To want to leave teaching and retrain as a paramedic

[runningmummy1]

So although I do put my all into the classroom, I am never good enough. I am not great at observed lessons and nowadays it really has to be a good or outstanding grade. Its not just the school as I have felt this way for a while. Actually love the classroom side but find all the other aspects of the job soul destroying. I am a voluntary community first responder so I am trained in basic life support and am sent to local 999 calls (within my area and training) to defibrillate etc until the ambulance arrives. I have also done a shift on an ambulance so this decision comes is based on the reality of what could be my new role. However my husband is in a similar role so works shifts making childcare difficult. My kids are 9 and 11 so I might well need to wait a few years. Then there is school holidays to consider and loosing weekends. Of course I would work longer days but less days a week. AIBU?

I also want to leave teaching. The pay is just too poor now. Ive effectively had a pay cut for the last few years due to being top of the scale, the pay freeze and cost of living. BUT I have a daughter in infants. The thought of finding childcare in holidays worries me.

Also, ive no idea what jobs i could do! Feel stuck

There is a thread on TES about what else a teacher can do

I've just qualifies and am late 40's and so not fit. I've been working as an ECA, then tech and have done the conversion course to qualify as a paramedic. I love my job, it's emotionally hard and you need a very good (and black ) sense of humour to cope but it is immensely rewarding.
Lots of my colleagues have young children and partners who do shift work and they cope.

YANBU but beware the reality of shifts is pretty rough. I've been a paramedic for 15 yrs on a rolling shift pattern and I think it's knocked years off my life!

I seem to live in a state of near permanent exhaustion. Weekend/ night shifts probably aren't too bad if you either have no kids or grown up ones. However if you have to factor in school runs and their hobbies etc you can often go 4 days on about 10 hrs sleep in total.

This is all we've ever known so we cope ( OH is a policeman so another double shift house here.) But it's quite grim. The job itselfs a whole other thread.......I'd just be aware that as a 'job' it does impact hugely on home life.

Good luck though- I can honestly say I'm never bored at work!

So all your sums and research and go for it ! Millions of parents both work ft with school age kids

Great news that your Trust supports a helpful shift pattern, that's great news. Definitely go for it, life is too short to wonder what would have been

My other half was on a midday-midnight shift today, still not home. Very often 12 hours turn into 14/15 hours.

But go for it! Life is too short for regrets! :)

I would say go for it as the role of the paramedic is changing where you can do another areas after a few years experience. My friend works in a GP surgery and another one works as a PIP assessor so it doesnt stop at the ambulance anymore. Goodluck

This thread is nearly 3 years old angelseyes so I’m guessing OP made up their mind by now..!