I retrained as a plumber after being laid off from my media job and becoming a mom. I love the flexibility.

Sat, 06/22/2024 - 05:57

Photos of a British woman who decided to retrain as a plumber after she had her child — R.J. Fenton, 40, opted to reskill as a plumber after she became a single mom during the pandemic.
R. J. Fenton

R. J. Fenton built a career in media for years before she decided to add a plumbing qualification to her portfolio.
After being laid off from her job and becoming a single mom, she decided to take on a new challenge.
She turned to plumbing as a way to supplement her income and regain self-confidence.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with R.J. Fenton, 40, about how she opted to reskill as a plumber after she became a single mom during the pandemic. The following has been edited for length and clarity. Business Insider has verified her previous and current employment.