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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

secondary science to uni admin

31 replies

mumofoneofeach75 · 02/04/2017 13:22

re-posting from Higher Ed for hopefully a few more responses (thanks BizzyFizzy for your responses there)...
I'm hoping to get some advice on a possible career change. I've been a secondary science teacher for 9 years and need to leave - work place bullying, excessive workload, unachievable targets etc etc. I've looked for jobs in all sorts of areas, schools data officer, school admin etc but there's not much in my area. After widening my search and signing up for more job alerts, lots of uni admin jobs are coming up. I'm a single mum and not sure how I would cope with such a big drop in salary. But I'm really desperate and at over 40, don't think I have a lot of options. If I could do some exam marking and tutoring on the side, could I make this work? I'm considering an au pair for child care to help with having to work the school holidays. Any advice would be much appreciated.

OP posts:
AgathaMystery · 02/04/2017 13:24

You could do a masters in nursing with your current qualifications & move into NHS management.

Original poster
mumofoneofeach75 · 02/04/2017 13:36

I didn't know that. Would it matter which undergraduate degree I did? Also, I always thought that for most NHS jobs, you had to start at a very low grade then work your way up. thanks for replying.

OP posts:
NickMyLipple · 02/04/2017 13:43

mum it isn't always that simple to get a management job in the NHS. Nurse managers are usually required to have 3 years post registration experience before they start moving into more senior roles - it's 3 years of full time work to train to be a Nurse, no funding at all anymore (£9k/year debt for the fees, too) and then you'd have to work for pittance (after tax) in a very physically and mentally demanding job.

I'm a nurse manager and I wouldn't recommend it in your situation. I've been toying with the idea of doing a PGCE, but I think I'll end up applying for post graduate medicine in the next couple of years.

Could you be a SENCO? Or an Education Welfare Officer? Or a SEN worker doing EHCP'S?

Iseesheep · 02/04/2017 13:45

You might not have to take a big drop in salary. I'm in uni admin (it's a broad term) and earn about the same as a lecturer and quite a bit more than the researchers.

DailyFaily · 02/04/2017 13:45

I wouldn't do a masters in nursing, I think that would be a difficult and unusual route for a non-nurse. Also, given the issues you have with you have with your current role, I'd tend to suggest that you might find find similar issues in NHS management and many senior level Uni admin roles for that matter.

wettunwindee · 02/04/2017 13:46

Why not a new school?

www.tes.com/jobs/browse/international

Smile
Revenant · 02/04/2017 14:28

If you have a uni nearby that has plenty of science based research would you consider lab management? Where I am it's around 33 - 40 k with opportunities for progression

Welshrainbow · 02/04/2017 14:52

I'm in the same position as OP but with less years in teaching and a bit of research experience through my PhD. Where or what are people searching to bring up uni admin jobs? I'm desperate to get out of teaching and think that would really suit me.

Original poster
mumofoneofeach75 · 02/04/2017 14:52

Hello, sorry for the delay replying - had to pop out suddenly. Had considered another school, but I know a lot of other teachers and their situations are no better. Many are leaving with no jobs to go to just to get away. Also, my own children are struggling at school and I just dont' have the time to spend with them as every night is taken up with marking, planning, stressing etc. Also, I've remained just classroom teacher having had two children whilst at my current school and two sets of maternity leaves. I've had no responsibilities and basically cannot compete with much cheaper nqts. I feel quite desperate to be honest.........

OP posts:
LordRothermereBlackshirtCunt · 02/04/2017 14:54

You need to look on jobs.ac.uk Welsh

Original poster
mumofoneofeach75 · 02/04/2017 14:58

@Welshrainbow I'm signed up to job alerts on indeed.co.uk, monster and jobs.ac.uk. I'm getting vacancies across 2 universities almost daily.
@DailyFaily I have heard lots of terrible things about the NHS and bullying etc. Nowhere is perfect, but I hadn't heard the same about uni admin positions. Is it the same sort of culture?

OP posts:
LindyHemming · 02/04/2017 15:00

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

HollaHolla · 02/04/2017 15:01

I'm an Academic Faculty Registrar. I earn the same as a Senior Lecturer. BUT - you wouldn't come straight into HE at this level. I'd have thought a G6/G7 would be more achievable as a move. There's a standard scale which there is a bit of movement around (pre/post 92s have slightly different bandings), but it's a good career!
Look on jobs.ac.uk - that's where most HE jobs will be advertised.
Good luck.

