What would you do? sorry long!

LilyLoo · 13-05-2008, 11:57 PM

Hi

In need of some advice.....

Right this could be quite long.........!!!

At the moment I work as a reception supervisor and duty manager in a busy hotel. It's ok, the job's not that interesting but I don't mind it. It's quite a social job, working in hotels always is and I really enjoy working with everyone and we have a good team and a great laugh sometimes, but there are days that i hate it. I have nice hours and can do flexitime some of the time and get most of the weekend off. The pay is not too bad either. Downside is that there isn't any room for progression from what i do now, although there may be a move round of staff soon as the hotel is in the process of being sold and we'll then have new management, so something might come up then.

This year I applied to do a degree in vet nursing as I've always wanted to work with animals and it's something that really interests me. Everyone always tells me I should work with animals as I'd be really good at it. I have the right qualifications to get in but I wasn't accepted on the course as there was so many applicants. I also keep geting told i'm too old to train in a practice because it's an apprentiship.
People keep saying to me don't give up apply again next year, but I'm not sure.
If I did go to uni, I would have to take out student loans and then vet nurses don't earn brilliant money either. So there is a high probability that I would have to give up some of my animals as I wouldn't be able to afford to keep them all.
One day I would eventually like to be able to buy my own house....

So dilemma is Do I stick with what I'm doing, job is boring, but I earn good money, can save for a deposit on a house and can have all my animals? OR Go to uni to train as a vet nurse and have a job that I would love????

Sorry very long, but I keep thinking about it.............

Thanks Lily xxxxxxx

**Eire_Ade** · 14-05-2008, 12:37 AM

Hi Lily,

From my own experiences, I went to uni at 21 as a mature student following my apprenceship in carpentry and joinery, when I got my qualifications for my time in uni I didnt have enough exerience for some jobs I applied for and for carpenrty type jobs I was too over qualified. I ended up driving Taxis for a few years until i got a lucky break but that was making car parts, then I moved to Ireland, worked for a complete idiot and then finally made a leap to self employment.

If you have a desire for a house then I would stick at what you are doing for the moment anyway.

Could you get work in a local vets surgery at weekends or spare time, even if it was on reception!!! You might not like it!!!!!!! Or you could try voluntary work in the local Dogs Home (NCDL), I am sure they would love extra help.

Ade

Pussygalore · 14-05-2008, 07:48 AM

I tried to do something similar at our local college ( vetinary nurse training) a couple of years back I am 51 so would have been a mature student and wasn't working so had the time to do the course, but I was told that I couldn't get on the course unless I was working in a vetinary surgery and I couldn't get a job in a surgery as I wasn't qualified, you work that one out, anyway that was that I genuinly thought that you trained first then found a job not the other way around, there are only so many vets and so many jobs in them and without qualifications someone of my age wouldn't stand a chance against newly qualified younger people, to say the least I was very dissapointed, if you have got the chance then I'd go for it, I would have done.

gtm · 14-05-2008, 08:07 AM

How about going part time?

Laraine · 14-05-2008, 08:29 AM

Sorry this may be a long reply!

I was a mature student, I still have student loans to pay off, as for a long time I didn't earn enough to start paying the flipping things off, I still have another year to go. I took out 4 years worth, a 3 year degree and the PGCE. So I went to Uni while having 2 young children. the student loans back then were small, but I am still paying £75 a month to pay them off.
Would I do it again? YES!

However there are different ways you can progress to do what you want. my daughters are taking different routes to get what they want.

My younger daughter who has struggled to stay at college, eventually gave up because of lack of money. She now has a full time job.
Earlier this week she applied to the Open University to start doing some science courses, each one she does will give her points that will add up, and she can progress that way to a full science degree.

My elder daughter is at Uni, and will have about £20 000 worth of debt when she finishes her 4 year course, this is because as well as student loans, you have to also pay the course fees and that gets added to the loan if you can't afford to pay.

