looking at entry level non-degree sciencey/healthcare jobs...what sort of things could I look for?

[Fillyjonk]

basically I want to switch into a sciency/healthcare field.

I have a solid academic background but in arts. I am doing (I think) a chemistry degree with the OU (might switch to biology). Think it would be reasonable to argue I had equivalent to science a levels.

I want something to give me decent work experience. first to get an idea of what I want to do and second to get me some work experience for the cv and all...

Right now I am torn between aiming for midwifery or nursing then midwifery (would ideally like dual qualification), vs dietics vs some sort of lab type work.

so what should I look for? Am thinking nursing auxillary but beyond that...I don't even know what job titles to search, or, beyond the NHS, which employers.

oh and stuck in cardiff so needs to be s wales or thereabouts.

god this is really woolly. Sorry.

just ideas, i think, is what i am after

crystal ball also good

nursing auxillary would be great, also care assistant jobs at nursing homes etc. You could see if there is any work shadowing you could do as a midwife - write to relevant departments in the hospital and tell them your plans and see if they have any offers for you to get a feel for the job.

Re the OU thing - do biology! Chemistry is really hard -esp. learning on your own!

If you are wanting to go into nusring you could try getting a nuring auxillary post within a miwfery team. Then you would get experience of nursing and midwifery. Also it is easier to move within the nhs once you are in as you would see the internal job vacancies.
One other avenue within nhs is as art therapist. I thought that may be good as it is using your degree in arts.
Hope this helps

lol

I REALLY like biochemistry!

I think I've found an OU path that is bascially biochemistry

have been looking at dietics postgrad again-am thinking its really a hard route. Another option might be actually just biting the bullet and doing another degree...I think I'd actually get my fees paid-cos its an NHS bursary? Anyone know?

oh lol no my degree is actually in ancient languages

if I can in any way aid peoples recovery by speaking to them in ugaritic I would be happy to, but...not sure I will be paid to do it...

lol. Have never seen a job advert for that!What about phlebotomy, as you get to see the patients to take their blood but it is also working in a lab. Sorry cant help more as I have only worked in psychiatry but would recommend that.
perhaps try looking on your local nhs website to see their vacancies or go into alternative health, maybe nutrition.

actually did work experience in a genetics lab many aeons ago

do they let people like me do phlebotomy

think i would like that

ANYTHING biochemically sciency would be quite acceptable really

but also don't mind skivvying to get experience

play therapist?

If you look on your local hospital's website, they may have a 'volunteers' page. Might be worth investigating, just to give you some ideas/rule a few things out.

my friend did a one year conversion course to qualify as a nurse - it might depend what your first degree is but it would be a quick route into the system and I imagine there would be funding.

TBH play therpist / art therpaist posts are very hard to find once you qualify - ditto counselling.

I have to play with my OWN kids enough...

the volunteer thing is an excellent idea. Really a good idea. It might enable me to start doing stuff sooner, since I assume I can choose my hours more

but can't find it on cardiff site . I assume there MUST be a volunteer co-ordinator or similar? Shall dig

Filly, have you had a look here? NHS careers

Phelbotomy might be a good one - I think it's a few days training (at most, iirc). Health care assistants/auxiliaries do loads these days - I think there's actually an OU course related to it - so that would be another good option.

Just an aside re: nursing/midwifery. They're phasing out the post-registration midwifery course in some areas and making midwifery 100% direct entry, so if you're thinking of that route it's worth investigating further what your options actually are.

Good luck!

I think they do take people on in phlebotomy with any degree and then train them once there. I think that is right anyway.

do you know anyone in nhs you could hassle?

oh bugger, started thread re nursing/midwifery cos THOUGHT that was the case

Bizarely I know NOONE in the nhs really. I mean NO ONE. Everyone I know is a teacher or legally.

It's not in all areas atm, but it is a definite possibility.

In any case, having the nursing qualification is no guarantee of getting onto the post-reg m/w course (in fact probably harder because places are even more restricted) so dual registration is quite hard to get in reality, these days.

If you end up with a biochemistry/chemisty degree have you thought about Medical Laboratory type jobs? the people who run all the tests? Or medical Histology, the people who check out the biopsys? Or pharmacology (not pharmacy that needs a pharmacy qualification)

What about going into drug development? Or medical Information in te pharma industry (I did that job very interesting, they basically pay you to read science and answer questions fabbo!)

Fillyjonk I found this.

Look under 'What we can do to help' - they're talking about fundraising, but it goes on to give the contact details of a fabulously named woman, possibly distantly related to hunkermunker, who may be able to point you in the right direction. She is the 'Patient Experience Manager.' So don't ring her if you're impatient, I s'pose....

PS Yes, you're right about the play therapist bit, what was I thinking!

Are you looking to get a job now - to help you make up your mind, or some ideas for what to aim for when you graduate?
I work in an NHS diagnostic lab and a few years ago it would employ people with good A levels and give on-the-job training to do a lot of the lab side of the work (all analytical stuff had to be done by staff with degrees plus a min. 2 year post-grad qualification).
Nowadays even the lowest level staff members must have degrees so it'll be really hard to get a 'work experience' type job that isn't just filing.
I"m pretty sure that for most NHS science jobs there will be a 2-4 year post-grad training scheme, but then you will be looking at similar for nursing/midwifery too I guess. Graduate new entry staff tend to be on NHS band 5 or band 6 for payscales (I have no idea what entry level nursing is at).
As science jobs go NHS work is generally better paid than academic, but pharmceutical companies tend to pay better - but mostly require a PhD.

Fillyjonk, what about ringing up the Heath and having a chat with someone there about it ? And might be an idea to pop into the University Careers service, they should be able to help you.

Have you thought about Optometry ? Cardiff have a degree course and it's pretty well paid at the end of it, with options of working in hospital, privately or going into research afterwards.

oh, and some jobs (Biomedical scientists) need a specific degree in biomedical science rather than biology or chemistry.

this is all excellent, loads of stuff to think on

have also just asked the st johns ambulance people to send me info.

see thing is, I think i'd really like a researchy type job. and actually suspect that might be "enough" IYKWIM. Any ideas on what I should be looking for? I am really clueless and don't even know where to start. any pointers at all? Science (and Maths) A level equivalents. (I do have a first class honours degree also so literacy etc should be ok)

BUT I have always had jobs which involve advocacy and explaining stuff to people, so to go to that would be a BIG jump.

TBH I would have thought that having a degree, you would not be expected to show that you have the A levels. I have only once been asked to show my O and A level certificates and that was when I entered teaching!

All my other jobs have been satisfied with the degree.

You need to look for research jobs in the back of the new scientist, some of these will be for Phd studentships, but some will be for lab techs (I did both these routes). Times Higer will also have these sorts of jobs

You also need to look in the local pareps for medical lab jobs in the local hospitals/drug companies

good idea re ringing, will probably do that. am digging around trying to find numbers but might just try the switchboard

oh I really do need to try to avoid a f/t degree atm. Can swing p/t work, the more p/t the better, or better still, volunteering.

that limits me to the OU, and I am thinking my best option is a chemistry course but taking biochemical options where possible, and perhaps extra (short) courses in human biology and immunology.

ah no, atm have some A level equiv science stuff (well thats what they claim )

I want I think to get some work experience now, though I won't have the degree for aeons.

I think I want to work in a lab really but also have contact with the public.

And in a health field.

our local careers service is bloody useless btw for graduate stuff. Should be able to gatecrash local uni careers service I suppose (didn't go to local uni, went to Edinburgh)