dh wants to be a paramedic, it would halve our salary... what would you do?

[thenewgirl]

DH has been shortlisted for interview, I personally believe it is 'in the bag'

but it would halve our salary, mean moving house and definatly mean we would be on the breadline.

we have three kids, it's always been his dream job idea and it looks like he might just get it.

what do you think?

is it worth giving up our very cooshie life here (house comes with dh current job, few bills, beautiful home)

oh help!

any paramedics out there can you tell me that £15,000 rising to £19,000 when trained -is it worth it?

Ah ha good point about insurance, could he shadow someone? I imagine the same issue though. My sister and her dp never argued about money when they were comfortable (not well off by any stretch) only when they did not any! However, there seem to be so many positive experiences on here and you don't want him to forever wonder and become resentful. Good luck with your decision, it is a tough one!

did not have any that should read. Sorry have baby on nork!

it's our toughest one yet!
this forum is fab though, the advice is very helpful.

My DH wanted to be a paramedic but in Scotland paramedics are mainly recruited from ambulance personnel, so you have to start there with no guarantee of being accepted to train as a paramedic. The pay cut was too much with no guarantee of him getting to do the job he wanted. We opted for more money coming into the house in the end.

Hope your DH manages to achieve his dream.

I feel really really bad abpout this in the spirit of dream following and support etc, but this is my former neighbours experience.

He did the training (and am I right in thinking you have to pay for your own training?) which he enjoyed hugely. He was employed on a team and started work. He felt his job was exciting and valuable...but after months of spending the early hours of the morning being threatened by violent drunks, being called out by people who wanted someone to talk to on the pretext of a sore finger, false calls, being vomited on and having the public abuse him as often as being grateful and co-operative, AND finding himself working unsocial shifts which meant his wife couldn't start working herself because the flexible childcare wasn't possible, he withdrew from the paramedic work and became a hospital transport driver. i.e the buses which collect the elderley and frail for out patient appointments etc. Which he enjoyed and found rewarding. But in the end he couldn't manage on the money. .

So...just to say, I hope your DH has thought through everything that goes with the excitement.

aaaaahhhhgggg!

no, I need to hear all angles, this could easily be our biggest decision in life, our biggest mistake or best move we ever made so I need all the advice I can get!

Thenewgirl - it is good to hear it from all angles and there is no doubting that there are sh*tty parts of the job - like the vomit, abuse etc - but I am told that the positives far outweigh the negatives. I guess it is whether your DH can put up with these parts of the job. We encourage people to go down to their local ambulance station and have a chat to some people doing the job so that they get a full view of what it entails (it is not at all like they show on Casualty )

Blu - I am not aware of any service that makes staff pay for their own training but that doesn't mean that there isn't.

I would still suggest that he goes through the assessments, interview etc and that will give you chance/time to make the decision - and, hopefully not, but he may fail something and then the decision will be made for you.

thenewgirl, I love your thread.

please go for it! go for it! go for it! I know nothing of paramedics but I can see how much it means to DH and to you. I can see the sparkle in your eye from here!

You and DH will be so so much happier!!

I love it when people follow their dream. That's what life is all about.

sending all the positive wibes I've got that he gets the job. please let us know.