HollaHolla · 02/04/2017 15:03

Ps. You will still have huge challenges - lack of funding, not enough staff, ridiculous targets, etc.
However, you work with committed, interested people in the most part. Main problem is that, just because you're a good academic, doesn't mean you're a good manager.....

DrudgeJedd · 02/04/2017 15:08

I also work in uni admin, remember that you probably won't get time off at half term. Jobs in depts dealing with application will not let you take time off over the summer either. My uni runs excellent kids holiday clubs but I'm not sure how usual this is. Good luck with the job search.

Original poster
mumofoneofeach75 · 02/04/2017 15:14

@NickMyLipple I've no relevant experience of SEN, other than teaching classes, but I had looked into extra certifications to see if that could help me. I've also been on the lookout for EWS and EWO roles - nothing so far - there was something very very part time some months ago, but I couldn't find another job that it would work around.
@wettunwindee yes, I looked into going abroad a few years ago, but my ex-husband would never agree and I worried about if something went wrong with a job abroad.

OP posts:
Welshrainbow · 02/04/2017 15:14

Thanks lordrothermere and mumofoneofeach just had quick look and there are a few near me on jobs.ac.uk

Original poster
mumofoneofeach75 · 02/04/2017 15:25

@HollaHolla @DrudgeJedd Thanks for your replies. I thought I'd be able to manage with holiday clubs and their dad having them, maybe a friend having them for some holidays. I must admit, I really don't enjoy the holidays as I don't have enough money to really do much with the kids, even though I'm on a good salary. Also, I'm always overwhelmed with schemes of work, intervention plans, evidence of intervention outcomes etc during the holidays that I end up feeling uneasy the whole time when I'm not working. I've tried every time managment system to try and manage my workload, but I'm getting nowhere.

OP posts:
Tinkerbec · 02/04/2017 15:47

Mum have you tried another school. I am a sec Science teacher too. Yes it is hard but some schools are better than others.
I work in a lovely department the people are amazing we are all close out of school too.
The kids can be challenging but we have started to cut a lot of the bull.

My HOD told me teaching is like a gas don't let it take over. Keep your container small.

Also what about being a TA or HLTA . I earnt 20-25 k as a TA when my daughter wss younger. I have you gone back to teaching in the last three years.

Revenant · 02/04/2017 15:48

Also just to sound a note of caution - Brexit. Please bear in mind this may have a huge effect on the HEIs financial positions, with a decrease in research grant funding and applications from overseas students.

Thirtyrock39 · 02/04/2017 15:52

How on earth did you earn that as a TA? A lot of schools aren't keen on teachers becoming TAs though in my experience

HollaHolla · 02/04/2017 15:56

@Revenant - Absolutely. Slightly terrified as to what the outcomes may be for HE due to Brexit.
Application numbers are already down.... funding gap bigger (in Scotland so more reliance on govt). Would make you weep sometimes.
Still love my job (most of the time.)

Original poster
mumofoneofeach75 · 02/04/2017 16:00

@Tinkerbec @Revenant thank you for replying. I have thought seriously about another school. I could take a pay cut to make myself more marketable and still make more money than in another job. I live/work in a fairly small city and I've not heard of a single school that is even 'ok' to work at. Also, I fear getting older and not being able to stand the pace. I've been targeted and undermined a lot over the years, so both personally and professionally, I feel like I just can't go on. Like almost every other teacher who quits, I love my subject and (most of) the pupils. It's the workload, politics, bitching, apathetic kids, rude, entitled parents, nepotism etc. I have seriously worried about the effect of Brexit on HE institutions- any job I manage to get would certainly not be very secure. But I feel like I'm being managed-out of where I am. I've spent at least the last two years trying to find something else I can do, including work from home opportunities.

OP posts:
Original poster
mumofoneofeach75 · 02/04/2017 16:03

TA positions in my area get many times more applications than teaching positions-most of them are teachers trying to escape. At the same time, most schools are cutting support positions due to the funding cuts. It's a total mess.

OP posts:
arbrighton · 02/04/2017 16:17

I went from teaching to being a TA- sadly the school I was in had some extremely serious management issues and I couldn't cope with the atmosphere. But, I enjoyed the day to day work and because I was science trained, got some A level classes etc with kids that otherwise wouldn't have support as noone else had the subject knowledge, and GCSE classes I was with got extra support for all students with science.

I now do some private tutoring- have you considered that? It can be lucrative- I charge £30 per hour for A level stuff. I travel to my students but if you do it at home, might work for you.