Apprenticeship masters at RG uni - will I regret going for this?

[NeedAHoliday2021]

I’ve been offered the chance of a 2 year masters while working full time. I have 3dc who are 10-13 and an amazingly supportive husband but I worry it’ll be too much and put to much on my dc. When I ask about workload it’s vague. They say it’s “hard work” but what does that mean? Gah! I can’t get my head round it but part of me feels excited by it. I don’t want to set myself up to fail though! Any advice?

You'll still be paying for it and it it will still be there in a couple of years.

It's not urgent unless it's a free offer funded by work etc.

Do it!
It sounds exciting
Would they let you extend it?

OP if you have a look on the (still rather new!) Mature Study and Retraining board, here:

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/mature_students

• you’ll find countless people doing exactly the same. Loads of advice and experience of mature study - including navigating home life and dealing with uncertainty.

(It would also be a better home for your own thread, if you care to ask MNHQ to move it …)

@PGSTesting123

You'll still be paying for it and it it will still be there in a couple of years.

It's not urgent unless it's a free offer funded by work etc.

It is free - it's an apprenticeship!

How organised are you OP? Can you carve out say two evenings a week and one full day at the weekend to study? At least during term time? That should be enough I'd have thought.

As it's an apprenticeship the assignments etc should be tailored to what you're doing at work, so not completely starting from scratch.

Senior Leader one?

Oh and check the detail on the uni website.

Thanks everyone. I didn’t know there was a mature student board!

Yes, NHS leadership course and funded except if I do the final assignment add on.

I’m currently doing a level 7 senior leader apprenticeship with the intention of doing the top up afterwards to convert it to an MBA. My company have agreed to fund this additional part for me.

I started in September so am only 3 months in. It is a lot of work. I wasn’t really prepared for how much. Alongside the academic stuff there is also the requirement to create a portfolio of evidence for the apprenticeship standard. Have to be honest most of my cohort are feeling a bit overwhelmed with it all at the moment but hopefully it will get better as we move through the programme and get more used to it all.

I get a study day each week but in reality that means I’m just doing a full time job in four days, so it’s all pretty intense.

There is a lot of reading and on my course fairly regular evening webinar lectures, so the time commitment does impact how much time I have for other things. I generally spend one day each weekend studying too.

My children are a bit older. 18 (just left for uni) and 15, so are pretty self sufficient and on the upside I’ve been so busy with my course it’s meant I haven’t really had chance to miss the 18 year old! They’re very supportive though and I like to think I’m setting them a good example by studying again and balancing Uni and work.

I don’t want to put you off as I am really enjoying it, and am learning a lot. We’ve already been able to implement some of the things I’ve learned in my business too so it’s definitely useful. But it is a lot of work. So you just need to be prepared for that. Feel free to message me if you want any more detailed info about it all.

I retrained (degree level) while working pt (25 hours) with two young children and it was VERY hard work. I couldn't have done it if it wasn't a pt course combined with a pt job. Well, I could, but I wouldn't have seen my family for 15 months.

(I only did Y2 of the degree to get a DipHE btw as I already had a previous degree plus enough relevant work experience to skip Y1 and I decided not to do the final year at the time - it was exhausting)

You need to look into this properly and find out exactly what is expected. It is a lot of work and stress and fitting it in is almost impossible without planning and foresight, and even then.....
Going into it without planning would be silly and highly likely to fail.

I did a 2-year Exec MBA whilst working full-time and my 2 DCs were a fair bit younger than yours (7 & 5). There were definite pressure points throughout the course, particularly when assignments were due, but it's surprising how quickly 2 years goes. I tended to work on an evening once the kids were in bed, and my DH was very good at being on the kids on a weekend when I had a deadline or needed to be at uni. This probably worked out as 1 in 3.
I think you'll find your way with it and, as long as you've got the right support around you, I'd go for it. I certainly don't regret it and it's definitely helped advance my career.

Absolutely go for it. I did my GDL when DS was a baby (and working full time) and LPC when he was 2. 10-13 year olds will be a breeze in comparison.

Currently no conversation about training due to covid and no staff in my hospital. High chance I’ll be working in the emergency department by Friday covering a role more essential than my own. Will revisit in March I guess.