What to do? University or work?

[dabofoppo]

Hi guys.
I have recently finished an HNC in Social Care and prior to this have worked as a support worker for three years. Currently I have a part time role in a BP petrol station which I despise I have started taking unauthorized absences and requesting more and more time off (Something I have never done in any other role) and I have two other as and when required jobs (support worker and with the community alarm service). However I have been accepted to study a Bsc in psychology at Stirling university whilst this is a course I have an interest in it is not my first choice that was social work and I was turned down due to lack of experience.

So what should I do? Should I pack in my jobs and go to uni? This requires moving about 70 miles away. Or should I find a full time job and work for another year or two and reapply to do social work? I am 24 years old so I am beginning to feel like I might be a bit old for university and I do have another option of finding a job and just sticking with that.

Thanks.

[davek_964]

I think it comes down to whether you think you would be able to get into social work with the extra experience you will gain, or whether the degree would help?

Given the cost of them these days, if I was that young I would only do one if the job I wanted needed specific qualifications - e.g. doctor, lawyer etc. As a guide, I know somebody who's degree finished just before the prices went up - and the official estimate of how much they will need to pay back (with interest) was between £40k - 50k which is insane. And these days it will be even higher.

Having said all that - I chose not to go to university, and so far it hasn't been a problem. I got a job in an industry I was interested in and now have 25 years experience at the stuff I do. BUT - a year ago I was at risk of redundancy (which didn't happen) and now, I am at risk again. I am interested in other career options - but there are some I simply can't do. I can't be a teacher, because I don't have a degree - so for the first time in 25 years, it's becoming inconvenient. Even for jobs in my own area - I am aware that most of my colleagues (also at risk) have similar amounts of experience and have a degree - and although it's a long time ago and is hardly relevant - I still can't help thinking some companies will take notice.

[Rick101]

Unless you can actually do something with that degree that's going to earn big money, I wouldn't bother.

[Slurms]

Getting a degree is never going to hurt your chances of getting a job.

[Pit Pony]

dabofoppo said:

it is not my first choice. That was social work and I was turned down due to lack of experience.

So what should I do?

Should I pack in my jobs and go to uni?

This requires moving about 70 miles away.

I am 24 years old so I am beginning to feel like I might be a bit old for university and I do have another option of finding a job and just sticking with that.

Thanks.

I'll take each point

Sorry but you want to do social work. Apply to other universities, like erm Edge Hill.

What experience do you need ? My Niece is now a qualified social worker, with 1 years post graduate work as a social worker, and is only 22. She went straight to Edge Hill at 18 after A levels. And straight into her 1st Job at 21 (with a high 1st)

Moving ? That's the BEST bit about university. A risk free way of leaving home.

Never too old for university, and IMHO social work requires a balance between academic ability and life experience (Ironic for my Niece perhaps).

Only do something you want to do, but be flexible on what you are offered. If it takes you somewhere, it might end up being what you wanted if you let it, and go for it.

I failed to get the grades to study a degree in Mech Eng, and was offered a HND course in Production Engineering, which took me into a Degree in Production Engineer, and 29 years later I'm coming to terms with the fact that I won't be designing that engine, I thought I'd eventually be designing when I was 17 and stupid. But glad that It opened the doors it did.

[surveyor]

Chap i know is a social worker. He had to do a second degree by distance learning as his first degree (which was psychology I think) was not in the right subject.

[ChasW]

One the age point, having visited many universities with my 3 kids (all graduated now) there are definitely some that have an older profile of students than others. All other things being equal what would put me off would be enrolling on day one with a bunch of 18 year olds.

[HTP99]

The problem with people saying; unless you need a degree don't bother, is that even for mundane run of the mill half decent jobs that a decade or so ago anyone could go for, nowadays employers will only consider applicants with degrees even if that degree has nothing to do with the job that is available.

[mike-r]

Never been asked to provide proof of my degrees, so you could always pretend.

[Foliage]

My advice would be to do both at the same time, you'd need to sacrifice your leisure time and make sure the job had strict hours of work (ie no compulsory overtime) but was also flexible enough to let you have time off for exams etc. Possibly part time job and full time uni or the other way around but that would take longer in the long run unless you pushed hard at it.

3-4 years of sacrifice but you wont have as much debt and you (if you pick the right job) will have some relevant experience for on your CV.

[Pit Pony]

Foliage said:

3-4 years of sacrifice but you wont have as much debt .

