Anyone studying or have a degree in Health and Social Care?

[MakeYourOwnFuckingTea]

I've registered with the OU and am yet to start. However after googling potential jobs and people's experience I've seen comments from people saying they feel sorry for those studying as they're not actually qualified in anything and just get into debt. I know with certain careers further study is required anyway. I never imagined having a career as left school early due to severe bullying. No GCSEs. No college. No nothing. Met dh and had kids. If I'm honest I still have no idea what I would like to do but thought I might as well get started and this degree could potentially lead to many varied careers that I may develop an interest in as I progress. Part of me has always wanted to help people ( well all of me but you know what I mean). I don't know what else to do or think?

I'm a lecturer in H&SC. A degree in H&SC doesn't qualify you for a particular profession, in the way that a degree in Nursing or Social Work does, but as long as you don't have your eye on nursing or social work, it's a great preparation for lots of jobs in the H&SC sector. (And as you say, you can do further quals - Social Work is moving towards being a job where you need a Masters, so you could maybe do a Masters in social work afterwards, if that did turn out to be your end goal). Lots of the skills employers want are generic ones like communication skills, the ability to write and argue clearly and logically, the ability to organise and manage your time - you'll get to develop all those through your degree but you'll also learn lots of things about the sector which should really help you. I think it sounds perfect for your situation of not being sure what you want to do but knowing the kind of area you are interested in.

Good luck with your studies.

Thank you so much. Thats good advice and very reassuring. Was just a bit worried about getting into debt to do this and ending up doing work for no more than the nmw. Not saying there's anything wrong with those jobs.

Lecturer in nursing here - we do PG courses leading to nursing, occupational therapy, speech therapy, physio, social work qualifications. A steady stream of students come in with a first degree in Health & Social Care to those programmes and do well