To wonder what the hell to do next

[Jacros12]

I’m a single mum to a 2.5 year old

Ive just finished a degree from a really good London uni with first class honours - don’t know if this is relevant but I guess I’m trying to say I’ve been working hard (graduating this September)

As a single mum and student I’ve had my sons 2 days at nursery 80% paid for by a childcare grant for students on low wage which has obviously been massively helpful

I rent a tiny, falling apart 1 bed flat in London which is not ideal for me and my son but is all I can afford. We really need to move, I don’t always feel safe here (I’m not being dramatic) and we need more room.

Now uni is coming to an end I’m completely lost for what to do - I won’t get the grant anymore. If I get a job I have to pay full nursery fees 5 days a week which would be £1000+. I highly doubt I’ll be able to get a job that pays over 25k and that’s pushing it.

I just don’t see what my options are - I’ve gone to citizens advice, and used benefit calculators. It seems I would be way better off in terms of nursery fees, rent, money if I was just on universal credit?!

I went to uni to better my opportunities (I’m 29 now) - but AIBU to think I’m better off staying on benefits until my son goes to school?

I have no family support…

Can you move out of London? If your son hasn’t started school yet you have lots of freedom. I would look for jobs all over the UK and relocate. You could start working part time and using the ‘free’ hours.

At 2.5 you are entitled to:
15 free hours
£2000 tax free
Child benefit

In less than 5-6 months you will be able to 30 free hours and that will be a game changer.

We know we only have to last until September so I've taken out a low interest loan to cover costs until my son turns 3. I pay it off at £89 a month which is much cheaper than monthly nursery fees for this point in our lives. If you can secure a job, ask for an employer contribution (check out workplace nurseries where you can save by paying fees through salary sacrifice) or flexible/hybrid working. If you take a slighter higher loan, it could also give you a deposit to help move?

This all sounds so ridiculous that any woman should be in this situation but we were left with no choice if I was to keep my job!

Why do you not think you would earn over £25k? What was the degree in? It's not a massively high salary to be fair.

Do you have to stay in London? Other places are definitely cheaper and if you have no family ties then you could go anywhere.

Move out of London would be the obvious one

25k seems low for grad jobs in London especially assuming you’ve got around 6 years of work experience behind you- what sector?

25k in London with a fresh first class honours? Now worth staying, and that sounds really unusual. Friends kids with degrees are starting on £30 in London

If you have a first class degree from a really good London uni, you can get a job paying over £25k. Graduate programmes where you train to be an accountant will start you on more than that and salary usually increases quickly.

Move out of London.

Don't use nursery, use a childminder.

What kind of work would you be looking to do OP?

What other experience have you got, given you are 29?

You can continue to claim UC who will likely pay 85% of childcare and possibly top up your wage when you start working. It’s always worth working.

What is you degree in? Congrats, it’s really tough as I’m doing the same now but am so nearly done!

God you could do anything! This is a great time to be in your position - you don’t have a job, your son doesn’t have a school place. The perfect opportunity to uproot and start a life somewhere else 😍

hi thanks all. My degree is in education/sociology - I had initially planned to do a pgce but I decided I didn’t want to be a teacher. All the jobs I’ve looked at I don’t seem to be at all qualified for? I have lots of childcare/reception/admin experience.

I’ve been considering moving away so that appears to be the logical option - just means moving away from any connections/friends I do have. I suppose that’s life though!!

Those that have said I’d be qualified for an over 25k job - do you have any ideas of what I should be looking at? As if I’ve said anything I’ve looked at I don’t seem to meet the requirements

OP please make an appointment with the careers service at your university as soon as possible. Have a good think about what you want to do and how much you want to be earning. Think about your current skill set and what you'd like to develop and take all that information with you to the appointment. They are specialists and will be able to provide valuable guidance.

Do not settle for £25k with a first class honours and do not move away from your home and support network unless you are moving for a secured job in an area you would actually like to live in.

Meant to say as I’ve said not as if I’ve said…

Chartered accountancy or investment banking. Generally degree agnostic.

But at the same time, you needed to apply for these jobs months ago. You can’t wait until you’ve basically finished to apply. Did you not get any notifications for presentations from companies looking to recruit? ? I’ve just finished at UoL ( masters) and my inbox was full of them?

Why spend three years doing a degree without a career path in mind? Surely you decide what you want to do and then do the course that gets you there, not the other way around?

Hang on let's get her a time machine. Helpful 🙄

Apply, apply apply. You are qualified for jobs you don't think you're qualified for.

Lots of jobs don’t mind what degree you have, so broaden your search net. Look at civil service, management consultancy (grads schemes?), social or market research, finance, HR. You’ll have loads of options and defo look at grad schemes

I’ve always worked in education/childcare roles in schools/children’s centres etc and have a real interest in education/how education differs all over the world which is why I did the degree. When I started the degree I thought I wanted to be a teacher - after a year I decided I didn’t because firstly I’d had my son and also I’d heard a million horror stories especially about doing a pgce with a young child. I would still love to work in something to do with education/charity etc just not an actual teacher!

Could you do your pgce and first year - teaching opens lots of other options up.
Alternatively local council - ours is family friendly and lots of roles

Right, but realistically, unless you have teaching experience, is a bachelors degree going to get you a role in education outside of teaching? - I guess you mean policy, consultancy or curriculum development? I have friends in these areas and they have been teachers and then done a masters in education to springboard them onto these other, better paid roles, but the teaching experience has been critical for credibility and providing context to what they’re advising.

if you don’t want to be a teacher I’d probably forget education and look at what else might interest you and that pays well and is degree agnostic. Focus on grad schemes as they tend to have clear progression pathways.

I’d really advise against the charity sector ( and I say that as someone who works in it). Not so much because of the pay but because the progression pathways are very unclear. You don’t want to get stuck in what is effectively a non grad job with no obvious way up.

Honestly in your shoes I would look at high paying careers rather than the charity or education sectors, especially as you live in London. Think about what you'd ideally like to be earning in day, 5 years, research the types of jobs that would pay that amount and then work backwards to find a career pathway that interests you.