if you want to succeed in this role as this is one of several ideas for a career change that offers variety, so you’ll need to adapt to the demands of each day. 

If you don’t like to stay in one place for too long and like to travel, this is a great new career idea. It gives you the freedom to explore new countries and cities.

You don’t require a qualification to become an event planner, but you should have a look into courses that provide training for this profession as this will improve your chances of being hired.

To succeed in this role, you should enrol on courses that offer industry placements, especially if you learn from hands-on experience.

#7 - Gym Instructor Is A Great First Step If You’re Looking To Work In The Fitness Industry

Average Salary: £23,000

The fitness job market is constantly growing and can help you find a new job or discover career ideas in this field, such as becoming a gym instructor.

You may wonder what a gym instructor can do. You’ll work with gym members at a fitness centre, spending your time giving instructions, performing inductions and motivating members whilst they exercise.

Some of the daily duties of a gym instructor can include:

• Running group fitness classes
• Demonstrating how to safely and effectively perform exercises or use machines
• Giving health and exercise advice

To become a gym instructor, you’ll need at least a Level 2 Course in Fitness Instruction. There are no entry requirements for this qualification other than being over the age of sixteen.

You can also finish the course around your existing commitments and depending on how you structure your time, you can complete the course in just over 2 weeks! 

You may also want to look into first aid training. While this isn’t entirely necessary, it will give you a competitive edge over other applicants for positions you apply for.

#8 - Becoming A Chef Is A Career Change To Consider If You Have A Passion For Cooking

If you have a passion for food then you should consider becoming a chef. It also offers fantastic career opportunities, from Commis Chef up to Chef de Cuisine and Executive Chef. 

Working in any of these roles also allows you to take your career to different venues, such as hotels, restaurants and catering companies.

There is no set path to becoming a chef but, like many jobs, you’ll be expected to have at least a GCSE grade of C/4 or above in English and Maths.

This will allow you to pursue several paths to starting your career as a chef, including:

• Starting an apprenticeship
• Learning about food preparation and hygiene by studying an NVQ Level 1-3
• Applying to work in a kitchen

This career change idea is as challenging as it is rewarding, you’ll work in a fast-paced environment, cooking high-quality food for your customers.

#9 - If You Want To Make The Career Change To Copywriting, Make Sure You Have Great Writing Skills

Average Salary: £33,689

A copywriter creates marketing and advertising-style content. They may work at an ad agency, as a freelancer or as a full-time employee. 

If you’re looking to become a fitness writer, copywriting is a great field to look into, as you can get started pretty much as soon as you’re ready.

An attractive part of working as a copywriter is the ability to travel where the demand for your services is required, as long as you have a laptop to work from.

You can even choose to work as a self-employed or freelance copywriter, allowing you to work to your own schedule. 

There is no clear-cut path to becoming a copywriter but many employers will expect you to have a degree in English, creative writing, journalism, or similar. 

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#10 - If You Enjoy Working With Children, You May Want To Consider Changing Careers To Nannying

Average Salary: £26,325

If you want a new career in childcare, you should consider becoming a nanny. You can expect to work in private residences and will be responsible for the well-being of the children in your care.

There are several tasks that you can expect to complete in this role, including:      

• Taking kids to and from school
• Preparing meals
• Helping with homework

This job allows you to develop fulfilling relationships with the children and parents you work for. Children will also trust and admire you for being a positive force in their lives.

It’s important to have patience and passion to be a nanny. If you can show dedication to establishing meaningful connections with families in your care, you’ll go a long way as a nanny.

This position doesn’t usually require you to have standard qualifications - instead, expectations are usually set out by individual parents. 

It could be anything from training in playwork and childcare, to a degree in child development or child safety.

#11 - Massage Therapist Is a Great Profession To Pursue To Help People Recover From Injuries

Average Salary: £27,738

If you’re looking to help rehabilitate people following an injury, you might want to look into becoming a sports massage therapist. 

You are expected to complete daily tasks that can include:

• Plan a course of treatment
• Apply pressure and massage techniques to the body
• Give general well-being advice

This new career idea offers job security with The Bureau of Labour Statistics reporting the industry is set to increase by 22% by 2024, making this a solid choice of career.

You don’t need a degree to become a massage therapist but most employers prefer that you have a certification such as the International Massage Diploma or Level 3 SMT qualification.

Alternatively, there are plenty of apprenticeships available to help you learn on the job whilst you complete your training.

#12 - Changing Careers To High School Teacher Is A Great Way To Help The Next Generation

Average Salary: £31,918

If you love sharing knowledge and want a career that makes a difference, it’s worth considering a teaching career. 

Depending on the age group and subject you want to teach, you could work anywhere from state and independent schools, to private colleges and learning centres. 

As part of your daily duties, you can expect the following:

• Assessing students’ work and marking it
• Preparing lesson plans
• Creating and giving out homework

The most common route to becoming a teacher is gaining a degree in a relevant subject (in a subject you would like to teach), followed by achieving a PGCE.

