Should I do OU or an HNC? Pros and Cons...

[LittleWeePickle]

Should I do an OU conversion course - converting an old Art degree to IT?

Pros:
Masters Degree or Postgrad would look good on my CV, have not worked for 2 years and have 22mo DS1 and 12 week DS2
I would have a better chance of getting a career job (used to be a graphic designer but am now very deskilled and feel bypassed by peers and new graduates)

Cons:
It's going to cost about 8K
I am not sure it is the course for me...
I'm not sure I can manage my time at all
I'm not sure I will get a decent job after study
I STILL don't know what I want to do with my life (and I'm 41 oops!)
I think I'm too thick to study a "proper" subject
I'm told that IT conversion courses aren't well regarded by employers when compared to 1st degree computing science graduates

Alternative: I can do an HNC part time at local FE college.

It will give me something to do, but I'd have to attend 2 evenings a week and would find this difficult with BF baby and getting DS1 to bed in time etc etc.

Would HNC course do anything for me career wise?

How hard is OU? How much brain power do you need? And how much time?

It depends on how self motivated you are.

I have just finished a self study two year course and I found it so hard being left to my own devices for a month. I did all my essays and assignments in the last two days they were due. Did go to Uni two days a month, but would have aprreciated more time to chat to other students on my course and more contact with tutors really.

It all depends on how you work best.

Okay i did HNC computing - started when pregnant and was supposed to be 2 nights but only one as so few students . Also currently started an ou short course.

HNC has a heavy work load and can be quite unstructured depending on how run. Finding OU more flexible, I have 2 options for the final submission (currently aiming for earliest in July but have option of sept if need)

Personally not found HNC did anything for me career wise as only gives a basic overview and wasn't in enough depth to allow me to compete. IT conversion suggests older individual compared to 1st degree hate to say it but less likely to 1. be parent needed sudden time of for kid appointments/illnesses 2. Less pay (contriversual i know)

Have you considered a course such as a Microsoft professional course which will qualify you at a level where you are very employerble and possibly even in a better position then 1st degree. But depends on what you want to do computing wise? programming/networking/website design etc

Did enrol last year for MCDST but was pregnant, due before end of course and exhausted. In a class composed of full time computing students I felt a bit outclassed. I may do it this year though.

The OU conversion course doesn't say "conversion" in title - it is entitled Information Systems. It is a conversion course though, for people with arts degrees etc.

Frustratedmom - did you have any IT experience before taking the course? Will you use it to do any further study? What kind of work experience did you have before undertaking the HNC?

Skramble - am scrambled at the best of times and have poor motivation and time management. Do you need a huge amount of self discipline for OU? And how difficult is it!

IT experience -none -only how to use basic applications needed for bsc degree (genetics) eg power point, email, word, excel)

Use in further -considering doing something computering if don't get teacher training course applied for (secondary science) I really enjoy programming but have wanted to teach for years and cant face completely retraining to do a programming career.

Work experience -I worked in an ice rink and did a year in a science lab. So absolutely nothing relevant.

Was MCDST expensive and who with as have been thinking about doing something like this myself?

Frustrated Mom -

I applied for MCDST at a further education college (most of them do this, sometimes called a Microsoft Academy or something) and it was about £450 I think? I live in Scotland and get a £200 ILA account towards the cost of this type of course (can get £500 a year for OU or similar).

I didn't enrol on this in the end as I was pregnant, knackered and would have given birth 2 months before the end of the course, so didn't want to set myself up for failure.

Did you find HNC course hard going? How would it compare to OU I wonder? I am thinking it is a much easier course, but maybe it isn't - in which case I'd be as well doing a postgrad really? Apart from fecking expense that is...

I basically want a course which will set me up with job skills for after maternity, but won't take up too much time. A bit of a tall order I suppose.

Name changed
Then i would reckmend a professional qual as neither the HNC or the postgrad put you in a position to walk into a job where as the MCDST qual individuals are. Prob why last course full of ccmputing students - they needed to put themselves into a competetive position for getting job at end of computer course.

I found hnc pretty full on and there were a lot of assignments to complete -the 2nd year project was heavy going -mine is in 3 vols large lever arch files thankfully as had to print the code for whole program that is nearly 3/4 of one vol on its own and that is one button PRINT

Good luck what ever you decide

I am very surprised that you've both found the HNC so demanding.

frustratedmom you have a degree in rocket science brain surgery genetics so I'd have thought an HNC would be a walk in the park in comparison...

I think MCDST is a good qualification, but I had a sinking feeling when I went to the enrolment last year and just thought who'd employ me when they have the pick of the bunch of "proper" computing graduates who come with added Microsoft certification?

Picking a course is hard. I have an art degree, but have found it hard to do much with it. Having said that, I am not keen to retrain from scratch, rather I'd like to go off at a tangent - maybe designing software interfaces? I am proficient with Photoshop etc, but lacking in confidence after a couple of years out of the workplace.

Why are so many graduates underemployed? Why do we study then end up working in jobs which do not need our skills?

How much work is MCDST? It is the cheapest option here, which is good

Hun frustratedmom became movingintothefuture due to a serious improvement in situation. I think the biggest problem was that the

1. pregnant then baby (ds was 1 1/2 when finished the 2years)
2. course run on short hours
3. no of assignments and project
4. no experience and v. steep learning curve
5. Couldn't organise a piss up in a brewery def not known for org skills!
6. not superwoman and can't function without sleep

Have you looked into stand alone one off courses on things like website design or flash programming etc. I know the college where I did hnc did stuff like that.

Didn't twig name change - doh!

Hmmm. Do I really wanna arse myself embark on a load of hard work for something I'm not 100% sure about...?

Can you do Post Graduate Brewery Piss Up? Actually, would I have the organisational skills? I suspect not!

Still thinking...

Mebbe a one off would be OK - get my sad sorry brain back in gear... get me out of the house.

I think on...

A one off would also give you a chance to finalise your thoughts on what you really wanted to do. and not so much of a comitment if you found you really struggled with it.

Good luck whatever you chose to do.

Thanks for all your help!