Switching from software to mechanical/civil/renewables engineering?

Hey HN,

I could use a reality check, please.

I was wondering if anyone has any opinions or advice on switching from software to mechanical or civil engineering? Presumably through going to school (another undergrad, or possibly a master's) unless there's a better pathway?

As I approach 40, I've spent 15+ years working on software (websites specifically) and want to do something with more real-world impact. Good time for a midlife crisis :)

I've previously worked in several solar companies (hence the username), and am specifically interested in renewables engineering... photovoltaics, solar thermal, wind, batteries, energy storage, all that good stuff. But I want to try to work on some of the actual physical problems there, of mechanics and fluids and materials and such, not just the supporting software.

My B.S. was in environmental science, which exposed to me a lot of this stuff, but not to a level of detail that's actually useful in the job market. That requires a whole lot of other training that I can't easily acquire as a software developer... or can I?'

Is it at all possible to self-study your way into becoming an engineer? Are there any other educational/training pathways that lead there, short of going back to college (which I'm considering but reluctant to because of the time and expense)?

Am I way too late for this? Is it even doable at this age? Probably something I should've started in my teens, lol.

Thanks!