I’m a 50-year-old retired technician. Is it worth trying to become a front-end developer at this age, or will ageism become a problem for me in the IT industry?

It shouldn’t be. But be prepared for it as the IT industry is filled with an arrogant young generation. The point is you should sit home and do nothing if you’re concerned about ageism because it’s everywhere, especially during employment, and we need to raise awareness to fight against it. I think you should go for it with no shame and concern. If anything happens, there are tons of other places.