Teaching, midwifery, nursing or accountancy?

[nikki1978]

I don't know what to do?!

I decided a few months ago that now my dd is starting school next month and my DS starts nursery (2 mornings until April then 5 mornings until he starts school in Sept 2011) I wanted to retrain. I was a admin/PA for about 7 years then when I had the kids I did book keeping part time which I am still doing now.

My husband and I want to emigrate to Australia in about 7 years too so this is a factor in deciding what to do as I would be the person whose skills would get us residency.

At first I was going to do a Primary Teaching degree as it would fit well round having kids as a degree and a profession. However it seems that the market is saturated with primary school teachers and I don't want to study for a career with few job prospects.

I also looked at an English Lit degree with a secondary teacher PGCE (secondary school teachers are currently very much in demand in Aus and here). However I don't think Eng Lit is a very sought after subject and if we did end up staying in this country I don't think I would want to be a secondary school teacher here particularly as I live near London and the teenagers are awful.

Midwifery appeals to me but it seems that the hours for the degree are long and unpredictable and you wouldn't know what kind of financial help you could get until the last minute. DH has his own company but contracts his services out and has to work shifts and nights a few times a month (don't know these rotas until the month before often). We only earn just over £30k between us and all that is allocated to pay bills, debt, etc. Also midwifery seems to be very very competitive. However you do not have to pay to do a midwifery degree as I understand it so I would not be lumbered with a huge student loan at the end of it.

Nursing would be my second choice to midwifery but I presume it would have the same problems as the midwifery course.

Accountancy is another option although tbh I would prefer not to have to sit in front of a desk for the rest of my life but the wages would be much higher. However the traning would take ages as it seems you need to geta degree then do lots of years of training to become a chartered accountant.

Any ideas or tips on what to do with the rest of my life ladies?

All advice gratefully received !

I don't think I could do a maths degree tbh. I am good at maths but think I will find the alevel a push.

The other option here is to do eng lit and biology.

Only thing is I have spent half the summer revising GCSE maths to sit an exam proving I am able to do the alevel so I will be p*ssed off if I wasted all that time

Maybe doing an access course instead of A-levels would give you a better start. Although you will need to decide what path you are taking beforehand.
I am at the range of courses you are looking at.
Im a nurse (trained with supersal ). Its bloody hard work and very demanding and is NOT the sort of job you can do without being committed I dont think, ditto teaching and midwifery.
IMHO the best nurses and midwives are those who do the job because they love it, or try to . Its crap pay and crap hours, and sometimes crap people too, have been qualified for a year now and still dont feel that Ive 'made that difference' that you refer to. Sometimes I think I was more fulfilled in my previous 9-5 office job (although not all days).

Just a thought, but I know that if you do an accountancy qualification ACMA/ACCA/AAT then you may have to do a conversion when you go to Australia. Also, ACMA/ACCA can be studied without having a job in the relevent field (though it would help) and then you need several years experiance to get the full qualification is CIMA is ACMA. HTH

Well I have definitely struck accountancy off the list as it doesn't really appeal - the only reason it came to mind was because I am a book-keeper now but the thought of the job does nothin for me.

Midwifery is still a very appealing choice for me. It has been something I have loved the idea of for a while. I am only put off because of the childcare aspect while studying plus the fact that it is a hard course to get onto and I would like to get a move on since I am 30 and still have 2 years of A-Levels to do.

Occupational Therapy also sounds appealing and I have been reading up on it. I prefer the 9-5 aspect of the job due to the childcare. I will have to investigate more to see if it has the same pull as midwifery does with me.

Teaching is something I looked at doing mainly due to the way it would fit into my family life plus I think I would be very good at it. I am very patient, organised and clever so it seems a good career for me.

Anyway after a lot of thinking I am going to enrol for Maths and Human Biology A-Levels. Then I will have 4 A-Levels at the end (hopefully!) albeit one of them being a D Grade (English Lit). But even if I do decide on teaching they will both stand me in good stead.

Now I have a year to make my choice as to which path to follow.

I know some of you think I am being fickle but tbh I see myself right now as the same as a 16 year old about to start A-Levels. People that age mainly decide which way they want to go as they do their ALevels then apply to Unis in their second year.

Not everyone who does a degree is "passionate" about their chosen career. Some just really like the idea of it and are prepared to work their bums off to achieve their degree and get a stable job at the end that they enjoy and helps them provide for their family. That is how I see myself really

that's great, I totally agree biology and maths are the best a-levels for you to take, good luck with them!

I also agree, you don't need to be 'passionate' as such about the profession to be a good nurse or midwife; the qualities you describe in yourself - patience, hard working, organisational skills will stand you in very good stead for any of the health care professions. Very few people know exactly what career they want to have, it's good to keep your options open, and a-levels in english, art, maths and biology will certainly keep your options open.

Thank you Belgo! I am currently cramming my maths revision as I have to sit an exam on Wednesday to prove I am clever enough to do maths a-level

Fingers crossed!

Am so excited for you and hope you retrainng dreams come true!

some one mentioned before...

"Teaching is something I looked at doing mainly due to the way it would fit into my family life"

Becareful. Pupils are at school from 9 - 3 and have weekends and holidays off. Not teachers! Teachers are there at 8 to prepare and leave at 5/6 if they're lucky. [Personally I've been up at around 5 most of the last 3 weeks to work beofre DD up] I;m a msuic teacher and often do late evenings, lunchtime rehearsals etc etc. Love it but it only works whith MEGA flexible childcare and DH workign shifts.

LOVE IT THOUGH!!! If its good its amazing - real sens of school community, own working environment, woring with young eople etc...

Hi, I know this is an old post but wanted to know which you went for? I’m AAT qualified and worked in accounts for 10 years but now been out of it 2 years I can’t think of anything worse than going back to the office 😂 always wanted to do midwifery and can afford to do training now but not sure I can deal with the child care difficulties. Thanks

Physio? Salt?