Change Your Career Path, Change Your Life: Inspiring Stories for National Career Transition Day
Career transitions are becoming an increasingly common reality today, driven by the 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 support them in this 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
A story from Coralie Yepes Bernabeu, 34
A schoolteacher for 10 years, Coralie worked up to 90 hours a week during the COVID-19 crisis. Passionate about her profession but facing deteriorating working conditions, she began a career transition to regain a 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 (École Sécurité Environnement Qualité) in Montpellier.
Education and Career History
After earning her high school diploma, Coralie enrolled in a preparatory program for the grandes écoles (specializing in humanities and social sciences) before pursuing 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 help all my students succeed made it impossible for me to even 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 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—the one for the Regional Institutes of Administration.”
The internal competitive exam for the IRAs (Regional Institutes of Administration) provides a pathway to the corps of state administrative attachés. In practice, this involves joining an IRA (in Bastia, Lille, Lyon, Metz, or Nantes) for a paid training program lasting approximately 6 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 a distance learning 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 an executive 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 a company. Since I knew nothing about this field, I first decided to pursue a university diploma to see if it aligned with my career goals.”
At that time, Coralie discovered the ESEQ (School of Safety, Environment, and Quality) in Montpellier through its university diploma program in “Quality, Safety, and Environmental Management” and got in touch with the director of academic affairs, Claire Chaffard.
"Claire Chaffard told me that it was possible to continue on to a master's degree after completing the university diploma, which was exactly what I wanted."
That is how Coralie first earned her university diploma 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 she had enjoyed 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 know how to stay in the role of a learner and listen to others who have experience,” and for determination: “A career change can be fraught with obstacles.”
Re-entry into the Workforce After Career Transition
“As soon as my work-study contract ended, I was hired on a permanent contract as a nuclear safety engineer at Orano DS. In the future, 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
“Be bold and trust yourself. I’ve heard far too often from people who didn’t think they were capable of doing anything other than their current job. As the years go by, we feel trapped in our professional roles, unable to do anything else. We think about changing careers but talk ourselves out of it by citing practical excuses (loans, family, etc.). If you do your research, you’ll find that 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 French Ministry of Education, 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.”
Continuing education isn’t widely known. Yet it’s an extremely important 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 who wish to change careers look into continuing education, particularly the little-known VAE (Validation of Acquired Experience) programs.”
FROM A DRAFTSPERSON'S CERTIFICATE TO A MASTER'S DEGREE IN BIOLOGY
The Testimony of Jordan Merah, 35
Currently working as a collections agent 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 diploma equivalent before continuing his studies in biology.
Starting his career as a technical draftsman
“I started working very young, at 18, with a CAP 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 diploma equivalent, the DAEU-B, as a starting point
"I was already interested in science, but I didn't know if I could make a career out of it."
Since he didn't have a high school diploma, Jordan began by applying for its equivalent: the DAEU-B (Diploma for Access to University Studies, 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.”
Pursuing a degree in the sciences
During her year of study in the DAEU-B program, her science classes—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 where I was 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’m in charge of collecting tuition for continuing education at the UM, so after seeing so many people come and go as they returned to school, I thought to myself, ‘Why not me?’”
A Career Change: 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 process, 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 achieve.
"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 compromises."
New projects on the horizon
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 intends 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 my goal still requires a lot of effort, 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 them, none of what I have undertaken would have been possible. I would also like to thank the DAEU-B professors, 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 Testimony 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 an 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 interest in 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 mobility, I chose 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 returns 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 thought long and hard about, 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, specializing in preparation for 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 trainees, a work-study program was an absolute necessity for Justine, as it ensured a steady income during her training.
“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 training 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 program designed to promote 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 able to work full-time as an oenologist in two years."
Justine's Advice
"If I had to give one piece of advice to someone who wants to go 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 career paths 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. Although this journey may give rise to doubts and hesitation, above all, it offers the opportunity to reinvent your future and explore new possibilities.
To further the discussion, last year’s testimonials are still available.
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