Potential Career Earnings dilemma.....please help

MiddyMum

cardiffgrad1 wrote: »

OP - I'm guessing from what you're saying that you didn't watch the programme all about student midwifes on BBC2 Tuesday night.

I have watched both episodes. I am very passionate about midwifery, I currently volunteer on postnatal ward and have done so for the last 2 years.

Is it that wrong of me to consider the financial prospects of a midwife in a little more detail?

Is it wrong of me to consider other interests I have, but ignored because care work is all I have ever done so this is my lot so to speak?

Working as a student midwife is possible, believe me. I would have study days, albeit they are meant to be used for study but I will just have to work through the night if I spend the day stacking shelves in Tescos. But, find me a student nurse or midwife that does not work part time and I will eat my hat.

Spirit_2

You need to look up the payscales but roles and bands are approx:

Midwife band 6 - 7

Team leader/matron/Manager 8a-8b

Head of Midwifery 8c

Movig out of Midwifery into General Management such as a Clinical Service Manager 8b - 8c

plus :
enhancements for unsocial
up to 41 days of holiday (after 10 years incl BH)
flexible working options
personal development
sickness scheme
pension scheme

Where did you get the idea that Midwives are not paid much? Have a look at average earnings and you will see that they are much better paid than that.

mildred1978

MiddyMum wrote: »

Yes, I hadn't taken into account the shift allowance and overtime actually.

I would have to work alongside the course, as I want to be able to save some money. It will only be a couple of shifts a week at Tescos stacking shelves so it won't be taxing. It will be tiring yes as I will be working on the wards as well as doing assignments but I need to or I will graduate without any money in my bank.

Where will your child be while you're studying, working shifts and stacking shelves? By private school did you mean boarding school?

FWIW I doubt very much that private school would be possible on a single £30-40k salary. We're bringing in £100k+ through our company and I wouldn't consider it unless we were totally failed by the state system.

MiddyMum

I would like to add that I want to give my daughter the best if I can. All mothers do, but I am just prepared to work really hard for it. My time and love is a given but I still want to give her oppurtunites I never had. That's just my opinion.

MiddyMum

mildred1978 wrote: »

Where will your child be while you're studying, working shifts and stacking shelves? By private school did you mean boarding school?

FWIW I doubt very much that private school would be possible on a single £30-40k salary. We're bringing in £100k+ through our company and I wouldn't consider it unless we were totally failed by the state system.

No boarding school, I would like to see her every day. She would be at nursery when I am uni, and with her dad when I am on shifts. I don't have anyone to give me hand outs, so this is what I have to do to improve my life.

MiddyMum

Spirit wrote: »

You need to look up the payscales but roles and bands are approx:

Midwife band 6 - 7

Team leader/matron/Manager 8a-8b

Head of Midwifery 8c

Movig out of Midwifery into General Management such as a Clinical Service Manager 8b - 8c

plus :
enhancements for unsocial
up to 41 days of holiday (after 10 years incl BH)
flexible working options
personal development
sickness scheme
pension scheme

Where did you get the idea that Midwives are not paid much? Have a look at average earnings and you will see that they are much better paid than that.

From speaking to midwives already in the profession, they say most midwives don't progress past band 6. Or maybe that is just the ones who don't want too...

Cherry_Bomb

MiddyMum wrote: »

I have watched both episodes. I am very passionate about midwifery, I currently volunteer on postnatal ward and have done so for the last 2 years.

Is it that wrong of me to consider the financial prospects of a midwife in a little more detail?

Is it wrong of me to consider other interests I have, but ignored because care work is all I have ever done so this is my lot so to speak?

Working as a student midwife is possible, believe me. I would have study days, albeit they are meant to be used for study but I will just have to work through the night if I spend the day stacking shelves in Tescos. But, find me a student nurse or midwife that does not work part time and I will eat my hat.

I don't think I used a study day to actually study until 3rd year. I was too busy working!

You'll get told a lot that working alongside the course isn't possible. Usually from people who have no experience of doing it. Of course I'm coming from the nursing side of it but the structures are the same. 3 years 50/50 split between practical and theory. Yes our placements may be different but the shift work is the same, Earlies, lates, twilights, nights, weekends, dreaded long days and if you're lucky 9-5.
If you have no other option other than to work then you will make time for it. I had to work to pay my childcare bills same as plenty of others in my cohort.

Have you applied to any unis yet?

MiddyMum

Thank you all for taking the time to reply to me. I have a lot of thinking to do.

I have worked so hard to be in the position to apply to some very good universities, I don't know why I am getting cold feet right at the last minute. I need to stop worrying.

Idiophreak

MiddyMum wrote: »

I would like to add that I want to give my daughter the best if I can. All mothers do, but I am just prepared to work really hard for it. My time and love is a given but I still want to give her oppurtunites I never had. That's just my opinion.

The way uni fees are going, I'd look at anything you can save for those as giving a *fantastic* start in life. Nothing sets people up quite so well as not starting £50k in debt...

MiddyMum

Cherry_Bomb wrote: »

I don't think I used a study day to actually study until 3rd year. I was too busy working!

You'll get told a lot that working alongside the course isn't possible. Usually from people who have no experience of doing it. Of course I'm coming from the nursing side of it but the structures are the same. 3 years 50/50 split between practical and theory. Yes our placements may be different but the shift work is the same, Earlies, lates, twilights, nights, weekends, dreaded long days and if you're lucky 9-5.
If you have no other option other than to work then you will make time for it. I had to work to pay my childcare bills same as plenty of others in my cohort.

Have you applied to any unis yet?

My application goes off in 3 weeks, I have even done my personal statement. It has taken me 4 months of perfecting to get it right, so god knows why in the last month or so my mind has gone a little awol. Some of the unis I am applying too I woud never have thought someone like me could apply there!

Idiopheek - That is the only thing that puts me off the finance career is that I would start off with 27k debt tuition fees, and then the extra (like you say) on top for maintenance loan. Offset that with no debt as a NQ midwife as I already know that I wont take out the loan. Its 2 grand a year and if I scrimp I can go without it. I guess from that perspective it is a no brainer. It's not all about the money I know, but like a few people have said I could easily top up my wages with bank shifts/agency/overtime.

What I have found within the nursing/midwifery profession is that no one likes to talk about earning potential because you are not meant to go into these sort of roles for the money. Therefore it is blasphemy if you dare mention you may like to earn a good salary in the future. I know midwifery wont make me a millionaire but I still want a good standard of living. It seems that if you consider the earning potential in vocational roles you are not passionate enough about the job, but I still have to live! When I have been on the wards, nurses/midwives are always moaning about being skint. Maybe they should use this forum for Martin's MSE tips..:rotfl: