How do you choose which degree/career path to committ?

[PringPring]

I am planning to embark on some studying to hopefully give me more earning potential when I can hopefully go back to the world of work (currently a single parent carer to two with little support).

My background is early years but I'd like to go into a different area for lots of reasons.

I'm only qualified to level three currently so I'd like to do an access course and then a degree.

Nursing degree would offer a varied choice of different work roles and hours once qualified but I wouldn't be able to do the shift work placement hours.

Things like occupational therapy, social work, ed psych, salt, would be day time hours and interest me but I don't feel like I know enough to throw myself into a degree for one! It feels like a huge commitment to me.

I'd like daytime hours, a wage I can live on, and to feel I'm making a difference and helping people.

Has anyone else found this a tough choice and how did you decide?

Think of how much you need to earn, look at job adverts that interest you and what they require by way of experience and qualification.
Some charities train you as a voluntary role and then jobs come up where they usually hire from their volunteers. They are usually office hours and flexible but charity sector pay is poor however you would have the making a difference box.
Social work is so emotionally draining...some roles may be mon to fri but the baggage is 24/7...
I would try to speak to people in the roles that interest you. You could try asking them online.

Once you’ve thoroughly investigated the academic qualifications and career paths of all the possible jobs, which should narrow down the number of reasonable options, is it possible to undertake some sort of shadowing / volunteering / interning for maybe the two or three most likely, so you get to explore the work in practice? Might that not even be a requirement to get on to degree level courses?

I have no idea how people are introduced to those sorts of jobs but that’s what would be expected in my former profession.

I have a friend who is looking at a BA in social work as she needs a job with day time hours. She ruled out nursing as she can only put her son into nursery whilst she studies and then eventually works. She's looking to study through the OU.