New lone parent rules

elektra-2007

Well im doing a motor vechile course but its also called a mechanical engineering and after L2 you can work in a garage and after L3, if i do L4 which is a degree i can be a technitian, which is below
http://www.derby.ac.uk/mechanical-engineering-top-up-beng-hons?csId=4444779&eduCourseSearchText=mechanical+engi
Sorry for any confusion...im only going on what im doing now.

terryw

Good for you trying to improve your chances.

Just a few thoughts which might help.
1. Is there any chance,depending upon circumstances, that your kiddy's father might pay maintenance to enable to continue? Or perhaps, if he lives local, he might look after your son to enable you to do this.
2. Is it not possible to find another parent to share the child-minding single, so that you both can move forward?
You appear to be a resolute sort of person, and lateral thinking might help out here.

bw
terryw

elektra-2007

thanks for the good ideas, my sons father does pay maintaince, but he lives 50 miles away and only has him every 8 weeks, he works and has a new family.
But the shared childcare is a good idea i mite look into putting up a few posters or an ad in the local paper, id happily look after someones child at weekend in exchange for after school care.
Thanks for the help!

sunnyone

50 miles isnt a long way, my OH drives much further to work and back, each way. Having another family and paying maintenance dosnt mean he cant help out with childcare but you may have your reasons why this cant happen.

As well as shared child care what about other family members? Or re-locating?

It would make a big diffrence to your future earning power if you could advance further but your lack of experiance wont help, could you finish level 2 now then get some experiance before studying further when your son is older?

sunnyone

elektra-2007

I havent even started L2 im starting in september, im on L1 now.
Yeah id travel to the end of the world and back for my son, but his dad wont and he cant cope with him, hes not reliable enough to be part of childcare.
I dont want to re-locate, i love where i live its in the middle of nowhere...very rural and i briliant place to live hardly no crime, i only have a few neighbours.
I know what u mean about going back to college when he is older, but it dosnt solve alot. I was working 18 months ago but childcare fell through and i had to give up. Plus because I have no qualifications i was on minimum wage with tax credits ect and i didnt seem to be better off i went to the job centre and they worked it all out for me to check what i was getting was right and it turned out i was £15 a week better off in term time but £30 a week worse off during the holidays. I stuck it out but when childcare went wrong i finally gave up and then i decided to go college get some qualifications because i want a better paid job and to give my lad a better quality of life.

sunnyone

Its sad when one parent cant be counted on and I can see your problem but I cant help you.

Let us know if you do find a way through.

sunnyone

Oldernotwiser

If you want to be a motor mechanic, then do your level 2 and your level 3 whilst working. If you want to be a mechanical engineer, then get qualifications to do the degree course. The route you're planning at the moment will qualify you for 2 totally separate careers and add years to your training.

Discuss your options with a Careers Adviser, through the college, Nextstep ot Learndirect.

terryw

Perhaps a little off your main question, but I think once you have your level 2 you could be a good position for self-employed work. I am sure that there must be some demand from lady vehicle -owners for a mobile lady mechanic to carry out straightforward service work and replacement part work at their own home.
Such work could be fitted around your home responsibilities

terryw.