A new start!
Posted: July 3rd, 2019, 3:10 pm
So a couple of years ago I decided I wanted a career change. I've been working in early years and education for almost 25 years, and to be honest, I'm sick of it. The job isn't what it used to be. I currently manage a nursery for a large national chain, and I'm not really very happy there.
I decided, given I'd had a fair amount of secondary experience in the field, I'd like to go in to social work. Specifically, be a children's social worker. The only drawback was that I didn't have a social work degree.
Then I heard about a couple of fast track schemes. Very limited spaces, but you'd train to be a social worker whilst on the job, and be paid to do so. 14 months is a lot quicker and more financially viable than three years back at uni, so I decided to go for it.
To get on the course you have to have a degree in any field, 2:1 or above. I dropped out of uni when I was younger, and never completed the final year of my Early Childhood Education degree. So, I started looking for uni's that would let me finish my degree rather than start it again. After countless knockbacks ("It's been too long..." etc) I finally found a Uni down in Oxford that would allow me to jump on the final year. And best of all, they had a campus in Birmingham!
So it turned out that two and a half years ago, whilst working 40 hours a week and having three young children, I went back to uni. It was tough finding time to do assignments, and my dissertation saw me sitting up till 2/3/4am and getting up for work at half six, but for the first time in my life I didn't just give up and managed to earn a 2:1.
The social work fast track schemes only run every two years, and applications to start next Jan opened up in May this year. I applied, filled out the extremely lengthy and exam-like application form and eventually got invited to the assessment day. Candidates had been whittled down to potentials, and the assessment day consisted of a written exam, some role play, some dealing with teenagers and a formal interview. I thought I did OK, not great, and there were loads of people with more direct experience than me, family support workers, domestic violence refuge workers etc. Basically I didn't thibk I stood much chance.
So imagine my surprise this morning when I opened the email congratulating me on my successful application, and asking me to confirm my place on the course! Can't believe it. Its 14 months, and will require a little belt-tightening, but after that I'll finally be doing a job I want to be doing whilst earning a decent wage.
For the first time in god knows how long I'm actually feeling positive and looking forward to something. Anyway, just thought I'd share!
I decided, given I'd had a fair amount of secondary experience in the field, I'd like to go in to social work. Specifically, be a children's social worker. The only drawback was that I didn't have a social work degree.
Then I heard about a couple of fast track schemes. Very limited spaces, but you'd train to be a social worker whilst on the job, and be paid to do so. 14 months is a lot quicker and more financially viable than three years back at uni, so I decided to go for it.
To get on the course you have to have a degree in any field, 2:1 or above. I dropped out of uni when I was younger, and never completed the final year of my Early Childhood Education degree. So, I started looking for uni's that would let me finish my degree rather than start it again. After countless knockbacks ("It's been too long..." etc) I finally found a Uni down in Oxford that would allow me to jump on the final year. And best of all, they had a campus in Birmingham!
So it turned out that two and a half years ago, whilst working 40 hours a week and having three young children, I went back to uni. It was tough finding time to do assignments, and my dissertation saw me sitting up till 2/3/4am and getting up for work at half six, but for the first time in my life I didn't just give up and managed to earn a 2:1.
The social work fast track schemes only run every two years, and applications to start next Jan opened up in May this year. I applied, filled out the extremely lengthy and exam-like application form and eventually got invited to the assessment day. Candidates had been whittled down to potentials, and the assessment day consisted of a written exam, some role play, some dealing with teenagers and a formal interview. I thought I did OK, not great, and there were loads of people with more direct experience than me, family support workers, domestic violence refuge workers etc. Basically I didn't thibk I stood much chance.
So imagine my surprise this morning when I opened the email congratulating me on my successful application, and asking me to confirm my place on the course! Can't believe it. Its 14 months, and will require a little belt-tightening, but after that I'll finally be doing a job I want to be doing whilst earning a decent wage.
For the first time in god knows how long I'm actually feeling positive and looking forward to something. Anyway, just thought I'd share!
Fantastic news! You’re a braver man than me making such a huge life change but brave people make great video game heroes so looking forward to the inevitable game.
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