Retraining & getting more debt

sparkle_monkey

Hi! I'm really hoping for some advice from money minded people...
I'm 27, graduated from uni in 2000 with an English Lit degree 2:1, since then I used my degree to come to Japan and teach English. Prior to that I never found my niche and just did lots of jobs here and there (nothing that was very satisfying or enjoyable). I wish I had studied something more useful!
I would like to train to be a nutritional therapist, but the best course (that I found so far) would cost me about 10 grand in total and is part time over 3 1/2 years. :eek:
Is it a crazy idea? Are any of you mature students? I will have paid off all my credit card debt etc but I will still have my student loans left over from last time. I don't have a family to support, but how do skint people finance 2nd degrees? I've spent so many years do soul destroying jobs and I want to change that. Spend too much time at work to be unhappy. What's the likelihood of falling into a job you love?

What's your job and do you love it? :j

themaccas

I find this idea very positive, I did a similar thing. I left school with all the gcse's and A levels but did not take it further, got married had a couple of children, worked from one job to another in HR and then IT but I was unhappy in my job and desperate to change careers. I made the plunge in 1999, qualified 3 years later with a load of debt but I have NO regrets, it was the best decision I ever made. I love my job though it is stressful at times, I ignored my debt for too long as did my OH and I finally had my lightbulb moment in January see my debt below!!! Much of this is carried over from that time and we just kept adding to it, I am earning a good wage and OH and I are determined to pay this back asap. So my advice is to go for it, yes you will be in debt but there are retraining loans you can take out from the government I think and the fact that you are so MSE aware will stand you in great stead whilst you train keeping the added debt to a minimum. Good luck.

sparkle_monkey

Thanks - it's good to hear from someone who's done it! Can I ask what job do you do now? Did you work whilst training?
I've a feeling if I return to the UK and do a c**p job I would probably get depressed and could acrue 10 grand of debt trying to make up for the emptiness in my worklife (just joking, I'm waking/sleeping/dreaming MSE! )

Bestthingsinlifearefree

I think there is an old saying something like

"if you love the job you do you will never have to do a days work"

ie because you really enjoy what you do, it does not feel like work.

Some would say the measure of if you love your job is that if you were not getting paid for it would you do it anyway.

ie a mechanic might still enjoy fixing cars in his spare time or a computer expert might fix computers whether he was getting paid or not to do it.

My view is that every job has it up and downs and plus and minuses.

If you don't hate your job them you are probably doing ok.

If you love your job you are very lucky and probably in a minority.

themaccas

I don't want to say what my job is exactly but I work in the medical profession. When I first started, the enormity of the loss of my income hit us really hard and I nearly gave up because of this after a couple of months. I decided to stick it out because I knew that eventually it would be worth it personally, emotionally and financially. I did manage to get a part time job working 2-3 hours in the evening for an high street electrical retailer. I used to phone customers and let them know what time their delivery would be the following day. Dead boring but easy money, I think I earned about £5 per hour. Unfortunately this only lasted about 3 months so we... consolidated!!! It worked for about 10 months ! My OH was very supportive and was earning quite well so that really helped but the cost of childcare was very high and without that I am sure you will find things easier. I wish with all my heart that we had economised and had lived within a means at that time but hindsight is a wonderful thing! I enjoyed my training because I was finally doing a job I wanted to do and I felt very motivated to do anything at that time to help me reach my goal. Like I said I have no regrets and would encourage anyone to pursue their chosen dream career, if you want it enough you will make it happen. I really hope you do it.

lynzpower

I like OP left uni with a good degree, and then strings of C==p jobs. I however, managed to fall lucky. I started as an administrator in social services, then moved to a social work assistant job. My employer paid for my training ( failed the last part though- typical ) but i wasnt out of pocket. Find out if there are any ways that potential enployers will pay your training. Otherwise look at Career development loans, you dont have to pay them back till you qualify or finish the course.

themaccas

Thats it, Career Development Loans! Thanks lynzpower

Batfink

I had to register to join in the post, hope noone will mind

I've decided to do much the same thing. At the moment I work in IT and have done since I left uni in 2001. The pays not bad but I have grown to hate the job so decided to do something about it.

I'm going to start another degree on a part time basis, and take a part time job too - obviously I'll have a lot less money for a few years but I feel it'll all be worth it in the end when I get a job I actually look forward to each morning!

So at the moment I'm clearing off all my debts and saving up as much as possible to tide me over when I begin.

Good luck Sparkle_Monkey

Phil

youngandreckless

I personally think that as you spend soooo much time at work its really important to enjoy what you do (or at least not detest it). I'm studying part time at college whilst working full time, its a strain but I'm fortunate that the course is aimed at people that work full time so theres no clash of hours. Its the best thing I've ever done, I'm much more fulfilled already and learning something new that you enjoy gives you a new lease of life.
Normally I wouldn't advocate more debt, but this has to be one of the situations where in the long run its sensible. As the other posters say there are loans etc you can look into - try contacting the college/Uni student services and find out what you're entitled to. I get a reduction in my council tax for instance.
Good luck and remember you only live once so you should be doing what will make you happy! x

[Deleted User]

Hi themaccas

Just so you dont feel alone. I left Uni, took a job in a comms company for 3 weeks, and 10 years later have just handed in my notice - leave on 31st March! Cant wait, really.

I am trying to get to do a BSC in Dietetics. I know it will be really tough, but I was sick of feeling bored and running the treadmill.

12 hours a day is too long to be disintereted in what you do.

Go for it. I felt like a weight off my shouldders when I got my letter determining my last day of service.

:j

BlondeHeadOn

Hi sparkle_monkey,

If you have been teaching English as a foreign language, could you not supplement your studies by TFL part-time? It seems like a potentially useful skill that might make you a bit of extra cash. If you are doing the second degree part-time anyway....

My first degree was not-very-useful, I then worked for 10 years before doing my (much more useful) second degree part-time, which meant that I had to work as well to fund myself. I'm not saying it was easy - it was very very hard work, having to earn enough to live on and study at the same time. But believe me it was so worth it!

Go for it - it was the best move I ever made, and I am now love my work.