Changing careers, changing lives: inspiring stories for National Career Change Day
Career transitions are becoming increasingly common today, driven by a desire to find meaning in one’s work, take on new challenges, or improve one’s work-life balance.
National Career Change Day is the perfect opportunity to shine a spotlight on those who have dared to chart a new course for themselves.
In this article, we share three inspiring stories from people who took the plunge, overcame their doubts, and built a new career path aligned with their aspirations.
They chose theUniversity of Montpellier’s Continuing Education Department to help them with their career transition. Read the testimonials from Coralie, Jordan, and Justine.
Table of Contents
- Coralie – From elementary school teacher to nuclear safety engineer
- Jordan – From a vocational diploma in technical drafting to a master’s degree in biology
- Justine – From marketing to production: a specialization in oenology
FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEACHER TO NUCLEAR SAFETY ENGINEER
The story of Coralie Yepes Bernabeu, 34
A schoolteacher for 10 years, Coralie worked up to 90 hours a week during the COVID-19 pandemic. Passionate about her profession but facing deteriorating working conditions, she began exploring career transition options to restore her work-life balance…
A few years later, she became a nuclear safety engineer after earning a bachelor’s degree and a master’s degree in Safety and Security from ESEQ (School of Safety, Environment, and Quality) in Montpellier.
Education and Career History
After graduating from high school, Coralie enrolled in a preparatory class for the grandes écoles (specializing in humanities and social sciences) before earning a bachelor’s degree in geography and a master’s degree in education. She then passed the competitive exam for elementary school teachers, which allowed her to work as an elementary school teacher for about ten years and as a school principal toward the end of her career.
A need for change
“My working conditions no longer suited me. The institution kept demanding more and more with fewer resources. My professional dedication and my desire to see all the students succeed made it impossible for me to consider putting only half my effort into this job. So I sacrificed my personal life for it, which led me to lose friendships that were dear to me—something I regret today.”
During the COVID-19 crisis, Coralie worked up to 90 hours a week: evenings, weekends, holidays, and during school breaks… The idea of a career change began to take shape as a way to restore a balance between her personal and professional lives.
“I needed a change of scenery and some new challenges.”
The emergence of a new career path
“I first tried to change careers by taking an internal civil service exam for the Regional Institutes of Administration.”
The internal competitive examination for the IRAs (Regional Institutes of Administration) provides a pathway to the corps of state administrative attachés. Specifically, this involves joining an IRA (in Bastia, Lille, Lyon, Metz, or Nantes) for a paid training program lasting approximately six months in the position of administrative attaché. Following this training, the candidate is granted permanent status and assigned to a government agency based on their final ranking.
“I prepared for this entrance exam while working full-time as a teacher and school principal, thanks to an online preparation program offered by Sciences Po Lyon. I narrowly missed being admitted.”
Following this setback, Coralie turned to the private sector.
“I knew I had to take the plunge and switch to the private sector, but I wanted to maintain the same level of responsibility. That’s why I set my sights on earning a second master’s degree so I could land a management position.”
The emergence of QSSE (Quality, Health, Safety, Environment) and the start of training
“One day, my partner told me about the role of QSSE in business. Since I knew nothing about the field, I first decided to pursue a university diploma to see if it aligned with my career goals.”
At that point, Coralie discovered the ESEQ (School of Safety, Environment, and Quality) in Montpellier through its university diploma program in “Safety, Environment, and Quality Management” and got in touch with the academic director, Claire Chaffard.
“Claire Chaffard told me that it was possible to go on to a master’s program after the university diploma, which was exactly what I wanted.”
Coralie first earned a bachelor’s degree in “Quality, Safety, and Environmental Management” before going on to pursue a master’s degree in “Risk and Environment” through a work-study program at Orano DS.
An approach that requires boldness, humility, and determination
“After the fear of the unknown, it takes courage to dare to ‘leave everything behind’ and start over from scratch.”
By embarking on a career change in the private sector, Coralie lost the benefits associated with her status as a tenured civil servant.
