A year ago I was teaching French and Spanish to teenagers in North Yorkshire. Fast-forward a year and life looks very different. I have since had a beautiful baby boy, I’ve sat six exams, submitted coursework and somehow emerged out the other side with my DipFA and CeMAP qualifications (I’ll explain those in a bit). Now, I’m gearing up to start my brand new career as a financial adviser this August.

It has been a rollercoaster to say the least. Sometimes I look back and wonder if this year even happened, it has all been such a whirlwind! So let’s rewind and I’ll take you through how I went from conjugating verbs to crunching numbers…

The Teaching Years: What I loved (and what I didn’t)

I studied French and Spanish at university before training to be a secondary school teacher and for a while, it was great! I had brilliant colleagues, I loved the sense of purpose and I won’t lie, the school holidays were obviously a pretty great perk. I especially enjoyed teaching A level and taking students on trips abroad. But over time, especially after having my first child, I started to feel the spark I once had for the job fading. The work load wasn’t getting any better, schools’ budgets are bleak to say the least and, shockingly, teenagers aren’t always easy to work with! I just knew it was time for a change. But what on earth was I going to do?? Teaching was all I knew.

Career Crisis Mode: What else could I even do?

My first thought was to lean into my language skills, but often jobs in that field involved a lot of travel—not ideal with a young family. Translation work? Meh, it didn’t excite me. So, I took a step back and thought about what else I was good at.

I looked at my A-Levels. Performing Arts? Yeah… at 31, I think that ship had sailed!! Maths? Now that was interesting. I had always enjoyed numbers and problem-solving and had seriously considered studying maths at university instead of languages.

Around this time, I caught up with my lovely friend Zoë *- a fellow languages graduate who has worked in finance all over Europe before landing a role at Female Invest in London. As we chatted, she told me all about her job as a financial adviser. The more we talked, the more intrigued I became. It was clear that finance wasn’t just about spreadsheets and jargon—it was about helping people, solving problems, and building relationships. And the best part? It offered flexibility, which was a huge plus with a growing family. This conversation was definitely a lightbulb moment for me, maybe finance was my next move.

The Power of Manifestation (and a bit of luck!)

Now, I’m not saying I wished upon a star like Jiminy Cricket and suddenly became a financial adviser overnight. But I do believe that once I made the decision to leave teaching, things started falling into place. I felt ‘unstuck’ for the first time in ages. I had a plan. I just needed a way into the industry. As with most careers, it’s often not what you know (thank goodness, because I didn’t know much!), but who you know.

So, I started asking around. At weddings, family events, social gatherings—if there was an opportunity, I’d casually drop, “Hey, do you know anyone who works in finance?”

Most people said no.

But then… bingo! My aunty mentioned that her boss was a financial adviser. She kindly passed along my number and soon after, I got a call from Josh Woodhall, who runs Sheavyn Associates** in Wetherby. We had a great chat, and he invited me to meet up to discuss the possibility of joining his team. I couldn’t believe my luck!

The Interview: Realising I was qualified (in a way)

Writing my first CV in years felt so weird. Teachers don’t usually need one- it’s all online forms! I tried to make it relevant, but honestly, I wasn’t sure how well my skills would transfer.

Then, I had my meeting with Josh… and that’s when it hit me.

My skills were actually very well suited for this job.

✔ Time management and organisation? Check.

✔ Breaking down complex concepts into easy-to-understand terms? Check.

✔ Handling difficult conversations? Oh, absolutely check.

The list goes on, but I surprised myself at how easily I was able to come up with specific examples of how I had the necessary skills for this job. To be a teacher is to be an academic, a mentor, a councillor, a mediator, an event planner, a project manager, an adviser, an administrator, a team leader, sometimes even a travel agent! We are smart, resilient and so versatile. We’re pretty impressive people, to be honest! The more we talked, the more I realised I wasn’t starting from scratch at all. By the end of our two-hour chat, Josh had walked me through real financial adviser case studies, and I was hooked. I wanted in.

And then… he offered me a job.

Studying 8.5 months pregnant- what was I thinking?

Now, it is probably worth mentioning that when I had this interview (Feburary), I was pregnant and due in June. The plan? To study and pass my exams whilst on maternity leave. Ambitious, I know… perhaps slightly insane?? But when I set my mind on something, I go all in.

So, in May half term my maternity leave began and I dived headfirst into my first course online. It was intense- Monday to Friday 9.30 am to 5.30 pm, and it was tough. Everything was brand new, I had to spend hours the previous night pre-reading and looking up what were probably quite basic terms.

What’s a bond? What’s a PET? What’s an endowment?

The list went on and on and I began to wonder whether I had bitten off more than I could chew. Having said this… one thing I did know was how to learn things, how to study and how to pass exams. Yes, I had exam skills on my side. I just needed to get my head down and adopt that growth mindset I had spent years harping on to teenagers about!

A couple of weeks (and many, many hours of revision later), I walked into the exam centre literally days before I gave birth. I think the woman behind the desk thought I had lost my mind… she actually asked me if I was in the right place! No, I wasn’t looking for a birthing clinic… yes, I was there to sit my FSRE exam (Financial Services, Regulation and Ethics.) Thankfully, I passed. And just in time- because a few days later, our baby boy arrived!

**One special morning in June we welcomed our beautiful baby boy into the world, and he was an absolute dreamboat.**

We were besotted. Our eldest (affectionately known as *‘Ray Ray’* ❤️) was thrilled to be a big sister and fulfils her sisterly duties with pride. Apart from sharing her toys… that’s a work in progress…

We had a few blissful weeks enjoying time as a family whilst my husband (Jonathan) was on paternity leave. My plan was initially to take a few months off before picking up the studying again, but this baby was proving to be so easy-going I thought… why wait until he is mobile!? He was sleeping so much, it made sense to get back to the studying whilst he was happy snuggling on my chest. So… I booked onto my next online course, and passed my CeMap exam.

So, what exactly are these fancy new qualifications I’ve earned?

Firstly, DipFA (Diploma for Financial Advisers) – this is a Level 4 qualification and the gateway to advising people on all things personal finance, like investments, insurance, and retirement planning. Then there’s CeMAP (Certificate in Mortgage Advice and Practice), a Level 3 qualification, which means (once authorised with the FCA- a whole other blog post!) I’ll be able to officially give mortgage advice—so if you’re house hunting, you know who to call! ;)

I spent my maternity leave juggling baby cuddles, toddler tantrums, and a whole lot of studying. By the end of March, I had completed all my exams and coursework—faster than most people typically complete the process. To be fair, I wasn’t working a full-time job… but I was looking after a newborn and a three-year-old, so let’s just say my hands were very full. It took plenty of late-night revision sessions, but somehow, I pulled it off—and I’m really proud of myself for doing it while still being a present mum to my two little ones.

“Is it a bit cringe-worthy praising myself like this? Did it come across as big-headed or self-important?”…was my internal dialogue as I wrote that last sentence. Well, as I write this it is Sat 8th March, which is International Women’s Day. The theme this year?

“For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment”.

So stuff it, I’ve done really well to get here… I’m going to let myself be damn proud of it!

Of course, I couldn’t have done it without the endless support of my amazing husband—thank you J. I love you! ❤️

What’s Next?

Now, with my DipFA and CeMAP qualifications under my belt, I’m officially set to start my new career in finance this August! It’s been an absolutely wild ride, but I couldn’t be more excited. We managed to squeeze in some more family fun before I returned to work- a couple of weekends away and a ski trip to France (posts on those to follow…) For now, I’m back at school working up until the summer holidays, when my contract ends and my new career begins.

So, to anyone out there feeling stuck in their career—you’re not trapped. You probably have more transferable skills than you realise. Sometimes, all it takes is a conversation (and maybe a bit of manifesting) to set things in motion.

Here’s to new beginnings! 🚀✨

Love, Katie x

*Zoe Burt is awesome and has so many other strings to her bow as well as financial advice, check out her website here… About - Zoë BURT

**Sheavyn Associates are based in Wetherby but have clients all over the UK. If you are curious about how their advice could help you and your future finances then get into contact with them! Their website is here…Home - Financial advisers, investment, wealth management and pensions advice - Sheavyn Associates Financial Management Ltd

From Teaching Teens to Tackling Finance- my crazy career change