I’m a German nurse unhappy with nursing and I’m in my 40s.

I wrote I need because my current job as a nurse is physically extremely demanding and I know I don’t want to do this till I retire. My life cannot be to hope to advance in this field by moving up to a position within the hospital where I don’t actually have to work bedside. In Germany nurses don’t need a bachelor to practice, they only need an apprenticeship (Ausbildung).

Something I always liked as a child is music, either the classical guitar or the piano, so I talked to 2 professors, one for piano, the other one for classical and electric guitar. There is no question that east Asians dominate the piano market, they are insanely good and securing a spot in a piano bachelor would be very difficult, but a bachelor of classical and electric guitar is not as looked after like the piano, which could be my way to do something I enjoy, earn more than now with regular, predictable working hours, small groups of students when I finish the bachelor and stop doing something that’s physically destroying me.

About job options after I finish the bachelor, the professor I talked to, a classical guitarist with several prizes I’m not naming said that nowadays all kinds of music teachers are retiring and he constantly gets calls asking for new guitar teachers, that all his students who finish the bachelor have contracts even before finishing the bachelor and the figures he offered regarding salaries are higher than what I earn now, because I’d have a bachelor.

Now I don’t know if this professor is overselling his program, but this is a renowned music school in a city next to mine, which means its close, I wouldn’t have to move and the bachelor would cost me nothing but 100 Euros per semester, provided I prepare for a year for the admission exam, checking my progress every 3 months with this professor, something this musical school offers free of charge and actually passing the exam.

I don’t believe this professor was lying: salary figures I checked match what he said and he proposed I prepare for the exam, check with him my progress and if I get admitted, study for a year to see if I like it, because I can always use my apprenticeship as a nurse to work nursing, radiology instead of bedside nursing or work for a healthcare insurance company. If I do this I’d work part time during the bachelor.

I’ve been playing the classical guitar for the last 8 years if that helps and I learned musical theory and piano as a child.

The other option would be to study a bachelor of science and become a physician assistant, but to do this on a respectable public university and not with a private, online diploma mill that only wants my money I’d have to relocate, which is something very risky (new city, new hospital, no social contacts), or pay for a second flat for 4 years, which would be expensive. The medical side of nursing has always interested me and I enjoy explaining organs to patients, and I’m not ready to simply ignore the last 7 years of my life, the time I’ve been working as a nurse, but bedside, as said, is killing me, but relocating 3 hours away for 4 years...

I’m split. Both paths offer a way out of my current situation. I wouldn’t mind working as a guitar teacher for the rest of my life, nor would I mind working as a physician assistant.

ETA: thanks to all of you for your input, including those post I didn't comment on.

I can’t relate on the career directly, but I went from call center tech support to manufacturing and it was the best decision I ever made. I knew the job I was in would simply never bring a day of joy to me and money doesn’t do much for that.

The real answer is that you won’t know until you take a leap of faith. I was also terrified I was making a poor decision when I switched, but now I use far more of my skillset and I’m far more engaged as a result.

It may be a complete failure and you’ll have to switch again, but if you’re unsatisfied with what you’re doing, the only way to improve it is to make a change.

The reality is you don't have enough information to decide yet. I never trust anything any teacher or school or college or univiersity says about the lucrative future waiting for graduates.

And if the job market for PA's is verifiably good, that sounds more secure (and easier to verify), plus your background willl be helpful.

One thing to consider is if you do go to any program, you'll be competing with your graduating class and that can be tough because of age discrimination.

Assuming you want private students, what's stopping you from teaching guitar now part-time? Or gigging?

Ultimately only you can make the decision about what you want to do with your life.

One thing to consider is, what does failure look like? Not that I'm suggesting that you'd fail, rather, does this help you choose?

In other words, try to find things that distinguishes between the choices. Things that make them different.

You might also ask people already doing the things you're choosing between. Perhaps you can ask them what they discovered that they liked or hated about their chosen profession.

I also just wanted to point out to our American readers that these are the questions you can ask yourself if you're not tied to healthcare through an employer.

nowadays all kinds of music teachers are retiring and he constantly gets calls asking for new guitar teachers

I'd be skeptical about continued opportunities, as there might just be more demand for recommendations from a professor from a renowned music school, and he'd probably be more likely to recommend recent graduates, so you'd only gain that advantage until the next semester class graduates. Unless it's for jobs in schools as opposed to lessons after school or something?

salaries are higher than what I earn now

Is that for jobs in schools, or after school lessons? (After school lessons might have a higher hourly pay but less frequent work, so not actually a salary but more like a contractor?)

