If you were trained for a very specific job...

[JubJubBirds]

and then became too ill to do that job, what would you do? For example, a surgeon or nursery nurse - very different jobs I know, but a job with a very specific training and experience that means you dont have very transferrable skills.

What if your health meant you weren't strong enough to be responsible for others anymore so you couldnt just go part time in your current role? What would you do about work?

I'm having a hard time coming to terms with the fact I cant do my job due to my health (a job that has been my whole life since I was 18), but I do realise that I need to suck it up and go out and earn money somehow.

I guess I need a part time, non physically demanding job and all I can think of is admin work. But I don't have any admin or office experience at all (and I'm worried I'll miss working in my field).

So... WIBU to go on benefits/rely on savings & my DP and just wait for one of the very rare admin style jobs in my field to come up (which could take years). Or should I stop being so proud picky and just change my job search to junior entry positions and more unskilled work?

Wrt tutoring, I think there's a gap in the market for ex-teachers with experience of SENs too. The only easily accessible tutors round here are under-graduate and while I'm sure they do exactly what's needed for secondary school kids facing exams, I need someone to come in and give a primary school child a boost with reading and writing and understand his difficulties.

JubJub you are exactly where I was a few years ago. Specialist career and highly trained then wham! struck by life changing illness. Yes I floundered for a while and really struggled, lost who I was and became just 'mum'. Retrained in a completely different field. Now respected and well qualified in my new professional life and very happy.

You can do this and I'm right behind you, stay strong x

Lots of training organisations look for functional skills tutors - most are ex-teachers. Flexible hours and working with small groups of adults. They may not be as much as teaching, but you could then move into a team leader role.

Look at third sector jobs such as fundraising or schools workers who go in to tell kids about the charities - a good side step

I was a teacher and now work for a charity. I started at the bottom as a sessional project worker and have been there nearly 11 years now. I work with class A substance misusers and offenders. I've worked in a range of roles and I currently offer ETE advice and develop staff and volunteers. I retrained as a counsellor too and I work in private practice.

Junjub, just thought: my dd has to have home tutoring via LEA tho suspended now and they are desperate for tutors as our our local hospital school team. The head of asked me if I could work there! If only, 24 hours a day caring leaves no time for teaching. I did bit of tutoring until April then just had to stop.

overthemill, may I ask where you are?

I am an ex teacher and am thinking about finding something part time, would love to do hospital tutoring or home tutoring

My dh is in the same position. Chef for 25 years and then a permanent injury to his hand means he just can't do it, and struggling to find an alternative. It sucks arse but yes, he just has to apply for jobs that are entry level and start again. He's certainly not sitting here for years while I work all hours waiting for something he thinks suits him. We are not people with choices - I have it say this to him regularly.

39steppesmum I'm in bedfordshire. I think all medical tutoring teams are in need. They do all KS up to KS4 I think. Look in the LEA website for details and send CV to head of service. Can't hurt!

thanks, that is really interesting, I have been lurking on LEA website here for a while looking for different things, but there seems to be very, very few opportunities which are not full time teaching /TA.

At the moment I am thinking about tutoring, as there seems to be a demand for that. But would much rather do something like medical team.

Have yoy thought about working at a unuversity in a student study skills/mentor type role? Or as a departmental administrator? There are lots of admin jobs available at universities. They usually look for multitaskers and people who can work under pressure and you have a wide variety of transferable skills.

You could temp at a university to see if the admin side of things suit you. Would you consider teaching trainee teachers at university level?

The Institute of education near Euston station have vacancies judt to give you the types of roles available. Do look at universities closer to home.

jobs.ioe.ac.uk/vacancies.aspx?cat=-1&type=5

I spent 6 months on benefits then went to uni.

If you are interested in education it doesn't have to be children, you could teach teenagers or be a training officer in something like an IT company.