Mature Nursery Assistant / childcare

[MistressWeatherwax1]

Hi,

I'm turning 40 next year and have just been told I'm being made redundant after 20+ years in the one job (design based). I took 6 months out a few years ago, then went back to the same place so it means my statutory redundancy is disappointingly low.

The whole thing has been a shock as I love my job and thought it would be for life but lockdown has finally caught up and the business is no longer making money, hence redundancy.

I have no idea what I want to go into next but I'd love a more practical job working with kids or something helping people so have been looking at nursery assistants or even something with social work.

I had seen a position for each advertised that didn't seem to need HNC or HND qualifications but they were looking for immediate starts and I have to work til end of December for my notice period.

Financially I need to start working full time from January so I don't have the option of going to college to study. I'm in Scotland if that makes a difference.

Does anyone have any advice they can give me about careers in these areas, are there roles within these sectors based on life experience more than qualifications or would I have to find a way to get the relevant qualifications?

I'm feeling totally lost right now and very worried that on paper only having ever had this one job will count against me, even though it involved a lot.

Any advice anyone has about starting again at this age would be appreciated.

You might be able to get an apprenticeship and work towards qualifications. Pay is poor and long hours in this sector.
you could try speaking to careers Scotland.

You can work as an Early Years Assistant straight off. Lots of jobs on myjobscotland. You might get SAAS funding to do an SVQ. You would then be Early Years Practitioner, slightly better pay.
Lots of Pupil Support Assistant jobs as pay is so rubbish but the job can be really fun and varied. I did mainstream and special needs for a while , loved it but can't afford to do it anymore!

Thanks, I hadn't thought of Careers Scotland, I can look into that this week.

Ideally I'm looking for something with £22k min, which is already a £10k drop for me but something I'll have to accept.

For nurseries is there much difference between private or council-ran in terms of the jobs?

@MistressWeatherwax1

As a Nursery Assistant ( unqualified) you'll be on minimum wage. £9.50 per hour. On a 40 hour week this works out as £19,760 pa.

As a Nursery Nurse ( with an equivalent to a NVQ 3) you might get £22,000 pa but it's mostly about £21,000 for recent jobs I've seen

Quick update, applied for a position end of November and got it! Started last week and ready to begin my SVQ this month. Wish me luck!

Congrats @MistressWeatherwax1 !

Congratulations!