“I went through a mutual termination agreement—a new provision in the French National Education System—and was subsequently removed from the civil service roster. This means I lost the benefits I had earned through the competitive exam. There’s no going back.”
In addition to boldness, Coralie also emphasizes the need for humility: “You have to remember to stay in the role of a learner and listen to others who have experience,” and for determination: “Changing careers can be fraught with challenges.”
Re-entry into the workforce after retraining
“As soon as my work-study contract ended, I was hired on a permanent contract as a nuclear safety engineer at Orano DS. Looking ahead, I’m open to career opportunities, particularly in management. When the time is right, I’d also like to return to teaching courses related to my new profession.”
Coralie's advice
“Take a chance and trust yourself. I’ve heard far too many people say they don’t think they’re capable of doing anything other than their current job. As the years go by, we feel trapped in our current profession, unable to do anything else. We think about changing careers but talk ourselves out of it by making material excuses (loans, family, etc.). If you do your research, there are programs available to help people of all backgrounds make a career change (continuing education, accreditation of prior learning, work-study programs, etc.). It’s never too late to take the plunge.”
A Final Word
“Audentis fortuna iuvat”: Fortune favors the bold.
“Before leaving the public school system, I heard from many people who were struggling. Many talked about changing careers, but it’s clear that very few people dare to take the plunge.”
Not everyone is aware of the benefits of continuing education. Yet it is a crucial tool for embarking on a career change. Through work-study programs, you can earn new degrees and explore new career paths without having to go without a paycheck. I therefore recommend that people looking to change careers look into continuing education, particularly the little-known VAE (Validation of Acquired Experience) programs.
FROM A DRAFTING DIPLOMA TO A MASTER’S DEGREE IN BIOLOGY
The testimony of Jordan Merah, 35
Currently working as a collections officer at the University of Montpellier, Jordan Merah has enrolled in the 2023–2024 class of the DAEU-B (Diploma for Access to University Studies, Science Track) with the goal of earning a high school equivalency diploma before continuing his studies in biology.
Starting out as a technical draftsman
“I started working very young, at 18, with a vocational certificate in technical drafting for graphic design—a qualification that never came in handy. Until I went back to school, I only worked at jobs I considered just to make ends meet, without much passion.”
At the age of 32, Jordan decided to pursue a career change by returning to school at the University of Montpellier, with the goal of finding a job that would better suit his interests and needs.
Earning a high school equivalency diploma, the DAEU-B, as a starting point
“I’d always been interested in science, but I wasn’t sure if I could make a career out of it.”
Since he didn't have a high school diploma, Jordan started by applying for its equivalent: the DAEU-B (Diploma for University Admission, Science Track).
“I figured that even if I didn’t continue my studies after that, a high school diploma would still allow me to take certain civil service exams.”
Jordan earned his DAEU-B with flying colors in 2024, graduating at the top of his class.
“The courses offered as part of the DAEU-B program were of very high quality. I was able to fill in the gaps in my knowledge and earn a bachelor’s degree in just one year, which is no small feat.”
Further study in the sciences
During her year in the DAEU-B program, her science courses—particularly biology—reinforced her desire to specialize in this field.
“Since it went so well, I decided to pursue a bachelor’s degree in Life and Environmental Sciences (SVSE) at the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Montpellier.”
An approach driven by the desire to find meaningful work
“Several factors motivated my decision to change careers: the feeling that I didn’t belong there and that I could do better, the lack of meaning in what I was doing, and a desire to improve my financial situation…”
"We spend our lives at work, and I couldn't see myself spending it doing something that wasn't right for me."
This desire to return to school is reflected in his work as an accounting officer at the University of Montpellier:
“I handle continuing education enrollment at the university, so after seeing so many people returning to school, I thought to myself, ‘Why not me?’”
A career change means a fresh start
“It’s satisfying to succeed where I’d failed before. My grades were pretty terrible when I was a student, so seeing that I was doing well gave me the confidence to continue on to higher education. This experience allowed me to make a fresh start.”