The interesting thing is that the monthly payments are fixed (a %age based on your earnings), so the only thing that changes is that you pay the same every month but for longer if you take on the max student loans.

Had a conversation with my son over the weekend.

His 4 year MChem has the FINAL year in industry. During the year they do 2 distance learning modules and a major project submission, (but that is the work anyway)
He has a 12 month placement organised and the pay isn't bad, but he has to pay half fees, and can apply for a loan for that, and 1/3 of the maintenance loan.
He could probably fund the fees from savings, or he could take both loans and stick the maintenance loan in a sensible investment, so that when he finishes and decides he wants a place of his own he's got a bit extra in his pot, to start with.
The downside is that his likely earning power will mean he pays everything plus interest, and nothing gets time written off.

We both see it as a graduate tax, which can leverage lower housing costs, and a step up the ladder, whereas some people see it as a debt, which actually matters.

[marshalla]

swerni said:

Personally I'd go to Uni, but only if you think you can stick with it,

This is the critical bit. If you take unauthorised absences from work because you don't like the job, or find parts of it boring, even when they're paying you - do you really have what it takes to be a real success in education ? I can guarantee there will be parts of the course that you find dull, tedious, annoying - and that is also true of staff and other students you will encounter (some of them are just plain weird - even more so than a typical denizen of the lower reaches of PH). If you can motivate yourself to get on and get the work done to *your* highest standard, you'll be fine, but if your usual solution to that sort of issue is to go and do something else, you're looking forward to a lot of bad grades, resits and a poor final classification - if you get there.

[dabofoppo]

Cheers for the advice guys I have until August 5th to make up my mind luckily iv found that at least one of the companies I work for is willing to find me a place in their office in stirling so I should be able to keep that going whilst at uni.
I still havent decided whether to go or not but its looking more and more likely.

[Nerve]

If it's something you really want to do, then do it. Do you want to wake up everyday for the next 40 years and not be doing what you love? Plus, it's the experience of student life!

That said, I went to Uni and did a rather pointless degree (Games Design), personally I would recommend finding a job you enjoy and working your way up. If you really want something, hard work can get you there.

A couple of my friends started out as Purchase Ledgers straight from school and now earn much, much more than my friends with degrees. Most degrees seem to be useless nowadays and definitely not worth the debt, unless you're studying something like Law, Medicine where it's essentially the only route. But hey, you'll get out of it what you put in and it's never a bad thing to have a degree under your belt, regardless of what it is.

Edited by Nerve on Friday 11th July 13:18

[anonymous-user]

Do a cost v benefit analysis, if getting the degree doesn't get you a much better paid job then I would question whether it is worth it financially.

From what I know social work isn't the best paid job but you need to look at the numbers and decide.

[ATG]

gottans said:

Do a cost v benefit analysis, if getting the degree doesn't get you a much better paid job then I would question whether it is worth it financially.

From what I know social work isn't the best paid job but you need to look at the numbers and decide.

Trying to balance the financial consequences is certainly very sensible. But we shouldn't forget that there is a hell of a lot more to life than just money. If you're genuinely interested in a subject, then the opportunity to spend a few years learning about it properly is an end in itself. So are you interested in psychology? If so, you should seriously consider accepting the offer. Stirling has a pretty good reputation. If I were a potential employer, I think a good BSc from Stirling would look pretty good on a CV for quite a range of jobs ... i.e. it would say you're educated.

[0a]

Go for the degree - you will enjoy it, and it will be a tickbox on your CV later in life.

As per the above poster I would waive a graduate through from Stirling.

[technodup]

0a said:

Go for the degree - you will enjoy it, and it will be a tickbox on your CV later in life.

I hated it, and it's an expensive and often pointless tickbox imo.

Unless it's a proper profession e.g. law, medicine, dentistry etc I wouldn't dream of going myself (knowing what I now know) or be advising anyone else to.

Sensible people earn while they learn, four years is a long time to get to a decent salary, and there are plenty of opportunities to gain qualifications as you go.

Plus Stirling is st. The Fubar hasn't been good since the all-nighters in 95.

[bigandclever]

dabofoppo said:

Cheers for the advice guys I have until August 5th to make up my mind luckily iv found that at least one of the companies I work for is willing to find me a place in their office in stirling so I should be able to keep that going whilst at uni.

With my old man miserable hat on, what makes *you* think you can get the most out of uni while also working? The course itself should just be the start of your reading, not the whole.

I say *you* because, obviously, loads of people manage it, but it's not about them