Is now a good time to train as a SaLT?

[DanceMonkey19]

Have an interview next week for a speech and language therapy course part time. I really want to do it but getting cold feet.

Honestly - I'd hang off a year if you could - I'm getting to the end of my 1st year and we have absolutely no word what's going on with our placements or whether we'll get to make up the missing placement hours or even GET to placement next year or anything.

Having said that - I bloody love the course - but I wouldn't want to be going into it cold as a first year without a support network and with it being so unclear what's happening in the university next year in terms of online/offline/what the fuck have they decided this week?!

Don't be put off - the course is amazing and I bloody love it - just be aware it's all a bit, to quote our legend of a lecturer, "oh dear this is all a bit of a blooming mess isn't it" at the moment! I'm about 50/50 if I continue next year or take a year out - depending on how fucked up schools are in September (I've got young kids) with my department's backing if I need to withdraw a year. I don't want to - I love the course, phonetics is hard as fuck but fascinating!

So go for it but be prepared it's all a bit tits up at the moment - the online stuff suits me as I don't have to go slogging down on the train at stupid o'clock on the morning and save a bomb on travel, but it depends how you'll cope if it's all still like that.

Thanks for your reply Domina! Glad to hear you're enjoying it. It must be hard juggling the degree with a young family, hats off to you! I'm in the same boat, my youngest is only 2 which is why I'm applying for part time. Being part time I wouldn't be on placement until year 4,so not too worried about that. I also think online learning will suit me, so hoping the first semester will be online! I know what you mean though, it has had to be adapted very quickly so not ideal. Could you potentially do your 2nd year part time, ie over 2 years? Or would it be simpler just to take a year out?

I'm 15 years on the job and it's a great thing. Ups and downs currently!

I'd agree that if you needed to do placements in the next year, it would be difficult. A lot have been pulled as we can't accommodate them. But if you're doing part time, and happy with some online learning - why not get started now!

Thanks hayfever! I'm retraining from a different career so I've just got the collywobbles about finding a job at the end of it etc. But who knows what the job market will be in 5/6 years...

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I'm an SLT. We have final year students starting placement with us on Monday, albeit mostly virtually. The other years' placements have been cancelled for now. I'm hopeful this means locally the graduating students will be able to complete their hours and other years can make up the hours over the next year. I really hope we can offer placements with some sort of normality by Nov, even if more remains virtual. Domina sorry to hear it's all so uncertain, I hope it all works out for you.

DanceMonkey I'd say go for it! It always seems to be reasonably ok to get a job. There are lots of independent companies if NHS is tricky, but hopefully NHS will be ok too. We have just recruited during lockdown.

It's really hard to get a SaLT near me as they are always fully booked, so it will be good to have another one available.

Thanks bending, good to know that recruitment has been happening even in lock down!