Throughout this career transition, Jordan has to juggle his studies with his current job as an accounting clerk at the University of Montpellier—a balance that can sometimes be difficult to strike.
“The hardest part is balancing my personal work with my classes. I’ve managed to overcome that by being diligent and staying focused on my goal. Of course, that means making some sacrifices.”
New projects in the works
After earning his DAEU-B and completing his first year of a bachelor’s degree in Life and Environmental Sciences (SVSE), Jordan is continuing on his path and plans to complete his second year of the bachelor’s program and go on to earn a master’s degree.
“I know that nothing is guaranteed and that achieving my goal will still require a lot of hard work, but this experience has taught me that with hard work, I can do it.”
A Final Word
“I would like to thank the Continuing Education Department at the University of Montpellier, without which none of this would have been possible. I would also like to thank the DAEU-B instructors, who truly believe that everyone should have the opportunity to study if they wish to. I thank them for giving us a second chance.”
FROM MARKETING TO PRODUCTION: A SPECIALIZATION IN OENOLOGY
A story from Justine Choudart, 34
After starting her career in wine tourism, where she led tours, conducted tastings, and handled sales at the winery, Justine decided—following some experience on the production side—to go back to school to become an oenologist.
The trigger
After working as a cellar worker during the winemaking season, Justine discovered a genuine passion for all aspects of wine production.
After that, I wanted to get more involved in the production process, so I worked in the winery during the winemaking season.
“Since this profession offers a great deal of flexibility, I decided to broaden my experience by working in various wine-growing regions, both in France and abroad: Beaujolais, New Zealand, Australia, and Chile.”
"These experiences have allowed me to develop an international perspective on wine and gain solid hands-on experience."
Career Planning
After spending several years abroad, Justine is returning to France.
“I felt the need to have my years of experience recognized through a French degree. That’s why I enrolled in a BTS program in Viticulture and Oenology in Burgundy.
Going back to school was a decision I’d been mulling over for a long time, but the opportunity to pursue this program through a work-study arrangement was the deciding factor: it allowed me to remain financially independent while continuing my studies.”
Admission to the University of Montpellier
After earning her BTS, Justine enrolled in the Faculty of Sciences at the University of Montpellier to pursue a third-year bachelor’s degree in chemistry with a track leading to the National Diploma in Oenology (DNO).
“Being accepted into this program gave me confidence and allowed me to consider continuing my studies toward the National Diploma in Oenology (DNO).”
Work-Study Programs as a Necessity: The Professional Training Contract
Like many continuing education students, a work-study program was an absolute necessity for Justine, as it ensured a steady income during her studies.
“This bachelor’s degree, just like the DNO, is offered as a work-study program, which fits perfectly with my career path and my needs. The fact that the DNO in Montpellier can now be completed as a work-study program over two years naturally motivated my decision to continue on this path.”
Justine is pursuing her education through a work-study program under a professional training contract. Unlike an apprenticeship contract, which focuses more on the initial training of young people, a professional training contract is a work-study arrangement designed to facilitate the entry or re-entry of adults into the workforce by enabling them to earn a recognized qualification while working at a company.
"The course content perfectly meets my expectations.
I highly recommend this course to anyone wishing to specialize in oenology."
"I am currently pursuing my studies as part of the DNO program, and I hope to be fully qualified as an oenologist in two years."
Justine's advice
“If I had to give one piece of advice to someone thinking about going back to school, I’d tell them to go for it: it’s not about age, but about motivation and passion.”
A Final Word
“The continuing education program at the University of Montpellier lived up to my expectations: professionalism, attentiveness, and high-quality support.”
"You give people over the age of 30 the opportunity to change careers or return to school. Thanks to you, many people can fulfill their dreams and resume their studies under the best possible conditions.
Thank you for your support, your willingness to listen, and your commitment."
A career change is much more than just a change of direction; it is a personal journey that can pave the way for profound transformation. While this journey may bring doubts and hesitation, above all, it offers the opportunity to reinvent your future and explore new possibilities.
To further explore this topic, last year’s testimonials are still available.
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