I will do a catch up post as its been nearly a month since I dropped in.
I am in a major dilemma. I have places for both courses - the three year podiatry degree and the 9mth PGCE.
I swing towards teaching then back to podiatry. Ahhh It an agonising decision. I cannot defer teaching as the funding will be cut for next year so likely course will not be running.
Podiatry is three years so the sooner I start the better.
Ahhhh
I could defer podiatry and save some cash/pay off some debts but to be honest I will be in a similar if not better financial position once a student. Looks as if I will have more cash actually than when working full time, paying council tax and full rent and 30% of my child care fees and commuting 50 miles a day.
In Three years( - well its 33 months to be precise as the last summer does not count!) I will be 42 going on 43. Is there a lot more I could achieve in a year as a qualified podiatrist? IE could I defer for a year save money etc etc It would not help my career as I would be working in a completely different area once studies completed.
Bugger Bugger Bugger.
Employment prospects I think would be better with podiatry. And I can always take a PCET PGCE if I am that desperate afterwards to work with teenagers. They do keep you young and you have to have a sense of humour.
I would find work after PGCE - I have careers post grad quals that would make me more employable esp in conjunction with PGCE.
Debt accrued via student loans is greater with PGCE 9k + 3k - 12k approx
Podiatry - 6k or there abouts.
However I would get back to work quicker after PGCE and term time would be ideal with weeny girl.
How long term time would be useful - till she is about 13 I suppose.
Podiatry can be part time no probs however not quite term time but how long would that be useful for??? I will be term time as a student for two summers, three Christmas's etc etc
Any thoughts as my head is buckled.
Which would I prefer.... That's equally tough so am looking at the practical side to help me make my decision.
Do I see myself as a teacher.... hmmm I have worked so long in informal ed - youth work and as a careers adviser I am not sure. Could I work with parents..... other teachers - and there are some stick up their arses in that profession - sorry to my lovely teacher peeps but you know the sort particular to teaching and academics.
Is my grammar good enough - it really needs some work and I only have two chances of passing the QTS maths and |English test.
Maybe the 9 months is a big gamble...... PGCE.
Smelly feet, pus, festering things - no problem !!!!
Hi - unless you are planning to teach maths or physics, there is a surplus of teachers, more redundancies to come and not a lot of work. Plus side - people always have feet!
ReplyDeletemany thanks - this really helps - going round in circles!!!
DeleteSorry to put the dampeners on the podiatry side of the equation too. There's also changes in the NHS that mean that this area of public sector employment might not be so great in a few years. Check out the government's ideas on regional pay. On the big plus side with podiatry there's always private work once you've gained a bit of experience and got used to the smells and the pustules! x
ReplyDeleteDon't mind lower pay - reasonable job security would be good.. or at least a trade I can ply that is likely to not be scrapped on a government whim.
DeleteMany thanks
Any links to the regional pay idea?
My daughter's a teacher , just coming to the end of her NQT year.The PGCE was tough, her NQT year has been even tougher. She is almost 24, has no children and looks exhausted whenever I see her. I trained as a teacher too ( but was diagnosed with a heart condition at the beginning of my final year). The placements were stressful, the hours were long and so were the commutes. I came to the conclusion that it was a career for a young person - I was in my early forties at the time.
ReplyDeleteGood point - If I was younger or child free maybe but am neither.
Deleteand thanks!
DeleteThank you fabulous people. This is good to know. I am thinking more towards podiatry. Especially as I woudl be able to manage without getting a student loan I believe. Given my frugal leanings including bursary, child tax credit at basic rate, Cb and manintenance I can get away without a loan and no fees.
ReplyDeleteI can always return to PCET teaching if I miss my beloved teenagers that much and the quals I have will never leave me. I can even do a masters in infomral ed/youth work if it so takes me in the future( all self funded)
Lovely grey - smells and pustules are fascinating and tell you so much!!! I am a strange bird - I like teenagers and grusome things. Old peope are cool too as they have stories and bad feet ( hee hee)
I was warned as much by the tutor re the nhs. maybe I should have looked at OT - 2 yr post grad conversion..... Hmmm
Ah I like old people too but I work with their severely damaged heads and brains. I am an OT and even though the health service doesn't have the opportunities for us that it used to the training allows you to steer off in so many diverse directions. No-one knows what an OT does so you can be quite anarchic! In my day there was a plus because I spent loads of time in the pottery and craft workshops, supposedly analysing activity.
ReplyDeleteI have always thought about OT. I have a soc and psych degree from way back when. Became a careers adviser as I never got any myself lol!!!)
DeleteThere are a few two year MSC's out there but would have to wait till 2014 for entry when I could be half way through a podiatry degree and on way to finishing. Prob not as much scope for private work with OT as Pod.
I like the anarchic and the diversity though!!!