Category: Cram Session
This is kinda related to my post on job hunt about finding your career direction. I might be changing my career direction by the end of my placement year (this year), and I'm not sure whether to finish my accounting degree just to get one, or start up whatever new degree or course I need to take for whatever my new career turns out to be instead. I just wondered if anyone had any ideas, suggestions or anything? Maybe someone knows someone who's been in this position?
Well, I've actually been there, and done that. I was almost finished getting my music degree, and realized that if I taught music eight hours a day, I'd learn to hate it. While I was and undergrad student, I worked in disability support services at college. I realized how much I enjoyed it, and went back to get my Masters in Rehab counseling. The Music degree is probably what got me a few part-time church music jobs without having to prove as much as I otherwise might have had to do if I didn't have the degree. I know some will say that you can't take the knowledge away from you so why not start on the new degree now, but it might come back to help you later in life like it did me if you have some credentials under your belt. Good luck with whatever you decide, and I'll check out your other post.
Lou
It's good to have found someone who has been in the same position in the past.
Certainly a big part of me is trying to say I should finish my accounting degree, to at least get one under my belt and show that I have the commitment for that level. On the other hand, i'm feeling slightly awkward sitting in an accountancy placement whilst beginning to think that accountancy may not be my future career. And I have a suspiciion that it will feel extremely awkward trying to do a specialist accountancy dissertation whilst knowing (as by then I will know) that accountancy is not my future goal. I'm personally not sure whether I would have quite the mental determination to overcome that bit. I have plenty of determination to succeed and achieve my goals, it's just I don't know what those are yet, and if they turn out to be something other than being an accountant may determination to achieve will not be to achieve in accountancy. Is it worth continuing with the degree under those circumstances? That's the tricky bit!
Its a hard call, but I still say hang in there. One of my character flaws is that I hate fininishing things. I really think that another part of my changing my mind in midstream was because I liked the security of colege and university study. Maybe that's factoring into your decision too. I'm just guessing, and don't know you, but you might ask yourself that.
Concerning your goals, I'm going to e-mail you privately about that as I have some questions for you.
Lou
I'm definitely keen on finishing things, and I'd rather be working to pay off the £13,000 of debt I already have from student loans from the past 3 years as it will be by the end of this one. I just believe that it is better to do something you enjoy and will be motivated to do well in than to do something purely out of necessity or anything else. I'm keeping my options open and asking around, if you go on any other career-related forums you may well see a similar message from me there! By the way, anyone know any good career forums where this sort of question might be asked? Just curious!
It's me again" If anyone's still reading this, I have an update for you!
I believe I now know I want to be an adult guidance worker, which is someone who helps people find out what they need or want to do next in life in terms of their education, qualifications and careers. It's like being a careers advisor and an educational advisor in one, so really varied work, sometimes on the phone, on a drop-in basis or in more in-depth consultations.
What I'm looking at now, therefore, is my options for that career. The profile I have states that most entrants are already graduates or enter this as their second career, however I would like t start from the basics and take something relevant to this at undergraduate level or something first, then do the postggrad qualifications.
I grow increasingly concerned that I would not be able to complete my degree successfully. In my second year studies, I achieved a degree grade of just 50% overall, a lower second class honours degree. If my results stay low in my final year because of a lack of motivation and determination resulting from a knowledge that a different and more interesting (for me) career awaits me in the future, I am not going to get a good degree out of this anyway.
If anyone has any knowledge of any UK qualifications that might be available next year that would be relevant, I'd be interested to know. So far I have found 2 but they are both in the University of Northumbria - Disability Studies with Advice, guidance and counselling and professional practice studies with advice, guidance and counselling. I'd like to apply for other courses to give myself a choice, sl any information would be useful.
Thanks.
Congratulations on comming to a decision. That's sometimes the hardest part. I once read that most people change careers four or five times over the course of their working lives. Let's see. I'm on number four in a way now, so at almost 50, I sure hope I'm done with this changing stuff. I can only tell you that working in rehabilitation and working with people who are blind is the last thing I thought 'd do when I was finishing high school at eighteen, so you never know what the future holds. Good luck, and e-mial me if want more ideas.
Lou
I now know of another degree I could take. BA Honours Human Services. It's offered at the same Uni I'm already at, Nottingham Trent, so that'd be an advantage. ONly trouble is, funding! I'm not in a rich family, so no support there. The student finance regulations say I can have funding for one year (duration of the new course + 1 extra year - years already funded, so 3 + 1 - 3 = 1) and this would have to be the final year. I can't afford to self-fund the other 2 unless there are alternative funds availalbe, and I would not be entitled to the tuition fee loan or maintenance grant, only the student maintenance loan.
Anyway, my other options, according to my careers advisor, arethe Qualification in Careers Guidance (QCG), a one year professional level course which ddoes not necessarily require a degree for entry as long as the ability to study at that level can be demonstrated, or NVQ level 3 or 4 in advice and guidance obtained whilst employed by Connexions or another careers service. Not sure about funding for the QCG yet, but looking into it.
A couple of my coleagues have asked whether I will finish my placement even though I'm not finishing my degree. I just said yes, of course I will, it's money in the bank and it's all experience. But a friend of mine has made me think hard about this statement. He thinks I should withdraw from the course now, quit the placement now, and find relevant work experience. If I do that, I have to find someone to take over my current accommodation or pay the remainder of the rent regardless of not occupying it (I can only occupy it as a student). I would also have to either take everything back home or find somewhere else to live and take it there.
Don't let that influence any advice though, it needs dealing with but is a side issue to the actual decision I must make. I'm being split in two by this decision, haven't got a clue what to do with it. Myself and the careers advisor say finish the placement and get the transferrabble skills, but I could get those and more relevant experience the other way too.
Got anything to say that might help?
Thanks in advance!
Well, I don't think anyone's reading this now (sorry if I'm wrong!) but I'll update anyway!
I've decided to go down the route of the NVQ in advice and guidance because I can make a start on it as soon as I've found an employer and a training provider. I've got the trining provider now, but finidng it difficult to find the employer. As with anything, they want you to already have the qualifications and experience before they employ you, but to get the qualification you have to be in a job! I've applied for a couple of vacancies so we'llsee. One states they need the qualification to be possessed already, the other makes no mention of a qualification, soI'm hoping i might get somewhere with that one and be a recruitment consultant.
On the issue of accommodation, Nottingham Royal Society for the blind have tenancy support workers and they are helping me apply for cheaprent social housing. the waiting list is over a year though, so as my tenancy in my current place ends in August they're going to help me find private sector rented accommodation in the interim. I'm really glad the service is available - their local knowledge is what I don't have yet!
Now my problem is finding an employer, and wondering when to make my withdrawal from the degree. Will I lose my currnet job if I withdraw when term restarts in January? I might, as this is meant ot be a placement as part of the course. And if I don't withdraw and aren't ready to quit the job and move into my new one before recall day in mid-March,where do I stand then? Recall day is compulsory and discusses the placement and the dissertation that all students must do in their final year, so that would be irrelevant for me as someone who is intending to not be doing that. I might see if my emplyer would consider keeping me for a while even if I withdraw from the course, just taking placement out of my job title.
Anyway, enough waffle from me. If anyone is still reading this, your thoughts will be of interest.
Well, here's one person who is reading this. I'm not sure what to suggest. If you decide to go back to school, you might try checking with theUniversity's financial aid offices. Some people write really obscure grants/scholarships/stipends for very specific populations like blind women studying something in particular. Maybe RNIB could also dirrect you to some funding sources. I'm not good at trans-atlantic resourcing. (LOL). Good luck!
Lou