No idea what I want to do or where I want to go in life.

[Lalabing]

Posting here for traffic. 19 years old. Left school without gcses and studied level 2 btecs and worked since leaving. None of them will get me anywhere I think I want to be. I would like to re study GCSEs to get a good level, then I'm not sure whether I could do a levels at my age so would look at the access course route to enable me to get to university. I was quite intelligent in school upto around year nine when I stupidly got myself permanently expelled which I kick myself for all the time.

However I just don't know what career I'd like to go down. I'm good at maths less so at English. I would like a good career which will pay well and make a good life for me. I'm interested in psychology and history mostly. Would not like to teach. What direction can I take I'm so stuck.

This is a good website www.myworldofwork.co.uk/ can help you find direction and options. You could also try volunteering to see if you like certain areas of work. Good luck in whatever you decide to do!

Welcome to the club! There's A LOT of members. Many of us are 40+ and still don't know what we want to do when we "grow up." The first thing you need to do is relax and give yourself a break. You're 19. You don't even know who YOU are yet. And that is not an insult - it's just a fact of life. You already have so much going for you! You're intelligent, you're not afraid of hard work, and you value higher education. Honestly, you're way ahead of the game already. Have you considered accounting given you're good with numbers? What about marketing? Marketing utilizes math skills AND psychology in order to be successful. My main advice is to take advantage of ANY educational opportunity. Internships, volunteer work, whatever. Everything you do will get you further along in your journey. Above all, don't be afraid of changing your mind and going in a new direction of you find what you thought was a good plan ends up not being for you.

Oh lovely. Please try not to worry like that.

Take the pressure off and just breathe. And remember that there are so many possibilities out there for you.

Putting work and careers aside for a moment. What do you enjoy doing? What makes you happy? When you have the answer, do more of it. Keeping hold of your happiness and sense of self will serve you well.

So how about psychology? You will need some proper advice re qualifications and routes into the profession. Three of my friends are psychologists and I think they did a degree and then a doctorate. They love their work and have a very good standard of living. I’m not sure about their GCSE’s and A levels. Could one of the tutors at your local university talk you through exactly what you would need to do?

You have lots of lovely time on your side but it’s easy to start believing you have to have all the answers now. You don’t.

And forgive yourself for what happened at school. If there’s a lesson or two to learn then take them from the experience and leave it in the past. You don’t deserve to suffer for it now and because you’re so young, everything is still possible.

The very best of luck to you.

What is it about history and psychology that you find interesting?

OP, there's time. I didn't know what I wanted to do due to my mum belittling me during my childhood and most of my adult life. I went into care work and realised that it was the work for me, so I thought about nursing. The thing was, I wasn't able to do all the heavy lugging around needed to haul the hoists, etc, (I have chronic back pain, so lifting was a big NO), so care work and nursing was not an option.

I decided to do a degree in psychology so I could stay in my chosen sector (the healthcare sector), but had to cut that short, after the first year, as I had to go back to my home town to help care for dad in his final year (I used what I'd learned to help ready him, psychologically, for his eventual passing) of life.

I'm NC with my mum as she put me through so much shit during my childhood (excuse the language), and if it wasn't for the fantastic lecturers and wonderful friends I have in my life, I still wouldn't know what to do at almost 40yo.

So don't worry. Life can get in the way sometimes and as I like to say "It's not what life throws at you that's important, it's how you deal with it that really matters".

Have you thought about joining the army or navy for five years or so? They like to give people chances. Then from there go into the communications or computer industries.

If you are good at maths have you thought about IT or related computer industries? There are apprenticeship paths to get into it. Would computers interest you? There are lots of jobs in the area.

Perhaps consider an apprenticeship? I did my a levels but went for one anyway because I think uni is unnecessary for most careers. My company paid for my study, would have paid for my whole degree if you’re really bothered about having one but I left to go into a different career path. I’ve faired better than my school friends because they don’t have any job experience choosing uni, and you don’t feel like you wasted your time even if you want to get into something else later down the line.

If you've been out of work/education for over 2 years, you may be able to gain entry to the Access to University courses. My local college did this and there was 2 subject we could choose from. Humanities and Bio-Sciences (the springboard for studying Psychology).

The Access courses could be an option for you if you want to take some time out to think about what you want to do, do a bit of research into Psychology/History and then possibly/maybe try studying something like Evolutionary Psychology?

Just a suggestion though.

Hey op my life has literally been identical to yours pretty much except I never went on to do another course I went back when I was 16 to college to do my GCSE’s. It’s okay that you still don’t know what to do. In my class I had so many adults so u being 19 you will be one of the younger ones doing your GCSEs. Once u do them you can go on to do a levels in college too or even do them online and go in for exams. Your still young you won’t be the oldest person in the class so no need to feel it of place. I went on to have kids after my GCSE’s but hopefully my plan is to go back and do something when they are full time in school.
You only really need to decide what you want to do after a levels so you have plenty of time. Good luck

Op.
I did do some GCSES, but as it happens I didn't do very well.
Then I did a level 2 BTEC, a level 3 BTEC which led me onto uni, where I got my degree.
I'm a nurse now, not very well paid but enough to live on with my DP and I do enjoy it and no one cares what GCSES I have, one qualification cancels out another!

