thinking of retraining. BUT I'm a lone parent AND I have a degree already....

[ridiculoussingle]

Any idea of if i'd get any help with fees etc? I can't face my career much longer, certainly not until I'm 68! Before I even start looking at possibilities, I need to know whether I'd even be able to do it. I know as I have a degree already I'm not entitled to a student loan, but are there other supporting agencies to contact?

Anyone doing this already or know where I can find out?

What are you considering doing?

well I'm considering a complete career change. Just feelnig around for ideas at the moment, but I 'd enjoy something medical (not a doctor!) or perhaps legal.
I don't have definite plans yet, I'd like to know if its feasible or not before I start thinking of what I'd like to do. I have a feeling I won't be able to study to retrain, and may have to move sideways in my current career, which I don't want to do.

Bumping this for you OP in the hope that you get some more replies as this is exactly what I want to do!

are you also a lp with a degree?

GingerbreadNI have a scheme that pays part of your fees for some courses - maybe where you are there is a similar scheme run by an NGO?

Nuffield trust paid part of my childcare but I think that was just for my first degree.

If it is any help, encouragement wise, I have changed direction from my degree, and again from my later longterm job (tho have used many elements in my new career)

Are there any free careers advice centres in your area? Sometimes even a friend working in the areas you are interested in can take a look at your CV and give a bit more advice

if you want to do something medical look at adult/child/mental health nursing, occupational therapy, physiotherapy or midwifery. These are generally funded by the NHS and often have a bursary in addition to the fees being paid and it doesn't matter about a previous degree. You will have to do placement hours of around 2300 through the three years so will have to budget in childcare for shifts but again, you might get help on that.

Have a look at your local uni for healthcare courses and go along to an open day to ask loads of questions, also look at the NHS bursaries website www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/816.aspx and they also have a facebook page where you can ask questions.

Medical courses, such as midwifery/nursing will involve shift work and it's really not easy to juggle shifts, study and being a single parent and bear in mind that the shift patterns change; an early is something like 07:30 until 1pm, a late is 12:30 until 10pm and there's the odd night shift. You'll need flexible childcare. Courses like radiography are more 9-5 but they do expect students to do a few shifts. Don't jump into something.

allied health prefessions do not all have inconvenient shift patterns. The training is often full time, ie: 40 hours per week, so you need childcare.