Feeling trapped in current NHS role. What options do I have?

[Eisenberg]

I have worked in the NHS for the past 10 years as a Band 4 Office Manager. I now feel trapped in my current role and know there's no way of earning more money if I stay. I would love to move on from corporate administration work and find something more enjoyable. The NHS does offer apprenticeship opportunities to its staff, but the route you go down has to be relevant to your current role. Unfortunately, I don't think this is a feasible option for me as a Business Administration apprenticeship isn't going to teach me anything new or open up any opportunities for me that I couldn't get now.

What options are available for someone who wants to increase their earning potential? I have 10 GCSEs and a wealth of administrative experience within the public sector.

On a separate note, does anyone have any tips to help me muster some motivation for my current role until I escape?

What about band 5 and 6 roles?

I’m the same, I don’t think I can earn any more (top band 4) without a degree so I’m doing this separately at the open university

So you have no qualifications above 10 GCSEs? That could be an issue. It’s difficult it to see how you move on with no other qualifications. Do you never talk about “next steps” at your annual review? I think you could get training from them in a sideways role. There are also decent jobs in local authorities and schools but you are held back by no HE qualifications. Could you look at something part time in an area that interests you? I did HR. Could you move into that?

What is it you're studying? Do you have an idea of what you'd like to do once you have completed it?

Possibly, but I don't know if I am done with the NHS in general.

Thanks for your reply. In answer to your questions...

1. No, I don't have any additional qualifications to my GCSEs.

2. I have never had a discussion about "next steps" in my annual reviews. There is funding for apprenticeships available, but the proviso is the apprenticeship you do HAS to be relevant to your current role. I could do one in something like Business Administration, but that's not something that appeals to me as I can't see how it would open up any opportunities that I couldn't get now.

3. I could do part-time study in something else but know I would have to fund it myself.

@Eisenberg Surely qualifications beyond GCSEs open up more possibilities. We always had a section on developing employees in our annual reviews. You don’t seem to have had that for some reason. You can of course ask for it. If you don’t want Business courses, what do you want? What are you interested in? Also within a business qualification you get to see other aspects of work. You might like finance, HR, marketing, or something you hadn’t thought of. Lots of people do join courses as mature students to open up job possibilities. What about going to see a careers advisor? I’m sure your experience qualifies you for what you are doing but how transferable is it? I’d start looking at secondments too. What else would extend your skills?

I was a band 4 for 30 years in the same department. I don't have a degree. I was accepted for a six month secondment to a 5, this was extended then made permanent. It was completely out of my area.
Two years later I got a 6, three years after that I got a 7. I did study and get qualifications.

I've now retired and returned and am a part time 5.

I would look at data, any area. Analytics, visuslisation, governance, science. They are all growth areas and not as boring as they sound. Your problem maybe that every trust I know is on a clinical freeze.

The NHS is currently in the worst recruitment freeze I've seen since 2005 , I will be surprised if your Trust doesn't roll out the MARS scheme or even compulsory redundancy before long. What would you like to do? Are there other Trusts you could get to easily? Secondments were the life blood of the NHS when I joined but they've died a death too in general.

When you look on NHS jobs and see other posts that appeal, what qualifications and/or experience are you missing and how could you acquire it? Are there any internal groups or committees that could help you acquire those skills and widen your knowledge of the NHS?

If you're done with the NHS you could apply the same approach to education or councils on the knowledge/skills gap although this is not a particularly good time to be looking to move unfortunately.

Thanks for sharing your NHS journey. It shows what's possible. What sort of work did you do and what qualifications did you get to move you up through the bands?

Thanks for the suggestion about the Data field. It's not one I have any knowledge of, so I'll certainly research it in greater detail.

Yes, each NHS trust is in the midst of dealing with crippling budget reductions and an urgent way to find savings. I suspect recruitment freezes will soon kick-in for non-clinical roles.

There are other trusts in my local area that I could get to if I saw a suitable vacancy.

Unfortunately, I have no idea what I would really like to do so understand I need to look at myself more and see what is out there.

There have already been some great suggestions made in this thread.

Why not access adult careers advice? You need to evaluate your transferable skills! There are data input jobs with the NHS (DN does one) but lower band then you but she has a science degree. I can see it’s not easy but don’t forget that redundancies mean changes to jobs of the people who don’t go. Often the redundancies are voluntary. So staffing gets shuffled around to plug vital gaps. You need to position yourself to see what vacancies arise that you can do.

Have you considered CIPD (the exam HR people do)? I think you can get employers to fund them, but also can self fund. You work your way up them and I know that the higher exams are level 7 equivalent (ie degree). You can start with a level 3 certificate, perhaps self funded, and then move into HR in pretty much any sector but private medical might be a sensible move, and get them to sponsor you through the rest of them.

Then you work up through level 5 and level 7 diplomas? My sister and SiL did both of these having left schools in UK and S Africa with only a level1/2 educations (O Levels and high school matric). Both are senior HR management now.

LOL at this. Whilst it would have been a great suggestion ten years ago; it isn’t now I’m afraid.

I have level 3 and 5 CIPD which I self funded and I also have three years of HR experience…I and many others got made redundant and I couldn’t find another job even minimum wage entry level. This is because there have been so many HR redundancies recently that the market is flooded. You’re getting companies taking HR advisors with ten years of experience for entry level roles at entry level pay…just because they can!

HR is horrendous for job prospects. Please steer well clear. It’s the first place businesses make cuts so in this economy it’s terrible.

As soon as I started applying for non-HR jobs, I got a job straight away. It’s HR that’s the problem. Most companies are looking at using AI to reduce the need for HR professionals. So there are less jobs but more applicants than ever.

I am open to doing a professional qualification, but I don't see myself pursuing a career in HR. There's too much conflict and drama in it when dealing with workplace issues.

It’s a horrendous career choice now. I’ve had to leave as there are barely any jobs and the ones there are are very underpaid. Companies mostly disrespect HR anyway so they don’t invest in it.

Not seen AI do redundancies yet. @Eisenberg So what do you want? You are mostly negative.

That's the million dollar question. I am really not sure what I would like to do.

HR will continue to be in demand in the public sector and large companies for the foreseeable future.

AI won't be able to offer the personable service that companies and organisations need for managing conflicts etc.

With the amount of redundancies coming up in the NHS, they're going to need HR staff to oversee everything associated with that.

@Eisenberg off to see a careers adviser then! You need to write down your skills - consider the transferable skills. What can they lead to?
Any particular interests or dislikes? My DDs did a Morrisby Test. Costs money but comes up with suggestions. Not sure if there’s an adult version but you could look this up.

It’s the NHS who are mostly getting rid of HR, believe me. I worked in the NHS and admin and HR are their main target. I also know many HR professionals and you’re literally getting HR managers driving Ubers and doing Deliveroo as they can’t get jobs. I’m advisor level and can’t even get assistant roles along with loads of people I know. To be clear, it was NHS HR that I got made redundant from along with half the department.

People don’t have to heed my warning but I do actually know many people who are unemployed or underemployed after getting made redundant from HR roles. Also, regarding AI, that’s mostly in private sector recruitment so far but employment law is going the same way. I know because I have insider knowledge.

Very worrying times indeed.

Thanks for your advice.

I did a test a couple of months ago that's similar to the Morrisby one by a company called, Pigment. Unfortunately, it didn't really throw up anything that I didn't already know. The suggested careers were similar to the type of work I do.

It’s probably your qualifications and skills that are leading to that but were any areas of work attainable or enjoyable? Could you work in education? With people, train to be a social worker?