Wow thanks for all your replies they have definitely made me feel better! I feel like as all my friends have mostly done a year at university that I'm just so far behind and that I'm not going to have a good set up for years.

I don't really know what I enjoy and find it really frustrating. I have always been interested in psychology as a subject and applying it to situations in real life. I like understanding why people behave and act certain ways, aswell as criminology although never studied this as I did psychology for a short time.

I also like to push myself and see hardwork pay off.

I think I would like to go into accountancy, or marketing, could someone tell me more about this? Like the sort of careers I could take in this route, how to get there. There isn't currently any gcse courses I can take other then access foundation which I would be working towards five GCSEs. I have looked and I could do alevels in my area after this instead of the next access to higher education course however there is only certain courses to chose from. I was thinking I could take maybe maths, psychology and maybe history or biology to open my options more when I do go to university as I would also find these the most enjoyable due to what I enjoyed learning in school.

Another possible route I would like to think about would be criminal psychology however unsure what careers there currently are in this field.

I hated IT and English in school and struggled most with these even though beginning high school I was in all top sets and predicted As in GCSEs by the end of secondary school I think I started to fall behind as I just didn't enjoy them at all and started rebelling and choosing not to go, not really sure why.

Sorry to keep going off topics and back again I keep scrolling and trying to reply to all the replies.

Another question, does anyone know if you can get funding or loans for college courses? as I currently have no income other than benefits and they all charge a lot of money.

Accountancy apprenticeships might be a better way in as at least you would be earning as you go.

Only study psychology if you are aiming for a doctorate. The field of psychology is otherwise saturated.

I would prefer to go the college route as I am due a baby, and would be looking to go part time for the first year studying GCSEs. starting sept 2018. I'd also like to further my knowledge and have other qualifications to fall back on just incase. Also an apprenticeship wage is a lot of work for little money. The minimum for my age on an apprentice is 3.50. Meaning working 40+ hours a week I would earn little more than I currently receive.

What is a doctorate?

Hi, I agree you're still absolutely young enough to do GCSEs and A levels. I went back and did my A levels aged 21 in the evening while working full time. I left school at 16 with average GCSEs ( I had a bit of a wild youth) and went on a YTS (old apprenticeships) which was a bad choice for me. I then went to Uni the following year as a mature student and eventually went on to do a masters, a PHD, have kids in between all this and am now, some 20-odd years later a psychologist doing academic research.

To become a psychologist you really need a doctorate, which generally (but not always) means taking the route of getting a degree, Masters and a PhD. Criminal psychologists are mainly academics, with consultant work with police/ legal system coming along after you've achieved a good reputation at post-doctorate level. This all takes some time, but is possible if you are willing to pursue a pathway which may take around 10 years get where you want. More accessible jobs relating to psychology are in counselling and things like business and marketing, which you could go into without necessarily getting a degree.

I think you've had some really good advice here already and a good start would be to go back to study for GCSEs, perhaps in the evening whilst working. That would give you a good idea of how much you enjoy studying and whether to pursue a career that requires lots of academic studying or whether a vocational/ apprentice pathway may suit you better.

Going back to studying was the best thing I ever did and changed my life in so many ways for the better. I wish you the best of luck.

Ah, a doctorate is a PhD, a post graduate degree that takes a minimum of 3 years and involves a programme of original research.

Place marking

There's always the Open University.

I lost out on an education due to serious illness (I spend much of my childhood in hospital), I ended up in work rather by luck and feel like I've wasted much of it because I ended up in the technology industry, and frankly it's shite. Now I've got the opportunity to get into the OU while working at something else.

The OU do provide support for people on low incomes I believe, and you also don't need any previous qualifications at all. You do get support from real people and you can go to tutorials in person, so you're not entirely on your own. Plus, each course (as long as you do one at a time) is part time.

It's something worth considering, and would mean that you don't have to go through GCSEs, then A-Levels, and then a degree. It's obvious from your posts that you're very articulate.

Hi OP, I used to work up until 18 months ago on a university final module for students including economics, business, accounting & finance, social sciences.

This year focus on pulling up your GCSE maths grade if you need to, a lot of universities are not accepting adult equivalencies for GCSE now, even with an access course and passing adult key skills.

Decide where you are going with your career. Psychology & finance are very separate areas and you need to be building experience from the first year now. One of the reasons our module was set up is because some students were reaching the end of their second year with never having applied for an internship or work experience and their programmes didn't have a mandatory work placement year. Your CV now needs to start during your university education.

At this stage don't be worrying about a PhD unless you dream of going into teaching or academic research

Inappropriate could you explain more on what the open university is? I've never heard of this, I'm thinking of going the accountant and finance route after more research today. How do I apply? How do you learn, how are you graded, is it the usual 3 years and is it seen as high a degree once finished?

Muddling the only way I could gain GCSEs is by a foundation acces course as the college in my area doesn't have any other gcse courses for adult learners and I cannot afford to do them online.

Could you teach yourself to code? There always seem to be tons of opportunities in that area and you can learn it by yourself or on courses. My brother taught himself, develops apps for a company and earns £100K+. OK he has a good degree too but if you have the skills I'm sure you can make a decent amount.
If I were starting from scratch I'd look in that area. You want to be in a growth industry.