Family, unemployed, going back to college?

Purplekylie22

Princess no it is for 2013, however my LO misses the cutoff and wont start school until he is 5, so the year after.
I can perhaps do the pickups, I will need to check times of buses / Trains, I live out of town and don't drive, cant afford a car and no license anyway!)
Interesting information though... I wonder if its possible to do a part time /evening course for higher level Human Biology in 2013 so I am there for the kids and then do just the Access course in 2014 once my youngest will be in full time school.

scottishgirl001

just to say, just so you know

after training, there are 50 nurses chasing every job going and its worse for midwives

Also, its the only employment that is going down in salary due to influx from abroad.

If you are going to go the long route of studies and so on, maybe research into an employment that has a higher success rate of a job at the end.

I live in Scotland too, am a qualified nurse although in a different field now but currently know 5 friends / family unable to get jobs in nursing and 2 are newly qualified and one has 2 degrees and a masters.
Good luck with what you decide.

Purplekylie22

scottishgirl001 wrote: »

just to say, just so you know

after training, there are 50 nurses chasing every job going and its worse for midwives

Also, its the only employment that is going down in salary due to influx from abroad.

If you are going to go the long route of studies and so on, maybe research into an employment that has a higher success rate of a job at the end.

I live in Scotland too, am a qualified nurse although in a different field now but currently know 5 friends / family unable to get jobs in nursing and 2 are newly qualified and one has 2 degrees and a masters.
Good luck with what you decide.

There are 4 things I have considered:

1. Accounts. I enjoyed doing this as a job, but I am not qualified and cant get another accounts job because of that, the work I was doing pre-pregnacy was designed as a post-grad role, but They gave it to me as they saw potential. I got made redundant after having my third child and have about 2 years exp as a junior accountant but no one will take a chance on that because of the lack of qualifications. TBH I don't think I could spend 4 years studying accounts, my heart just isnt in it.

2. Law. This is where my heart is most of all. I would LOVE to do law, I started studying it in A-levels until I moved to Scotland (managed about 6 months before I moved) and always got A's. But I don't intend to live in Scotland forever. I want to move home to England or somewhere else, so studying law here is pointless as it is a totally different legal system in England.

3. Counseling. I would really like to be able to help people, posabily teenagers, or young adults. I have struggled a lot and know that having someone there who can help you find the right path is such an amazing tool. But I am completely clueless as to how to go about becoming a Councillor or where to do. Jobs afterwards e.t.c I can find nothing about this.

4. Midwifery. I've had three children so I know the difference between a good midwife and a bad one. I would like to be able to help women in their hour (or 24 hours) of need. I've really enjoyed being pregnant and learning about all the different stages of pregnancy, possible complications e.t.c its just something I would feel right about doing if that makes sense.

Between the 4 options really only midwifery is available to me at the minute. My thoughts are that with a skill like midwifery I can go abroad to look for work, I am assuming that the basic's really dont change much when you move contry so I can pick where I want to work if I can find work. By having nursing and midwifery I have double the options available for work so in general have a better chance to find a job and there is the private sector as well Doula's, Birthing coach's and such. I know there is still a good chance of it taking a long time for me to find work, but at least I would be trained specifically for the a job... I really have no idea what else to do.

Purplekylie22

Actually Scottish girl, you got me thinking, I was looking on various website to see if there is anything else that I want to do. And I found something.... Its probably still as over staffed as all other health positions, but putting together my counseling and nursing ideas I have really started to think about mental health nursing.

I think my best plan is to get onto the access to nursing course and learn a little more about both, speak to my teachers and then by the time I go to uni I can decide between midwifery or mental health nursing. It hadn't even occurred to me before to look at other nursing professions so thank you. As I said probably still really busy but its something for me to consider at least.

Dunroamin

Purplekylie22 wrote: »

There are 4 things I have considered:

1. Accounts. I enjoyed doing this as a job, but I am not qualified and cant get another accounts job because of that, the work I was doing pre-pregnacy was designed as a post-grad role, but They gave it to me as they saw potential. I got made redundant after having my third child and have about 2 years exp as a junior accountant but no one will take a chance on that because of the lack of qualifications. TBH I don't think I could spend 4 years studying accounts, my heart just isnt in it.

2. Law. This is where my heart is most of all. I would LOVE to do law, I started studying it in A-levels until I moved to Scotland (managed about 6 months before I moved) and always got A's. But I don't intend to live in Scotland forever. I want to move home to England or somewhere else, so studying law here is pointless as it is a totally different legal system in England.