#13 - If You Have Compassion Becoming A Recreational Therapist Is A Great Career Choice

Average Salary: £20,829

The primary duty of a recreational therapist is to design interventions that reduce depression, anxiety and address physical issues that affect recovery.

Recreational therapists support patients in recovery from illnesses using activities such as:

• Dance
• Music
• Swimming

A physical disability can be isolating, as a recreational therapist, you’ll be responsible to help people socialise and build their confidence back up. This will be done by: 

• Evaluating patients through medical records, observation and interview techniques, and speaking with family members and other medical professionals
• Creating and monitoring individual treatment plans that include recreational activities
• Designing group programs for people recovering from the same issues/injuries
• Teaching patients how to deal with their stress, anxiety, and depression

This is one of the best changes in career ideas as the recreational therapy industry is projected to grow by 10 per cent between 2020 and 2030. 

If you go for this position, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree in a health-related subject and certification in National Council for Therapeutic Recreation Certification. This will help you work in hospitals and healthcare facilities.

#14 - If You Have Strong Maths Skills, You May Want To Change Jobs And Become An Actuary

Average Salary: £51,500

If you’re looking for career change ideas (UK) that allow you to put your mathematical skills to use, you might wish to become an actuary.

An actuary assesses the financial consequences of risky business decisions, like investment opportunities or insurance policies.

You’ll use your knowledge of statistics, mathematical concepts and financial theory to determine the probability of success alongside the potential costs of failure.

A degree in actuarial science (which is required for this role) can take three to four years to complete, followed by a further six to seven years to pass all the exams. 

However, you can start working before you complete every exam; most employers will hire you as a trainee, as long as you have the first two exams under your belt.

#15 - Becoming A Software Developer Is A Great Career Change Choice If You Enjoy Programming

Average Salary: £45,305

It’s not uncommon to look for new career ideas (UK) based on salary and availability. When it comes to software development, you have the best of both worlds. 

Software development is a booming industry with massive progression opportunities and can pay a handsome salary, depending on your level of experience.

The world of tech is extremely fast-paced, so you need to be able to learn new programming languages quickly. 

You do not need a degree or formal qualifications to join this career path. There are several ways to begin working in this role, including:

• Using online videos and resources to learn programming languages
• Take a job offer that offers on-the-job training and learn first-hand experience
• Obtain a degree in Computer Science or Engineering, then go on to complete role-specific training

Unlike other change of career ideas that have appeared on this list, software development is a role that can be completed remotely if you decide to work in freelance or self-employed positions.

#16 - Make A Positive Impact In Your Community By Changing Jobs To Be A Paramedic

Average Salary: £36,314

If you have compassion and thrive in high-pressure environments then it might be worth looking for ideas for a new career in healthcare, as a paramedic. 

There are also extensive growth opportunities for this role, including becoming an EMS Manager or EMS Instructor-Coordinator. 

To become a paramedic, you’ll need to complete a Paramedic Science Degree which is approved by The Health And Care Professions Council. 

A full-time course takes on average 3 years to complete, and you’ll need 2 to 3 A levels at C or above to get onto the course.

Once you have your degree, you’ll need to apply for an EMT licence and complete an approved paramedic training program. Once that’s done, you can start your paramedic career journey.

#17 - If You Love Helping People Improve Their Health, Consider A Career Change To Dietician

Average Salary: £34,040

Dieticians use the science of nutrition to treat and improve health conditions, often using dietary interventions and nutritional supplementation.

If you’re after diverse and flexible ideas for a career change, you may enjoy this role. You’ll be working with all sorts of people in varied areas. 

There is a difference between a nutritionist and a dietician with dieticians specialising in 30 areas, including:

• Clinical Dietician- Most commonly seen in hospitals, clinics and other health care settings. They work closely with medical professionals like pharmacists and psychologists.
• Gerontological Dietician- Experts in the dietary needs of the elderly. Primary duties include planning healthy menus for people with age-related illnesses like Alzheimer’s.
• Paediatric Dietician- Focus on young people aged from 1 month up to 18 years old. They educate children, their parents, and their caregivers about proper nutrition.

Being a dietician is a great new career idea for UK workers looking to switch careers, as they’re constantly in demand, thanks to the boom of the health and fitness industry.

To become a dietician, you’ll need to complete a degree in Dietetics, where you’ll learn all about food, nutrition, and how it affects the body. 

You can gain an undergraduate degree in around 3 years, alongside work placements. Alternatively, if you already have a degree in life sciences, covering human physiology and biochemistry, you can apply for a two-year postgraduate course.

Before You Go!

We hope this article has given you career change ideas (UK) to help you find the next job of your dreams. 

Remember, you can enrol on our Level 3 personal training diploma, if you’re looking to start a career within the fitness industry or download our free course prospectus to learn more.