Look into your options carefully, and plan. Plan with room to change and adapt without losing sight of what you want.

WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS!

Pussygalore · 14-05-2008, 08:32 AM

The course I asked about was at Brinsby college in west sussex but I didn't know that you had to be working in a vets to get onto the course so I suppose it would have been so many days a week or part time, I thought I could take the course then find a job, I never enquired about full time university courses maybe they find you a placement themselves.

Angeeeeee... · 14-05-2008, 03:56 PM

I guess you have to ask yourself whether you will regret not giving the Vet training
a go in the future and weighing it up against the security you have now.
There is not much worse than always thinking 'what if?' so if you can cope with
a little less security but a great sense of achievement and enjoyment in what
you do then I reckon you should go for it, Cornwall could do with more veterinary
staff that have some reptile knowledge and you obviously love animals.
Just my opinion....

LilyLoo · 14-05-2008, 04:11 PM

Thanks for taking the time to read and reply.

Oh dear I'm still confuzzled! I did do some volunteer work for a while at the NAWT which is about 45 mins from me and so is the RSPCA. I did enjoy it....I just wanted to take all the dogs home with me! But the people that worked there weren't that friendly and I felt didn't really appreciate their volunteers that much ( They always used to bitch about people behind their backs) Bearing in mind it was a 1 1/2 hour round trip for me and I used to take extra food and treats for the dogs they could barely say thank you! I know it's volunteer work and it's your choice if you do it or not, but there's no need to be rude to people that are helping you out. So I gave up after about 8 months.
I'm quite well known in my local vets now so next time I'm in there Ill see if they need anyone to help out. Might help to pay off my vets bills!

13-05-2008, 11:57 PM	#1
LilyLoo Member Juvenile Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Cornwall Posts: 793	What would you do? sorry long! Hi In need of some advice..... Right this could be quite long.........!!! At the moment I work as a reception supervisor and duty manager in a busy hotel. It's ok, the job's not that interesting but I don't mind it. It's quite a social job, working in hotels always is and I really enjoy working with everyone and we have a good team and a great laugh sometimes, but there are days that i hate it. I have nice hours and can do flexitime some of the time and get most of the weekend off. The pay is not too bad either. Downside is that there isn't any room for progression from what i do now, although there may be a move round of staff soon as the hotel is in the process of being sold and we'll then have new management, so something might come up then. This year I applied to do a degree in vet nursing as I've always wanted to work with animals and it's something that really interests me. Everyone always tells me I should work with animals as I'd be really good at it. I have the right qualifications to get in but I wasn't accepted on the course as there was so many applicants. I also keep geting told i'm too old to train in a practice because it's an apprentiship. People keep saying to me don't give up apply again next year, but I'm not sure. If I did go to uni, I would have to take out student loans and then vet nurses don't earn brilliant money either. So there is a high probability that I would have to give up some of my animals as I wouldn't be able to afford to keep them all. One day I would eventually like to be able to buy my own house.... So dilemma is Do I stick with what I'm doing, job is boring, but I earn good money, can save for a deposit on a house and can have all my animals? OR Go to uni to train as a vet nurse and have a job that I would love???? Sorry very long, but I keep thinking about it............. Thanks Lily xxxxxxx __________________ Lily xXx

14-05-2008, 12:37 AM	#2
Eire_Ade Super Moderator Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Ireland Posts: 8,422	Hi Lily, From my own experiences, I went to uni at 21 as a mature student following my apprenceship in carpentry and joinery, when I got my qualifications for my time in uni I didnt have enough exerience for some jobs I applied for and for carpenrty type jobs I was too over qualified. I ended up driving Taxis for a few years until i got a lucky break but that was making car parts, then I moved to Ireland, worked for a complete idiot and then finally made a leap to self employment. If you have a desire for a house then I would stick at what you are doing for the moment anyway. Could you get work in a local vets surgery at weekends or spare time, even if it was on reception!!! You might not like it!!!!!!! Or you could try voluntary work in the local Dogs Home (NCDL), I am sure they would love extra help. Ade __________________ Ade ----------------------------------------------- Y.O.B 1971 (40 years young! ) My Tortoises :- Dug (Testudo Graeca Ibera Terrestris (Syrian), Penny, JJ (JennyJack), Buttons and Gem (Testudo Graeca Ibera)