I enjoy explaining organs to patients, and I’m not ready to simply ignore the last 7 years of my life

Have you considered making songs that explain organs? Maybe it could go viral 😅

My dad worked for a machine shop for 30 years and got laid off because as he said "all the work went to China" This was happening all over the state, so they started a program for these guys to learn a new skill. So, my dad took the free money, in his 50s, and went to college. He got a social work degree, and a government job as a Case worker for mentally handicapped adults. He loved it and was so happy he got booted out of the tool shop.

How I would consider this decision would be very different depending if married with children or single. If single, even the greatest risk still isn't too risky. But if you have a family to consider, then you do what's responsible first.

Ich habe 10 Jahre lang in Berlin Gitarre und Theorie an privaten und Staatlichen Musikschulen unterrichtet. Die Arbeit ist wirklich sehr schön und macht Spaß, aber die Bedingungen sind schon tricky. Viele Probleme mit Scheinselbstandigkeit, lange, unbezahlte Ferien, und schwankende Schülerzahlen. Oft heißt es Steuern in voraus zu zahlen, basiert auf Einschätzungen von dem vorherigen Quartal was super nervig ist. Hast du mal eine schlechtes Quartal, muss man hohe Steuern abgeben mit wenig Einnahmen. Ja, man bekommt es später wieder zurück, aber in der Zwischenzeit gibt es nichts zu beißen. Bessere Verhältnisse gibt es an Staatlichen Schulen und Volkshochschulen vis a vis Ferien und Tarifvergütung, aber diese stellen sind auch schwieriger zu bekommen da alle sich draufstürzen.

Wenn du in Branche willst, dann empfehle ich gezielt auf die Staatliche Stellen hinzu zu arbeiten.

call center tech support

That's not a very high bar you're setting there.

At the time, it was the best paying work with the best benefits I’d had at the time. On top of that, they were a new company and were doing a lot of things right in the first two years I worked there.

And then they bought out an overseas support company and every aspect of working there tanked in just a few months.

The reality is you don’t have enough information to decide yet.

how do I get more information to make a better decision?

I never trust anything any teacher or school or college or univiersity says about the lucrative future waiting for graduates.

would you explain further?

And if the job market for PA’s is verifiably good, that sounds more secure (and easier to verify), plus your background willl be helpful.

true

Assuming you want private students, what’s stopping you from teaching guitar now part-time? Or gigging?

If I started teaching now I'd be a dilettante. All I know about the instrument I learned on my own, but any student of mine is going to need technique, which I also need, which is the main reason to study this bachelor. Technique to teach, but also to create my own stuff.

I like playing the guitar but I mostly do it as a hobby with mediocre technique.

Gigging doesn't make much sense because you have to find groups that would pay you enough to make the commute and audition worth it. And I have a stable job, a job I'd keep if I study this bachelor.

The real answer is that you won’t know until you take a leap of faith.

if you’re unsatisfied with what you’re doing, the only way to improve it is to make a change.

both are very true. Thank you.

Gut, so du hast ein künstlerisches Studium im Fach Classische Gitarre und E-Gitarre absolviert und hast ein B.A., richtig?

Würdest du sagen, auch gerne per privater Nachricht, warum du nicht bei einer öffentlichen Musikschule oder Volkshochschule angestellt bist? Ist die Konkurrenz wirklich so krass? Das ist nicht, was der Gitarren-Professor mir sagte, er zeichnete ein positives Bild der Arbeitsmarktsituation.

Ich habe andere Fragen: Wie viele Stunden übst du pro Tag? Muss du einmal pro Semester Material für ein Konzert vorbereiten? Pianisten an Hochschulen für Musik (also M.A.) müssen das machen.

Weiß du, wie viele Schüler Gitarristen haben, die an öffentlichen Musikschule oder Volkshochschule angestellt sind?

Müssen sie auch Praxis und Theorie vermitteln? Korrepetition?

Wie oft feilst du deine Nägel? Und kann man mit Gitarristen-Nägeln Klavier spielen? Weil ich auch Klavier gelernt habe und ab und zu spiele ich das Instrument.

Es gibt künstliche Nägel, die man auf den natürlichen Nagel klebt, oder solche, die man wie einen Ring anlegt (siehe Bilder). Ist das eine gute Idee?

Ich bin über 40 Jahre alt. Gibt es auf dem Arbeitsmarkt für Gitarrenlehrer an öffentlichen Schulen Altersdiskriminierung?

I learned something new today. Is it like this in every state?

Is that for jobs in schools

for jobs in schools, with a collective bargaining agreement and a union.

what does failure look like?

