working in care, want to progress, is a degree the way to go?

Croatoan

I think with nursing courses much depends where you live and what university you apply to. I've spoken to last year's students (Manchester area) and many were accepted with less experience and qualifications than either yourself or Mrs_Ryan. It's sad to hear people like Mrs_Ryan who clearly seem to have the desire and experience to go into nursing are struggling to do so. The difficulty getting a secondment has always annoyed me intensely. I've worked with so many brilliant NAs who'd be a credit to the profession but get knocked back every time, when imho they're just the kind of people we should be taking on. Nursing's move towards qualifications over caring and experience (life or otherwise) is a detrimental step, but I guess that's for another thread altogether.

Galaxy1987

Unless you want to be a Nurse, the best way is to get your NVQ/SVQ 3 in health and social care & HNC in Health or Social care and work your way up. Most companies will promote/take on people at senior level and train them up.

Degrees are becoming useless, unless they are professional degrees. i.e nurses, social work etc.

NVQ/SVQ's are about your practice and not about what you have learned.

Hope this helps.