meechalle

I posted a little while ago about wanting to move back to England being Australian but spent 3 years over there and returned to Australia at the start of the year but not really feeling it. I have since booked my ticket back and the date looms for next Wednesday, the longer I stay the more worried and indecisive I am getting.

Basically the problem is I am 23 and don't have any further education behind me after high school so feel like maybe I should stay here do a tafe course and work for a year or so and get some savings but this idea does not fill me with too much joy tbh.

I feel so isolated in australia we are too far away from anywhere!! that's why I don't want to stay. I love Europe and being so close to everywhere and I just really love England even it's terrible points but I've stated all this in a previous post.

I hate having to think about my 'future'. It's damn confusing I wanna work in tourism and hotels so I'd be happy to work in a good hotel cos I could work my way up the chain but being paid £6 p.h when I can get $20+ in aus makes it harder. I don't know what to choose moving somewhere I feel at home and love and try make the job situation work out or stay somewhere i don't necessarily hate but don't really love for the prospect of a decent job and try make the life situation work out.

To any English people do you think I can get the same education and opportunities to move up in a workplace in London as I would in aus?(Sydney is the town I'd be living/studying in aus if i stayed) Uni is not a path I am looking to take at the moment but would just like to be able to be learning a little bit of something I am interested in even if it's just a short course. Being at home means I have family support with things I do whilst being in England I am basically alone and moneywise I don't really have a great deal behind me to pay for many courses I'd am interested in. I have seen marketing and tourism type courses of only 6 months for £3000! I am wondering if there is also any way to get courses subsidized by the govt or student loans for any courses that aren't bachelors degrees i.e diplomas.


Basically my hearts set in the UK but I do want to get ahead with my future aswell and get scared that maybe I won't if I go back as much as I would here.
I have a british passport thank god or maybe that's a bad thing cos then I'd just have to accept I'm stuck here and get on with life

Rusty Chainsaw

The training is available and is, of course, world-renowned, but unless you've got a big cushion of money to fall back on, doing it in London might not be feasible. London's wonderful, but it is seriously bloody expensive if you want to live anywhere near the centre of town.

I'm not sure if you'd qualify for any assistance with funding, even with a British passport - I know for uni courses there's a 3-year residency requirement before you qualify for any assistance. You'd probably still have to pay overseas fees too (much higher).

Basically, you might be better off qualifying while you're in Oz, stash away some money while you do so, then, once you have your qualifications, make the move then - you'll have savings, and you should be able to score a much higher-paying position, so you'll be ahead of the game.

Might moving to a different part of Australia to study be an option, just to shake things up a bit? Not sure where you are now, but I've heard there's a really good school for hotel and hospitality management in Perth (I have a friend who was looking into it).

meechalle

Thanks for your comment. Hotel school is not really a route I want to take as I believe expperience matters more it's just getting in with a good company. Perth is not somewhere I'd be interested to move too. I moved up to Cairns eatly this year for 1 mnth and although it made me appreciate Aus it also drove home the fact I want to go to UK. I could try move to Melbourne which I hear is nice but I knowone there and have nowhere to stay at least in London I know a few people and have a place to stay as I've lived there the last 3 years. Basically I am at that stage where I'm looking for an entry level job I can work my way up in and don't know if I'd be able to get tat opp in London. Ohh if only I had a magic ball to see the future

britwhore

I believe the residency requirements are 1 year - that's how long my sister had to wait. Hope that helps

meechalle

thanks Spent the afternoon looking up courses I want to do found a few both here and UK. Was thinking maybe stay here till the end of next year get some kind of qualification and a little bit more money but not sure if my Australian tafe diploma in something like hospitality or tourism would even be valid in the UK. Do you have the equivalent to tafe in the UK or is it just university and private education?

sallysimmons

I would go to the UK. Your heart is there and it seems the only thing stopping you is that entry-level jobs pay less than they do in Australia. Money isn't everything - in fact it isn't anything. You sound like you have a clear goal in mind and will work hard to get there - you can do that in England where you feel you fit and where you're happy.

Maybe consider starting out somewhere with a lower cost of living than London so that you can manage on less?

Whatever you decide, good luck.

Rusty Chainsaw

TAFE is roughly equivalent to UK college-level (not university-level) education - as far as I know, the qualifications are considered equivalent to the UK's BTEC National and Higher qualifications. That should be fine - many people enter the leisure industry with a BTEC in Hospitality Management.

meechalle

Yeah headed back next weds got some accommodation with friends for the first 6 weeks or so while I attempt to sort a few things out. I have been considering other parts of England and would love to try somewhere up North, I lived in Manchester when I first got to England and loved it there so we'll see but at the moment I'm going to keep with London just cos I know a few people there and the city more which will be easier but definitely keeping my research and options open to other areas.

meechalle

great thanks for the info. been doing a lot of research into different college, courses, student loans etc. lots of information to take in but it's nice to know it's a step in the right track. I do believe I have missed the cut off for student loans until next year though but not sure if this is different for college courses as they start at different points throughout the year not like uni just starting in September but it'll be a lot easier to get more facts when I'm actually in the country. can't wait!

petrichor

Hi meechalle

Student loans are for university courses, not further education ones. You can generally only get help with these if you're receiving benefits of some kind and then it's only course costs, not personal living costs.

KickinBack

Why is it always London this London that, I HATE London and you will eventually too! What is wrong with Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Sheffield etc. They are much nicer, more pleasant and less dangerous. Especially Sheffield it has an amazing Nightlife and the Centre is small enough that you can walk around it. The people are soooo much nicer than horrible, brutish Londoners and their accent is the cutest thing ever. It is the only English city to include a National Park within its boundaries, and you are never too far from the nice fresh countryside whilst having absolutely everything you could need in the City Centre. The University of Sheffield is in the Russell Group of Universities, making it one of the best in the UK, and is in the World top 100. Honestly I would pick Sheffield over London anyday!

meechalle

Do you work for tourism Sheffield by any chance? haha
I never said there was anything wrong with any other English cities. I liked Sheffield when I was there and loved Manchester even tried to get work there but couldn't find anything decent. I believe for the work I want to do London has better opportunities for me at the moment and I have the added benefit of already knowing people.
You're right I am may eventually end up hating London but when that comes I will move-for now it's got all I need

meechalle

Oh wow not even for diplomas. a friend mentioned to me they may help you out if you haven't done any other schooling since school and are taking a diploma that may lead to a bachelors degree even if you don't do a degree straight after. I've also looked into going to Scotland or Ireland or somewhere else in Europe as it's a lot cheaper!

petrichor

The rules vary from course to course, but generally you only get your course fees paid if you're in receipt of benefits, and then it's only for certain courses (such as Access courses and, yes probably the kind of diploma you're talking about). But this is for course fees, not personal living expenses.

Any kind of public support for learning costs is restricted to people who have lived in the UK or Europe for the previous three years, so be aware you may need to prove your recent residence as they'll notice your accent when you go to enrol.

I'm not an expert on this. Have a look here for more information: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Educatio...rs/DG_10033133

Mitzyboy

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