I don't know. I don't even know what success looks like

You might also ask people already doing the things you’re choosing between. Perhaps you can ask them what they discovered that they liked or hated about their chosen profession.

true

If single, even the greatest risk still isn’t too risky.

even if this singleton is in his 40s?

Oh nice, that's probably a pretty good job in that case.

I'm sure there would still be lots of ways your skills and knowledge from nursing would be valuable in a school too, but I wouldn't know specifically 😅

Ich bin seit 6 Jahren aus der Branche raus, es wurde mir langweilig. Ich habe mich mit 40 zum Tischler umschulen lassen, also verstehe ich deine Situation. Willkommen ins Mid-life.

Ich war damals an einer VHS Teilzeit, Staatliche Schulstellen waren in Berlin selten und Gitarristen sind viele. Ansonsten an privaten Schulen, selbstständig und Gigs. Alles zusammen war es eine halbwegs anständige Existenz, allerdings schwankend.

Ich habe im Ausland Jazz studiert. Bachelor of Music.

Damals habe ich im Schnitt 3 Stunden täglich geübt und 6 Stunden gearbeitet. Im Studium war es wesentlich mehr, Stunden haben da nicht mehr gezählt - es war mein ganzes Leben von morgens bis nachts, alles music die ganze Zeit. Aufstehen, üben, Uni, üben, Vll ein paar Privatschüler unterrichten, üben, Auftritt. Irgendwie so. Man muss es schon wollen.

Wie es hier im Studium abläuft im Bezug auf Semestermässiges Vorspiel im Klavier Master kann ich nicht sagen. Ich musste damals im Studium dauernd vorspielen - solo, klein ensemble, Big band, Blattsingen, Scale Jury.

Schüleranzahl hängt von den Schülern und die Schule ab. Es ist verstanden dass ein Schüler im höheren Niveau wesentlich mehr Vorbereitungszeit in Anspruch nimmt. Ja, Theorie vermitteln is erwartet, aber generell Praxis-nah und angewendet wenns Gitarrenunterricht ist.

Die Nägel nach Bedarf, immer Feile und Knipser dabei, wenn die Haptik sich fremd anfühlt, dann zurecht bringen. Beim Klavier spielen, klackt es rechts und man muss mit flacheren Finger spielen. Für sich selbst geht's klar, um Pianist zu sein nicht.

Vis a vis Altersdiskriminierung, ich glaube ein bisschen schon, aber zu deinen günstigen. Seniorität hat Wert in Musik, weil mehr Zeit am Instrument.

40 ist nicht zu alt um was neues zu probieren. Lass dir da nichts einreden.

Achso wegen künstliche Nägel - ja gibt's, aber nicht für Konzertgitarre geeignet, es sind eher wie Fingerkuppen und werden bei Dobro und Banjo etc eingesetzt. Der Ton ist hart und ballart wie Sau, für mich Gespürlos und nervig. Ich bin in der Hinsicht old school, so wenig schnickschnack wie möglich, keine Fußbank, clip-tuner, Tonabnehmer. Die Tele ist die perfekte e Gitarre. Meine Meinung halt. Die Musik ist der Mensch, nicht das Werkzeug. Ich schreibe auch meine Partituren lieber von Hand, jeder Zwischenschritt ist eine Hindernis die mich von dem Ausdruck meiner Idee abhält.

I just hated my old job (inbound call center agent) so hard that any anxiety about going back to school was overshadowed by relief at not having to talk nonstop 8 hours a day again.

Unfortunately I'm at a bit of a crossroads with my current job (IT) because both Pearson and Cisco make test-taking miserable if you have a disability. My current job isn't under threat, but I let all my certs lapse because I'm just sick and tired of their nonsense.

Colleges are always trying to sell the idea that going to them will yield you a better future. If they couldn´t do that, nobody would go to them. I once looked at a Teaching English as a Foreign Language school and they were bragging about two placements in Japanese schools. Well, I looked into those two placements, and they were people from some top performing schools, like Yale or Cornell--and that probably had more impact on their job prospects.

For your guitar school, see who they are bragging about. Are they people with circumstances similar to yours? Or are they child prodigies?

If you just want to learn to play guitar, you absolutely don´t need to go to a college. You can pay teachers privately. And you can learn theory on your own and do your own ear training (I recommend practicing play melodies by ear if you can´t yet). All you really need a college degree for in this space is a credential that says you went through a recognized program. That might be worth it.

And for me, college is outrageously expensive, so I wouldn´t go unless it directly and definitely led to a better economic future in which I could pay down the debt I would have incurred getting the degree. Your mileage in Deutschland may vary.

Can you busk? Play on the street? I don´t know what you have in mind, but I was thinking restuarants and other venues that might want a little background music.