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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Help! Primary School Teacher or Nurse?

259 replies

Happygolucky1994 · 02/06/2017 18:06

Sorry wasn't sure where to post.

But which career should I choose?

I am 23 yr old with a 2 year old daughter. I'm on benefits in a council home (nothing wrong with that) but I desperately want to give my little one a better life i.e. more holidays, opportunities, owning our own home etc..

In September I have the option of either begininng a Primary Education PGCE course which will take one year... or an Adult Nursing course which will take 3 years..

I have listed the pros and cons of each career but it's still not really helped.
I know if you want to be either of those career choices you must be passionate for that one thing but I really am passionate about both! I want a job that's rewarding. I love the idea of caring for others in there time of need but I also adore helping children learn new concepts etc.

I understand that teachers have to work evenings and weekends at home and nurses have to work all kinds of shifts. My biggest worry is not being able to spend much time with my daughter. Childcare is not an issue but i'm with her everyday at the moment so the thought of barely being with her is tough.

I just want to hear what others think of each career. Or if you work in these fields please can you offer some insight to the reality of the jobs. I can't sleep wondering which path to take :/.

Thanks in advance

OP posts:
2014newme · 02/06/2017 18:07

Teacher. Less shift work.

Babbaganush · 02/06/2017 18:08

Have you done any volunteering? If not see if you can spend a few days on a busy ward, same with a local school.

therootoftheroot · 02/06/2017 18:08

are you a single parent?

i am a teaching assistant and i have literally no idea how teachers with small kids do it. The pressure is relentless.

But then nursing is very tough too.

StillDrivingMeBonkers · 02/06/2017 18:09

Nursing. The life of an NQT is 5 years before burn out with nursing you can follow different pathways - specialise, social care, midwifery, dementia, community etc , stay public, go private , bank, agency - far more options

brasty · 02/06/2017 18:11

Teaching. Nursing usually involves 12 hour shifts. Almost impossible to find paid childcare for these. Teaching at least has regular hours.

RoseRuby26 · 02/06/2017 18:11

I'm a primary school teacher. You'll find a lot of teachers not recommending the career but 7 years in, I still enjoy it. Pay is good enough and holidays are so great. Hours are long but a lot of working mums leave at 5pm and then work when their child is in bed. Prepare for your training year to be gruelling. Placements as well as assignments. You will need excellent child care for that year. Hope that's helpful x

dontbesillyhenry · 02/06/2017 18:11

I'm a nurse. Three or

notanevilstepmother · 02/06/2017 18:12

It's not a good time to be a new teacher. Probably the same for nurses.

With nursing you get shift work, but with teaching you get endless work to do at home, preparation and marking.

dontbesillyhenry · 02/06/2017 18:13

Ffs posted too soon. Three professional qualifications and still earning far less than many similar graduate professions. Very little job security. It's hard work and massive responsibility for the pay. At the end of the day your actions/omissions can mean life or death and that's not comparable to teaching imo

Floralnomad · 02/06/2017 18:17

Teaching , I was a nurse and wouldn't recommend it to anybody unless they could do it like I did i.e. Very pt and retire at 48 ! Ds is a secondary school teacher and although he does put in loads of hours at least he knows he won't be working Christmas .

ShapelyBingoWing · 02/06/2017 18:19

Have you been accepted onto courses for both then?

I'm a single parent and student nurse. In your situation (as in, if I were passionate about teaching too) I'd actually go for teaching as it's far more family friendly, even taking into account that teachers take work home.

Orlantina · 02/06/2017 18:20

Teaching is bloody hard work. If you go into it, you have to be prepared to have goal posts changing, being told you're never good enough, always feeling you can do more, never feeling like you have time to do enough for the pupils in your care and having a lot of pointless paperwork to do.

Probably like nursing in that respect.

LindyHemming · 02/06/2017 18:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

FuckingDingDong · 02/06/2017 18:21

at least he knows he won't be working Christmas .
And by Christmas that means Christmas - Christmas Eve Night / Christmas Day / Christmas Day night and New Year as well - doesn't just mean a couple of days over the Christmas holidays

Orlantina · 02/06/2017 18:21

And it's really hard on the weekends when you want to spend time with your children BUT you have loads of planning, marking and assessing to do for the next day and your child wants you to play with them.

FuckingDingDong · 02/06/2017 18:22

Teachers get all the school holidays off (they say they do marking and stuff - but at least they can do that at home around the childcare)

Original poster
Happygolucky1994 · 02/06/2017 18:23

Hi thanks for the replies. Yes i've neen accepted for both so it's just a case of choosing now and it's so bloody hard! I have my parents live close so I would be okay for childcare during shift work i.e. nights. I have had experience in both but still insure

OP posts:
FuckingDingDong · 02/06/2017 18:23

you have to be prepared to have goal posts changing, being told you're never good enough, always feeling you can do more, never feeling like you have time to do enough
Its like that in practically any job, though

grasspigeons · 02/06/2017 18:25

I think nursing because it can take you in different directions. I think it's very full on and difficult (my mum trained when I was young) the shifts are horrid but there are so many specialisms and nurses I know do things like work in GP surgeries, health visiting, medical sales etc.
The big pro of teaching is not shift work aspect
I don't know how the salaries compare?

You really need to do work experience of both, they are so very different

ApplePizza · 02/06/2017 18:26

Honestly?

I think your question is like asking 'frying pan or fire?'

They're two equally difficult jobs for different reasons. Both jobs made far harder than needed by so much interference by the government and poor conditions.

It's more about your personality and which hardship suits you.

But I'd never recommend for anyone to be a teacher.

Original poster
Happygolucky1994 · 02/06/2017 18:27

Most of my experience has been in schools. The teachers are always complaining there are not enough hours in a day and it seems always being observed. But the perks are the school holidays and not working christmas day.

OP posts:
ShapelyBingoWing · 02/06/2017 18:30

What nursing experience do you have and how did you find it? Would you have any particular area of nursing in mind?

Orlantina · 02/06/2017 18:32

The teachers are always complaining there are not enough hours in a day and it seems always being observed

I think teaching depends very much on the class you get. With primary, you have the same class for a year. That has its pros and cons. It can be great and a pleasure to teach. Or they can have loads of issues that they bring into class and you have to handle. Every single day.

Teaching is far more than imparting knowledge. It's about the children. And children can be great or they can be very difficult. It can be soul destroying. Or it can be great. Or both.

IntheBenefitTrap · 02/06/2017 18:32

It makes me laugh when people say teaching has regular hours. You can expect to work from 7am - 11pm+ every day including weekends and a large proportion of the holidays. It's a really thankless job (aside from the children) and in this current climate, is really not a nice thing to do. It's also really expensive, as many resources come out of your own money.

I have friends who are nurses and they say that they could never do what I do. They seem to have way more free time and actual social lives.

AnyFarrahFowler · 02/06/2017 18:36

Ok, I'll bite FuckingDingDong "They say they do marking and stuff" Hmm I wondered how long it would be.

I honestly think both would be very difficult, but most jobs are. Good luck with your decision, OP. I'm getting out of teaching this summer.