Newbie question - End of a failed career

[Armandrik]

Good morning,

I must warn you that I speak very little English. SO excuse all the mistakes in this post

I have just started Traveller and have not yet mastered the subtleties of the character creation rules. I am describing the problem to which I would like to benefit from your insight:

The character I just created followed a creation path as follows:

1. Term 1 - 18 years - 22 years: pre-university career. Graduation successfully.

2. Term 2 - 22 years to 26 years: Scholar career (physician). Qualification: Yes. Survival: success.

3. Term 3 – 26 years to 30 years: continuity in scholar (physician). Survival with Failure.

4. Term 4: 30 years to 34 years: Rogue (Pirate) career. Qualification: yes. Survival: Failure.

Now I want to stop the career development of this character. I understood that she could either be in the draft or a drifter. I'm going to choose DRIFTER.

My question is the following: if I want to start the game now, is my character a DRIFTER but without obtaining any of the skills associated with this career or can I roll a SERVICE SKILL and roll for a skill from one of the assignments immediately without aging the character of another 4 year old?

Thank you for your answer.
I love this TTRPG...

 

[kevinknight]

Typically you complete all the terms you want before adventuring. However, your GM may have you start the campaign mid-career if he's wanting you to remain in the career (for example, a naval campaign where everyone is still in the navy). For your specific scenario, it's either all or nothing. If you start a new term, you must complete it.

 

[Armandrik]

Typically you complete all the terms you want before adventuring. However, your GM may have you start the campaign mid-career if he's wanting you to remain in the career (for example, a naval campaign where everyone is still in the navy). For your specific scenario, it's either all or nothing. If you start a new term, you must complete it.

Thank you so much !!!

 

[CordwainerFish]

Also, if you choose to start travelling after term 4, you don't pick another career, you just claim your mustering out benefits. Traveller isn't one of those games where your character Is A Wizard or the like; your past careers are just your stepping stones on your way to being where you are now (and great fodder for roleplay), not classes with consequences for game mechanics.

 

[Reisender]

Also, if you choose to start travelling after term 4, you don't pick another career, you just claim your mustering out benefits.

Unfortunately in the given example only Term 2 would count as a complete full term for mustering out though, unless the Mishap roll says otherwise. And with no Advancement roll result given we don't know if Rank 1 was reached, so probably it will only be one benefit roll.
Even though the character leaves after Term 4 he will still have to make an Ageing roll.