That I HAVE to do another qualification in order to keep my job.

[21stcenturyboy]

I’ve been in my job for nearly 30 years but despite the whole team knowing the job inside out we now have to sit a level 3 qualification in order to provide the service that we do.

Im 52 this year, haven’t properly studied for 30 years, menopausal, working full time, running a large house with an husband and 3 adult offspring at home and I’m TIRED.

this course requires 350 hours of study and a 3 hour exam at the end of it.

AIBU to be bloody annoyed about this? It’s not negotiable, we have to do it.

I think that's a good thing. Formal training (and learning best practice) is very different from learning on the job and from others. Tbh I think from your attitude you could be one of those people I've worked with who think they know everything and never learn anything new, or adapt and change

I think this is a wrong assumption. I studied and did more than one post graduate qualification with a large number of kids. They're all grown and it would be so much harder now. You just don't have the same energy as you get older and, like OP said, menopause really does make everything harder. I'd rather do the study with my brood of younger kids back when I did it than have to do it now with them all grown. To be fair, it's probably a wrong assumption I would have made too back when I was doing it.

How is it "pushing out older workers" by offering them funded training and development to increase their skills and ensure they can do their job better. What a weird attitude!

Totally weird attitude!

Can you study on your commute at all? Or are you driving? Maybe you could use audiobooks?

Its annoying when you have to do something you don’t really want to do, but it seems your options are to either do it or find a different job.

If the job requires it the job requires it
as a company because your job description has changed as in you need this qualification

they could make you all reapply and make you redundant

I’d suck it up if you want to keep your job

have you asked them what they will do if you don’t do it as in moved to another job or made redundant

as shit as it is this is no way your employers fault

'Menopause makes learning harder' This is far from universally true and it's such a self defeating attitude! Sure women should get support if needed but who wants a world where middleaged women are automatically described as unable to keep up?

I feel your pain. I had to do this last year. I am in my early sixties and have qualifications higher than the qualification we had to study for. I did not learn anything new, but the qualification will be useful if I want to change my employment or take on additional work from another source.

The exam was the hardest part because I do not perform well under exam conditions. However, there were little revision activities at the end of each 'unit' of work which helped to prepare for the final assessment.

Like you, I resented having to undertake this course, when my life was already stressful and busy, and I know that acquiring the qualification will not result in a rise in pay or promotion. It is simply another example of jumping through hoops.

Poor you. I am 50 next year and can’t think of anything worse. You must feel very resentful having to use your spare time to do this.

I have 5 months between being given the course materials and the exam to get prepared.

basically we’ve been given a tome to read, a link to past papers / qualification specification and a document explaining how we should be presenting our answers.

I should clarify that my husband and ‘kids’ so also pull their weight but due to us all working shifts of some kind they’re not always there to cook or walk the dog. I also have elderly parents to help look after and now I’ll have to completely forget my lovely evening hobbies that I do over the next few months.

we’ve been told that we can resist the exam if we don’t pass the first time but that’s another 6 months later and I’m fed up of having the thought of this looming for months ahead.

I just feel resentful, I understand that it’s there to protect the business though. Makes me want to leave altogether which is a shame.

They really should be giving you study time. If possible I'd come up with a plan with your colleagues and propose it to management as a unit.

Level three in a subject you know well should be ok. Be ruthless and cynical in your learning - look at past exam papers early and use them as your main revision tool.

I wonder if the posters saying it’s quite normal are very young? I am not yet 50 and still remember the days of “day release” courses in jobs. Where your employer not only paid for you to obtain the qualification, allowed a half day or full day off to go to college or uni to do it, as well as study leave during exam time but also moved you up a grade once qualified.

it is laughable that we all just roll over these days and accept what the OP described. Employers these days have a bloody cheek, they really do.

It doesn't make learning harder. The fatigue and insomnia, which are very common symptoms, sure can though.

And yes, for many of us, it is harder to keep up. Happy to acknowledge that reality and not live in denial, thus making it even harder. There's a reason there is discussion in the media and elsewhere about 'menopause leave'.

No. I'm older than the OP and did a load of work based qualifications and CPD post 50. As the employer was funding them it would never have occurred to me to be resentful about it or see it as anything other than a standard expectation.

Work will have to give you time in work hours and also get the other FOUR adults to step up!?

It socks doesn't it.looks like you have no option but to do it though.maybe have quick meals ,or dc do their own for a while when they are home.maybe afford a cleaner for the 6 months. Also dog walker a couple of days.you have a lot going on for sure.can you keep 1 hobby going maybe.

350 hours over 5 months is roughly 2 1/2 hours of study a day every day come rain or shine. Week days and weekends.

in your shoes I’d explain this statistic to management and ask them how they plan to fit 2.5 hours of study in to your daily work shift. Maybe they need to take someone on to release you to study. Maybe the managers cover for you? Or move responsibilities around.

Secondly will this qualification improve your pay?

how do your coworkers feel about things?

I would be tempted to look elsewhere for work if the pay and work life balance are not good enough. You might find the same job elsewhere, with study time included in working hours.

I don't think it's an age thing. What a weird assumption :/

OP leave your job then! If you don't want to do the training then find something else. Nobody is forcing you to stay in that role.

And tbh level 3 is quite simple! But then, not everyone is built for learning

Tell the four other adults in your household that you need to take a year off from domestic duties and they will have to sort out the dog, cooking etc. and rearrange their schedules if necessary.

Lots of people do qualifications and job changes in their 50s but essentially work and study has to be a good fit for your personal set up. Caring for elderly parents and running a large family often take over

OP, a previous poster calculated your course at 2.5 hours a day. I have always found course times to be way more than is actually required. I bet you could do it in half that. Mature students also usually do very well. It's annoying but you do have to do it if you want to keep your job. At least they're not asking for a full degree.

YANBU I’m in my 30s and really struggled with going back to education, taking care of the kids, running a house and having energy for anything else and that’s without a full time career on top. Adult learning is bloody exhausting and a hell of a lot harder than when you’re a teen/young adult with fuck all responsibility or life experience.

I'm 57 and think it's an excellent idea. Too many "but I've been here since 1976 and we've always done it this way" attitudes in too many fields.

Imagine if the teacher of the OP's children had been in the job for 30 years and not received up to date training on new methods and syllabus requirements or worse, not wanted to.

Presumably the 350 hours is a guideline for people who are coming to it ‘cold’. If it is necessary for your job and you have been doing your job for ages, then there should be large parts you know very well already. My industry went through this sort of thing a few years ago and most experienced people found they needed to study far less than the suggested hours. So don’t panic. Have a look at a few past papers and work out where you need to concentrate your effort.