Career Change retraining part-time?!
 

Well as most of you will know, I'm a Primary School Teacher by trade and have been for ten years now. In all honesty I'd love to re-train as something else. In the UK I was also, alongside teaching, in the police part-time and would love to continue along that general route, and my ideal job would be in customs, but alas that little C word (citizenship) wouldn't allow me to do that just yet. (I wouldn't want to go into the police full-time though!)

Don't get me wrong I enjoy working with children, it's just the confines of the classroom, the amount of paperwork expected of teachers these days etc that does my head in. I just don't like how it can take over your life and how the workload generally NEVER ends. So, my lil gurus could anyone suggest anything that I could study/train for part-time whilst still teaching, in a relief capacity. I know it's a lot to ask but I'd be intrigued to see what other people have done as it might be something I'd never even remotely though about!

Thanks everyone xo :wub:

Re: Career Change retraining part-time?!
 

Im now studying with UNE (Armidale near Sydney/Brisbane), its the biggest distance learning provider.
They do all their courses distances learning. Everything from Pharmacy,zoology to engineering can be done distance learning.
Has forums for each unit,lectures as podcasts, powerpoints,and pdfs. Online quiz,animations/videos. Lectures answer questions on forums all the time.
In fact maybe too much support if thats possible.

Im doing something completly different, Biomedical Science. Even though I havent done Science for over 20years:eek:
Hoping to get into some sort of health job later.

I know a couple of ladies who are studying Criminology and really enjoying it. This may be of interest if you like police stuff.

Not all Unis are the same for distance learning. I know someone doing one at Murdoch Uni and its crap for distance learning. Virtually no support.

Gems

Re: Career Change retraining part-time?!
 

Ps, you would need to go on campus for a couple of days if you do anything practical. Eg I have to do science labs for certain units.

Gems

Re: Career Change retraining part-time?!
 

Have you thought about accountancy? You could do some part time courses :)

I thought about retraining as a maths teacher a few years ago, but I could not get past the application form. It was either designed for new graduates or for people who had been wokring with children in some other capacity. I had to give up in the end, funny as I thought there was a shortage of maths teachers, anyway...

I sometimes dream about doing something like massage or some other therapy. Does that kind of thing interest you?

I also dream about breeding pedigree cats and running a cattery. Or doing anything looking after animals.

Most likely I will be an accountant until I retire.

Re: Career Change retraining part-time?!
 

What sorta cost is involved with these courses Gems? There's a possibility I could get it funded by the army...

Re: Career Change retraining part-time?!
 

I'd love to work with animals too, that'd be my ideal job, but my brain doesn't work in a scientific way so that rules out being a vet. Also accountancy, yes I'm ok with maths but not that good lol

Re: Career Change retraining part-time?!
 

Dont forget the Open University both in Oz and the UK. Between them they do a huge range of courses by distance learning and the many of the UK courses are available to be done while living outside the UK. They are very highly regarded Uni. The OU in the UK is ranked as number 2 of all UK universities

Re: Career Change retraining part-time?!
 

2nd?:confused:
41st more like.....

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/lif...cle6831425.ece

Re: Career Change retraining part-time?!
 

Hi, for a degree it costs about $2500 per semester for a full time load.
However if your citizen you can get HECS help, bit like student loan.

The Open University in the UK, will not allow you to their courses in Australia. Only way around it is if you have a relative in the UK who will let you use their address.
Also the OU in Australia has very limited amount of courses. But most Uni's do distance learning here, but I found UNE has the most courses available and you should find something of interest. (I spent a year searching Uni courses availiable distance learning in Australia.)

Gems

Re: Career Change retraining part-time?!
 

Hi Jen, I have re-trained part-time, and it feels like it has taken forever:blink:. Once I decided to change direction, I found a govt careers advice place and did some tests with them, which showed which careers I was more suited to - service and tests all free. Maybe there's a similar service in QLD.

I chose a science degree, which involved lectures, labs and tutorials, perhaps the most difficult combination to juggle when you're still trying to work part-time or have kids. You might be a bit limited in what you can study off-campus. As the field of science covers so many different subjects, there's probably something for everyone. Environmental science might lead you into habitats for native fauna, or marine science. I know that there are postgrad courses for medicine (doesn't matter what your undergrad degree is), but don't know if there are similar vet science courses.

If you want to stay connected to education or kids, over here in WA you can study a postgrad diploma or cert to become a school psychologist - might be worth looking into the situation in QLD. There's also a postgrad course in gifted education. Probably something in youth studies, or similar. Finding a qualification that enables you to be self-employed or a consultant would give you a lot of flexibility, although income could be variable (tax claim benefits, though).