Hi,
I am at a crossroads in my working life. I really don't know what direction to take.
I have worked for 18 years in a professional role within the NHS. I still like the job but due to going part time, ten years ago, I have not had the chance to move upwards (I am stuck at top of band 6). I can't relocate either due to husband's job. I am very unfortunate to have no family help at all with childcare (we have 2 children, one will go to secondary in 2015) and a husband who works ridiculous antisocial hours (lower paid than me). He is unable to change his job due to his age.
Anyway, now both of my children are well established at school I want to either increase my hours or move into something else that interests me.
A big problem with my current job is that we are being moved to another hospital 25 miles away and working hours will be over an extended day 8am-8pm. Now, this causes problems with someone who relies on childcare. Also, the travelling costs!! We have already discussed working opposite each other on the days I work and both bosses are agreeable to this. I also have the option of working 2x12 hr shifts or 3x12 hr shifts if I increase hours. Someone is retiring and we have extra hours available. I don't need the money (we only have 3 years left on our mortgage) but I do like money for holidays etc.
However, I have also looked into teaching over the last few years. I always regret not going into teaching when I left uni but I was in desperate need of £££ so took a trainee position within the NHS (I wanted to be a secondary science teacher back then). I have ruled out primary as I don't fancy teaching subjects that I am not interested in. I have been trying to decide between secondary and FE (sixth form in particular). I am reluctant to give up a good salary for a teacher training bursary though! Anyway, I went across to one of the local colleges and they have offered to train me (post 16 PGCE) over 2 years part time around my NHS job. And, give me PAID teaching placements at their FE and sixth form. I am tempted by this as I can train to do another career whilst working in the NHS at the same time. The teaching would involve doing subjects relating to my profession, at first, and then moving on to A-levels next year.
I am worried about the NHS to be honest...they are down grading staff all over the place (although not my trust) and the job I went into is changing. I don't want to end up at an age where I may be out of a job and too old to re-train. I don't want to give up my NHS pension either.
So, what would you do?
(A) stay as I am and continue part time? Bear in mind we work a lot of unsocial hours and I struggle for childcare due to hubby working unsocial hours (weekends especially). Also, we get paid piddling amounts now for this. Travel costs in the future have an impact too. I don't fancy working in a job that expects you to drive up and down during the night once I am in my 60's! We have to work until 67 now in the NHS. I am thinking ahead!
(B) stay as I am but do the part time PGCE also alongside my NHS job and use it in the future either part or full time? My original idea was to retrain through this route and aim for working in 6th form colleges (I would need the school hols). I feel like I am not putting all of my eggs in one basket with this one and the post 16 PGCE would open up so many doors. I have a BSc and Masters so it would be nice to use them.
I am at a loss as to what to do...