14-05-2008, 08:29 AM	#5
Laraine Senior Member Adult Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Wirral Posts: 3,622	Sorry this may be a long reply! I was a mature student, I still have student loans to pay off, as for a long time I didn't earn enough to start paying the flipping things off, I still have another year to go. I took out 4 years worth, a 3 year degree and the PGCE. So I went to Uni while having 2 young children. the student loans back then were small, but I am still paying £75 a month to pay them off. Would I do it again? YES! However there are different ways you can progress to do what you want. my daughters are taking different routes to get what they want. My younger daughter who has struggled to stay at college, eventually gave up because of lack of money. She now has a full time job. Earlier this week she applied to the Open University to start doing some science courses, each one she does will give her points that will add up, and she can progress that way to a full science degree. My elder daughter is at Uni, and will have about £20 000 worth of debt when she finishes her 4 year course, this is because as well as student loans, you have to also pay the course fees and that gets added to the loan if you can't afford to pay. Look into your options carefully, and plan. Plan with room to change and adapt without losing sight of what you want. WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS! __________________ Laraine ________________________

14-05-2008, 03:56 PM	#7
Angeeeeee... Member Hatchling Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Cornwall UK Posts: 517	I guess you have to ask yourself whether you will regret not giving the Vet training a go in the future and weighing it up against the security you have now. There is not much worse than always thinking 'what if?' so if you can cope with a little less security but a great sense of achievement and enjoyment in what you do then I reckon you should go for it, Cornwall could do with more veterinary staff that have some reptile knowledge and you obviously love animals. Just my opinion.... __________________ Andrea XXX

14-05-2008, 04:11 PM	#8
LilyLoo Member Juvenile Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Cornwall Posts: 793	Thanks for taking the time to read and reply. Oh dear I'm still confuzzled! I did do some volunteer work for a while at the NAWT which is about 45 mins from me and so is the RSPCA. I did enjoy it....I just wanted to take all the dogs home with me! But the people that worked there weren't that friendly and I felt didn't really appreciate their volunteers that much ( They always used to bitch about people behind their backs) Bearing in mind it was a 1 1/2 hour round trip for me and I used to take extra food and treats for the dogs they could barely say thank you! I know it's volunteer work and it's your choice if you do it or not, but there's no need to be rude to people that are helping you out. So I gave up after about 8 months. I'm quite well known in my local vets now so next time I'm in there Ill see if they need anyone to help out. Might help to pay off my vets bills! __________________ Lily xXx

14-05-2008, 07:48 AM	#3
Pussygalore Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cambridge Posts: 6,479	I tried to do something similar at our local college ( vetinary nurse training) a couple of years back I am 51 so would have been a mature student and wasn't working so had the time to do the course, but I was told that I couldn't get on the course unless I was working in a vetinary surgery and I couldn't get a job in a surgery as I wasn't qualified, you work that one out, anyway that was that I genuinly thought that you trained first then found a job not the other way around, there are only so many vets and so many jobs in them and without qualifications someone of my age wouldn't stand a chance against newly qualified younger people, to say the least I was very dissapointed, if you have got the chance then I'd go for it, I would have done.

14-05-2008, 08:07 AM	#4
gtm Member Hatchling Join Date: May 2007 Location: Surrey Posts: 659	How about going part time?

14-05-2008, 08:32 AM	#6
Pussygalore Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cambridge Posts: 6,479	The course I asked about was at Brinsby college in west sussex but I didn't know that you had to be working in a vets to get onto the course so I suppose it would have been so many days a week or part time, I thought I could take the course then find a job, I never enquired about full time university courses maybe they find you a placement themselves.

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