AIBU to consider a degree instead of full time work while struggling to find a job?

[Karma1387]

I'm hoping the hive mind of mumsnet may have some suggestions on what I should do to improve my life.

I am looking to return to full time work (if I can afford to) after my maternity leave ends but the job market just seems super super tough. I need a 9-5 Monday-Friday job but everything I find online wants people with years of experience.

I want to improve my kids lives but it is looking impossible at the moment. Am I better off going and doing a degree and praying the job market is better in 3 years?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated as I feel a bit stuck but the world is crazy expensive and I have a lot of debt and I know the longer I'm not in a proper job the harder it is going to be to get into one.

Why do you think getting a degree would help, as opposed to kicking the can three years down the road?

If the degree leads to a job then it could be a good idea. If you just choose a random degree then less of a good idea.

I don't necessarily know if it would help. But I am trying to think outside the box for what could help my employment prospects but also give a bit of extra money into the household (student finance for living costs)

Won't you get deeper in to debt?

But then in three years you will have a massive debt to pay back…

What about vocational training?

I am considering accounting and finance. I have no idea if it would actually help get a job but at the moment getting a full time job 9-5 seems impossible so I guess part of me thinks whats the harm. But the other part of me goes thats 3 years and I still might not get a job out of it.

I mean student loan debt is very different to consumer debt. But yes in theory it would be more debt.

I mean its a different kind of debt. Small repayments but yeah it isn't ideal.

I have considered studying my AAT (accounting qualification) but having the qualification doesn't change the fact all the jobs advertised want you to have the qualification and 1 year plus experience in the sector!

Changing career fields is much harder than I imagined.

I don't think its necessarily a bad idea, but I think you need to identify what sort of area you want to work in. For example Local Authority social work is mostly office hours monday to friday, and you need a specific degree in social work to practice.

Also have you thought about doing a part time degree with the OU, and looking for part time work in the area you are interested in? You may then be able to do a more industry specific degree.

I wouldn't just enroll in any old degree for the sake of it though, its expensive, hard work, and its only an investment if it actually gets you a better paid job.

That’s wild, I’d never think to get a student loan for living costs. Going into debt for everyday expenses as a grown adult with children? Crazy. That’s not thinking outside of the box, it’s just irresponsible tbh. You don’t even know what you want to study so clearly it’s an afterthought

Impossible to say without more information. Do you have a partner or are you a single parent? How old are your DC? What kind of work experience do you already have? how much debt are you already in?

Since you’re considering a degree in accounting & finance, what jobs do you currently see advertised in this field at graduate entry level that aren’t likely to be done entirely by AI in 3 years’ time?

Is there any training you could do, rather than a full time university degree, that might allow you to accrue less debt / start earning sooner?

I had considered this initially but I haven't been able to find a single part time job in the field I am interested in that doesn't need experience and the odd one I have found that is willing to take a chance although advertised as part time want full flexibility to work other days to cover sickness etc which I cant do due to childcare.

Would you consider any potential 9-5 nhs type vocational degrees. I’m thinking things like therapeutic radiography, maybe speech and language? Podiatry? You’d have to check to see what employment potential is and also if they are likely to be 9-5. You also get approx a 6k annual grant as well as student loan. The grant doesn’t have to be paid back.

I have been hoping to get an accounting related job so doing an accounting degree would likely be the way I would go if I did it.

I make student loan repayments, you definitely do feel the deductions, given your student loan gets paid at source before you even get your salary. I wouldn’t go into student debt on a whim like this. It’s especially annoying when you’re trying to increase your income, it’s not unusual for me to be paid extra for whatever reason and end up with some ridiculous 75% in total HMRC deductions.

I have a partner but he works retail night management so his shifts are a bit wacky. Hence needing a 9-5 monday-friday so I can still handle childcare. I used to be a small express store manager prior to having my kids. Kids are 2.5 and 7 months. Debt is 50k.

There doesn't seem to be any graduate jobs around in accounting. All the accounting jobs I see advertised are wanting experience in finance.

I can do the AAT (accounting) qualification although I would have to self-fund. But even with these the jobs advertised are wanting 1 year plus of experience.

I do keep an eye on the NHS website. Not much comes up near us and the ones that do want good A levels which I don't have.

But I am always looking.

Thank you for the perspective on student loans. Something to think about!

Is there an adult education college near you where you could do a uni access course in lieu of A levels?

Can you not return to your old job? Maternity leave implies you had a job. You can work and do a degree with ou at the same time.

What would the purpose of that be? Wouldn't that just delay me going to university when I can already get into university.

Yes I will be returning to my 2 night a week in the middle of January but I need more money coming into the house asap so I don't realistically want to just keep my 2 day a week job as it is only just covering our expenses.

I can't return to my career I had prior to DS1 due to the hours

I worked at Argos while studying for my AAT and jumped into an accounting job from there. I think you need to lower your expectations.

You said that NHS jobs you are interested in need good A levels that you don't have. You can use an access course in lieu of A levels.

Lower my expectations in what way? I don't care at the moment if a full time job is in accounting. I just want a 9-5 Monday-Friday job but 9-5 doesn't seem as common now and all of the jobs that are around seem to want you to have experience.