I've been working in the IT field now for 10 years. Originally trained as an Engineer, started out with C++ and have been a .Net specialist since beta. Currently seconded to a major city and working in the finance industry as freelance, I really feel like i've hit the glass ceiling. Have been contracting now for 5 years as the company politics and frustration of not being promoted and poor pay rises for excellent work but during the last decade of corporate cost cutting took its toll on my morale. Freelance made all the difference and i've had a very decorated career for good clients. What any Engineering student could ever dream of when starting out.

The problem is, it doesn't particularly make me happy. It's good work, and i enjoy the problem solving aspects of it and having something to do each day. However there is always a large overhead of non-technical work and dealing with poor managers etc. I guess the Engineering was always a bit of a mistake i made the best out of, and now having 10 years behind a computer hasn't done wonders for my health or eye sight.

In a nutshell i am in the process of retraining as a therapist and would like to open my own clinic. However, never having done this before, the fast pace IT skills outdate and the fact that all my experience and skills are non transferrable, i am a little worried.

Any ideas how i can find part time IT work as i build up my business? (it's incredibly hard to find freelancing work that doesn't require long hours and overtime). Or other ideas to make the transition easier, and perhaps backout if it financially doesn't work/or i have enough marketing skills?

I'd be interested to hear from people who have made a similar transition, successfully or unsuccessfully. Many thanks