Can someone please help me?

[idrinkchocolatemilk]

Hi MN, happy Friday!

I’m desperately after some advice please. I’m 29 with no qualifications, and it needs to change. Don’t get my wrong ive worked since I was 15, but I was more interested in earning money NOW. I didn’t really have guidance about what I should do with my future from my parents or school I only started learning about university a few years after I left school.

So my question is, how do I go about going to uni? Will I have to do an access course? I don’t know where to start. Any advice will be greatly appreciated. If this makes any difference I work full time and I have a 4 year old so I need something part time/evening.

www.open.ac.uk/

Hello - you could try to see what your local college offers. Some do offer evening/ part time courses. Also you could check out Open University. It does a wide range of access courses/ certificates as well as degrees. Good luck 😊.

You're looking at the right time as your local colleges will be advertising now for students.

What would you love to do?

Try an apprenticeship? They are for all ages

@HollowTalk

You're looking at the right time as your local colleges will be advertising now for students.

What would you love to do?

Well I told a lie I am qualified in hairdressing, I did an apprenticeship at a high end salon but I left because i needed more money. That’s my true passion, I loved and still do love it. However I don’t want it as a career now, I’m currently a carer and I’m interested in mental health but I’m unsure on what role I would like?

Would you like to get into nursing? Counselling? Social work?

It’s easier to think about how to get there if you know where you want to be

What do you do at the moment? Would your employer sponsor you? Would vocational qualifications be a better bet than traditional degree course? ((Depends where you want to get to)))

I’m not sure you can study nursing part time/distance learning due to practical modules/placements etc

So I’m a carer at the moment, no they won’t sponsor me unfortunately.

@Redtartanshoes I know that, I think I need to research different roles and actually choose and work towards that.

Am I too late at 29? Can I better mine and my daughters life?? I’m not wasting my time am I?

@Redtartanshoes

I’m not sure you can study nursing part time/distance learning due to practical modules/placements etc

I don’t want to do nursing, I’ve looked into mental health nursing too and that just isn’t for me x

I've always advised the students / graduates I've worked with to find a few people who work in the sort of role they are interested in and speak to them about the day to day of their job, how they got into it, and what qualifications or degrees are required or beneficial to enter or progress in the profession. It's easy to pursue qualifications that look good on paper but aren't really valued by employers. For example there are a lot of project management courses out there, but some project management roles require very specific qualifications and even very similar ones won't get you through the door.

Asking friends and acquaintances for people you can approach is usually a good way to find relevant contacts- you'd be surprised how many friends of friends turn out to know someone useful. Good luck OP - I hope you find something you really enjoy!

Sorry didn’t mean to be negative, just thinking about things you may be interested in.

What would be your dream job?

I was at a similar stage as you at 27/28. Had a series of “jobs” but nothing like a career. Single parent also.

Got an admin job at an energy supplier, through pure luck/being in the right place at the right time they sponsored me to do safety qualifications... did them, got involved in everything I could.. struggled to get a safety job without actual experience.... beat it gave up,... eventually got a break. Now 10 years later am a safety professional managing a team, looking after 300 personnel, and earning 3x what I did. 10 years ago. I love my job. It was bloody hard work, working, studying, looking after ds who was 7 at the time, nearly gave up but it’s worth it now. Still don’t have a”degree” but then in safety world vocational qualifications are regarded as highly if not more so

@Redtartanshoes

Sorry didn’t mean to be negative, just thinking about things you may be interested in.

What would be your dream job?

No I didn’t find you negative! This is what I need, I really am clueless.

My dream job? I don’t think I have one, maybe own a salon but there is just to many about now and as I said I don’t want to make a career out of hairdressing. It will always have my heart though. I would LOVE to work in a rehabilitation facility, drugs, alcohol etc, or on a psychiatric ward.

The past few weeks I can’t help but think about teaching in a primary school but I’m not clever enough for that.

I’m just very torn and confused.

How about occupational therapy? I trained late (at 40) and wasn’t anywhere near the oldest. I work in mental health - but OTs are dual trained and can work in physical and mental health settings. It reauites an access course and then 3 year degree. Placements were 9-5 and I was kept local as a lone parent.

Any questions give me a shout

My husband left school at 15 with no qualifications. At 30 he did a one year 'Access to HE' course. He's on to his second BA now, with an MA/PhD to follow. Think about the subject areas you enjoyed/did well at during your schooling and go for it!