For those interested in switching careers to become a teacher, community colleges are a quality (and affordable) stop along the way to earning certification. Over 90 percent of community colleges in the United States offer teacher education coursework, and nearly 50 percent have teacher education programs. That’s a lot, considering that there are nearly 1,200 community colleges in the nation.

Chris Farrell is drawing big crowds as he tours the U.S. to promote his new book, The New Frugality, which paints a picture of a seismic shift in our society away from unfettered spending, toward healthier financial habits. In a conversation with Civic Ventures Senior Fellow Marci Alboher, he explains why changing your attitude toward money can also help you live a good life that reflects your personal values and may help you find your true calling – in, perhaps, your encore career.

Marc Freedman, founder of Civic Ventures, calls Farrell’s book “a roadmap to a better life and a better future.” Freedman recently heard Farrell address a crowd in Northern California. “Speaking in front of a roaring fire,” says Freedman, “Farrell laid out his vision for the great changes, already under way, that will produce a more sustainable lifestyle in America over the coming decades.

Does Age Matter? Exploring Life Stage, Career Stage and Perceptions of Quality Employment: Findings From the NEW Age & Generations Study is a video presented by Kathy Lynch, director of employer engagement for the Center on Aging and Work, Boston College.

To the video of Lynch’s entire presentation, including her slides, click here, then click on the right arrow to start the video.

It would be nice if there were a single, simple “calculator” you could use to determine whether or not you can afford to transition to an encore career. Alas, financial calculators are only as useful as the assumptions that go into them. Typically, the more assumptions that go into a model, the higher the odds that one faulty input will geometrically impact the
output – for the worse.

So, what to do? Think Occam’s razor. When faced with a choice, opt for the simplest solution. Here are three straightforward, powerful steps you can take to help figure out how to finance your encore career:

Civic Ventures’ new Get Started Guide answers 12 of the questions most commonly asked by individual seeking encore careers that offer income doing work that is personally fulfilling and has social impact.

Among the questions answers are “How can I update my job skills,” “How do I finance the transition to an encore career?” and “How do I transition from a corporate job to a nonprofit one?”

Here's some of the advice I gave to BusinessWeek readers on how to get started in an encore career:

Plan before you're ready to make a move: Start thinking about your encore career a few years before you think you'll want to start pursuing it. This is a good time to read up on areas that interest you, to do informational interviews, and to talk to a financial planner or a trusted friend about your financial situation.

Craft some experiments: Once you've identified a few areas that interest you, craft a few experiments to test the waters and get some experience. Volunteering is a great way to try something out, learn a bit about a field and make connections. And sometimes learning that you don't like something is as important as learning what you love.

The Sloan Center on Aging & Work Website features current and completed projects, and allows you to access publications and aging and work literature references. You can also sign up for virtual seminars and workshops.

By Jeri Sedlar and Rick Miners

We are a nation of doers, so when we think about changing careers the first impulse is to ask, “Where do I want to work?” We’ve discovered through our research that the most successful transitions occur when people take the time to discover what makes them tick.

In The Year I Saved My (Downsized) Soul: A Boomer Woman’s Search for Meaning and a Job, Carol Orsborn describes in graphic detail her one-year search for a job with meaning and purpose.

The California Teachers Corps makes it easier for Californians to find programs that prepare them for encore careers as teachers. This membership organization represents more than 70 alternative certification programs in the state.