SALTs please come and help me - I'm thinking about joining you!

[CareerChangeWanted]

OK, so I've worked for 10 years in the city, for the last 7 in corporate comms and PR. I did a social science degree and have always (since well before uni) had a strong interest in linguistics and child development. But I was convinced that I needed to get a job earning as much as I could, so went down the corporate route.

I am utterly disillusioned with my job. The corporate PRs that I have to work with talk complete nonsense - I wish I'd not been exposed to this world has it makes me immensely cynical about everything I read in the papers, see in the news or watch on the TV. The company that I work for does some good stuff but ultimately is just lining the pockets of shareholders and that will always be the motivation. So I've been thinking for a while about a career change and having thought through a few options, the only one that really makes any sense at all is Speech and Language Therapy. I've only just got to this conclusion, so I've done no thinking yet about getting any experience although 2 toddlers have given me some! And as I said, it's always been something I've taken an interest in and - in the past - I've done a lot of reading around the child development and linguistics aspects. My degree also has elements of social pyschology and social development. I've done a bit of research and it looks like I might be eligible for a 2 year MSC, which at my age and with two young kids seems to be the best option.

But I have some questions...

• Has anyone done the 2 year MSc, particularly as a mature student/with kids. How manageable is it?

• If you did the MSc, what sort of experience (if any) did you get beforehand and did it help your application? How did you go about getting it?

• Anyone been to UCL or City Unis to do SALT. Any thoughts to share on either of these?

• How have you found it getting jobs after qualification? (I don't want to jump out of a pretty well paid career and then find myself unemployed in a couple of years' time).

• I don't have any science background - last time I did any sciences was GCSE. Will that really hamper me while I qualify?

And finally:

• Do you like your job? Do you think this is a good move? Is there anything I should know in advance?

Thank you!

Bump

No one?? : (

I think the problem is it is extremely specific, as in SALT isn't a huge profession, but generally, could you contact UCL and City to talk to one of their advisors/course Tutors they could maybe put you in touch with Student who has taken a similar leap.
It has to be said that I have been out of my role in the NHS for 4 years so I am out of date on job roles that are desparately short, but SALT was the one and only we promised a turn round of same day of interview with Pre employment Occupational Health Questionaires, including any medicals if needed, because there was such a shortage of SALT, that the Department wanted them nailed down ASAP as if they had been offered the Job and excepted they found they tended not to go to other interviews and started, when they started to get numerious job offers their starter rate dropped, caveat is that this was the SALT degree students post finals I am talking about, not Masters.

But first stop really has to be talking to the UNi as I imagine like a Masters in my specialty you really need to actually work in it and have a degree or higher diploma to make it worth your while, but if that is the case really if you want to make the leap.
I will be honest I left my career developement for a while for various reasons..,like them being toddlers and twins then being aboard and not working :) but my babies are 6 coming on 7 now and I feel better placed to tackle such things, that said I know people who because baby to toddler is so regimented in their life, doing extra education was another stress, but worked into the everyday stress neatly and I expect the escape from the day to day was a welcome break, myself I had a routine but I would have gone into meltdown a couple of years ago with extra jiggling of life, but know I am keen and raring to go, but only you know, you and your family set up, finances etc, investigate and even if today isn't the day to make that leap maybe 2 years time, 4, 10, everyone is different but really start by talking to the Uni's.
Good Luck.

Thanks so much missingmum - you're right, probably wishful thinking that I'd get a host of replies, but I'm sure I've seen SALTs discussing things on here before so I was hoping some would pass by. Your advice is useful though and very interesting about the demand. I'm not sure doing the study with two young kids is right either, but if I don't do this course I'll be back in my pretty full-on job so I think they're probably on a par in that regard. Thanks again.