Women have fought a lot of prejudices over the years to secure their place in the workforce. However, many in the 45-60 age bracket still find it difficult to study for a change of career as they would not want to move to another region to study, especially when they have grown-up sons and daughters living close-by.

Other women may have a limited source of income and find it difficult to fund a particular training program.

Some may feel less motivated to embark upon a course which may require a lengthy study time.

As a result, many women become disillusioned and believe that their studies would be fruitless as they would never be accepted by an employer simply because of their advancing years. They lose the motivation to train for a career which may have fulfilled them for many years and has always been something which has intrigued and inspired them.

Some of us only realise our true interests and the things which inspire us when we are older. This means that many of us settled for jobs which were convenient in our 20's but never really offered any form of stimulation or room for growth or diversification.

Recent figures show that nearly 75% of older workers in the United Kingdom are unfulfilled in their current role. Being an older woman does not have to mean staying in a rut until retirement. The good news is that no woman in this day and age is forced to stay working in a job that she hates. By embarking on a good training program, she has an escape route.

With a changing society and the advancement of technology, now has never been a better time to take the bull by the horns and work towards those qualifications which can make many positive changes. The children are grown up, the house is quiet for study and the brain is able to absorb information without distractions or outside influences.

There is no longer a stigma connected to mature professional women as the world has moved on and employers now openly invite them to be a part of their team.

Universities are frequented by two significant age groups, the younger generation who often reside on campus and enjoy the social aspect of student life and the older sector who find it more convenient to commute to lectures which are located in their region so as they can easily balance family life with study and/or work.

Other forms of study include:

Online classes: People in their 40' s, 50's and 60's have embraced the computer age and are living proof that maturity does not hold them back from mastering technology. As such, this provides a convenient form of study.

Job shadowing and internships: Surprisingly enough, internships are not always directly related to young students. A lot of employers will happily offer this form of training to men and women in their middling years. This is the perfect way to update their CV's with newly acquired additional skills, and give older workers the flexibility to demonstrate their skills and show what an asset they can be.

Workshops and crash courses: A lot of women prefer the social aspect of training and prefer to study in a traditional setting. Community centres, colleges and women's local groups offer many educational opportunities this way.

Tele Classes: For those who enjoy working with technology, tele classes provide the freedom of being able to study with a group of students online. By linking up via the web, it is easy to interact with other students and take part in class discussions, exercises, presentations and lectures. This is a low cost and convenient way to appreciate the best of both worlds whilst studying for an exciting new career.

So let positivity override any doubts when thinking about a change of career. At 40+ you still have at least ten years to dedicate to a new job. So take steps right now to pursue that dream career and make every working day one which is enjoyable. Work will not feel like work when it brings so much pleasure. On top of this, you will be rewarded each month with a pay cheque for doing something which is an honour rather than a chore.

So women...if you have reached your state of readiness and are now in a position to dedicate yourself wholeheartedly to do whatever it takes to make that dream job a reality, go for it.

Yes, it may be a little exhausting combining a career with a training program but the long term goal will be to say goodbye to that filing clerk position and hello to a management post. Being in a job which ticks all of your career boxes will actually make you feel young at heart in comparison to those who stay in a job which leads them to a dead end.

There will be hurdles along the way but changing a career in your 40's is certainly achievable. The world really is your oyster. Just take a look on the internet and you will easily find courses which cover just about any subject you can think of. Make a note of the qualifications needed for the career that you wish to pursue, decide how you would like to study and let progression commence. The only ingredients you will need are a strong determination to be a director, project manager or web designer and the will to succeed.

Employers no longer see age as a way of deciding if someone will perform well in a given role. Studies prove that as people mature, they are still able to work through a training program as long as they possess the ability, willingness and skills to make it happen. Professions connected to education, customer service, health care, computers, technology and the sciences are continually growing and offer great career prospects for older women.

Employer's welcome the mature woman because she is dependable and loyal. She is likely to stay with a company for many years and will make an excellent team player. She comes equipped with years of life experience which has helped her to become emotionally resilient. She is able communicate with confidence and will not feel intimidated by people who have 'been there' and 'done that'.

Along with maturity comes patience and perseverance. Granted, an older woman may be a little slower at doing things but she will be hard working, punctual, reliable and able to meet deadlines. She will also be highly efficient at managing her time and able to meet deadlines because her private life will be less cluttered than a younger employee. An older woman will also find it easier to make tough decisions as she will have developed her skills to deal tactfully with sensitive situations.

So start studying for a career change or advancement today and start impressing employers with your newfound skills. Couple this with your life experience and there is no doubt that you will benefit a company for many years, in a very positive way.