3. Counseling. I would really like to be able to help people, posabily teenagers, or young adults. I have struggled a lot and know that having someone there who can help you find the right path is such an amazing tool. But I am completely clueless as to how to go about becoming a Councillor or where to do. Jobs afterwards e.t.c I can find nothing about this.

4. Midwifery. I've had three children so I know the difference between a good midwife and a bad one. I would like to be able to help women in their hour (or 24 hours) of need. I've really enjoyed being pregnant and learning about all the different stages of pregnancy, possible complications e.t.c its just something I would feel right about doing if that makes sense.

Between the 4 options really only midwifery is available to me at the minute. My thoughts are that with a skill like midwifery I can go abroad to look for work, I am assuming that the basic's really dont change much when you move contry so I can pick where I want to work if I can find work. By having nursing and midwifery I have double the options available for work so in general have a better chance to find a job and there is the private sector as well Doula's, Birthing coach's and such. I know there is still a good chance of it taking a long time for me to find work, but at least I would be trained specifically for the a job... I really have no idea what else to do.

Although the basics of midwifery are the same, you need to ensure that your UK qualifications would be accepted in any country you might consider moving to, as this isn't necessarily the case.

In English universities you'd normally only need a Science subject at GCSE, certainly not an A level in the subject.

ETA
If you really want to study Law, have you considered the OU? You could carry on working while studying part time and you don't need to do an Access course either.

http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/qualification/q05.htm

debrag

Access courses are for mature students who don't have the alevels to get into uni. You shouldnt need Alevels to get onto it.

To apply for Access to Nursing you must be aged over 19yrs and have a genuine commitment to study full time. Although no formal qualifications are required, you must achieve Level 1 in your numeracy and Level 2 in your literacy admission tests and will also be required to produce a piece of Level 2 'free writing'. All students are interviewed.

Purplekylie22

I have considered it Dun yes, but my problem is studying English law is useless up here unless I am certainly moving down to England straight afterwards but even if I moved down to England and studied it now, that wouldn't be an option because I would have to pay course tuition haha! England is really a long term plan and even then its not set in stone. I would like to consider Italy as an alternative, My thoughts are that with nursing of any type really even if qualifications aren't recognized I believe there are good chances I can do a short change over style course to get the hang of it. But for all I know I may never leave Scotland. I also dont believe I have the discipline to do a full degree from home. I need to have some kind of classes and proper structure to focus on.

Debrag, would be nice if that was the same here! At Aberdeen College who run the Access course they say:
ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

To be accepted on this course, candidates will need to have at least one SQA higher course at grade C or above. Additionally, it would be beneficial to have at least 3 credit level Standard Grades one of which should be a science subject, preferably biology. Alternatively, they could have passed the Introduction to Nursing (SCQF 5).

I just have GCSE's BB Science, C's for English, English Lit, Maths and business studies, although they are 11 years old now!

I am hoping there is a chance I can get onto the course as a mature student with life experience but I will just have to see what my careers adviser says when I go and see them. I need to ring back on Monday as they are on annual leave until then.

debrag

well thats a bit crap. theres an access course at stirling uni that has no entry requirement.

EDIT: have you looked at these:

http://www.abdn.ac.uk/lifelonglearning/courses/access-degree-studies/access-courses-commencing-septemeber-201/

though they dont do nursing degrees

What about here http://www.distancelearningcentre.com/ I've read loads of people use this place

smunchkinp

Open University do a foundation degree in counselling,
http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/qualification/x09.htm

you can also claim financial support and as your husband is on JSA, you'll probably get your courses paid for you.
Best thing is, you dont need to wait until next year, you can start studying within weeks.

Purplekylie22

Really nice idea Smuchkinp, but it wont work for me:
"To study the CPCAB Level 4 Diploma course you need to have completed the CPCAB Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills or its equivalent, plus the CPCAB Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Studies or its equivalent, such as the OU’s Introduction to counselling (D171), followed by a successful interview with the training provider. This qualification is limited to areas where the CPCAB courses are delivered, so you should check the CPCAB website to ensure the CPCAB courses are available in your area before beginning to study this qualification." Aside from not having the pre-qualifactions i also dont have a CPCAB center near my at all

Debrag, I saw those course at The University of Aberdeen and they do have biology although not the same thing, it could be used as a possaility maybe? I will just have to see what the careers advisor tells me. I could be lucky and get straight onto the Access, I guess I just wont know until I can see them and ask. They also have an open day in November so I can go to that as well after talking to the adviser.