Where to start

Well as the title says really where to start.

I’m new to blogging really but thought I’d give it a go as a way to keep a record of my journey into retraining and ultimately gaining a degree and hopefully a new career.

So I guess we start with a bit of background info.

I’m 33 in a job I’m none too happy in, pays reasonable but the hours are long and often boring. I also feel that in 20 years time I’ll be doing exactly the same for little more money wishing id done something about it when I had the chance.

I made the decision a few weeks ago that it was time to move on. Unfortunately circumstances dictate that I can’t just up and leave to pursue my new career. I have a young family to support and a mortgage to pay after all.

I didn’t want to take a sideways step and be having these thought in a year’s time so it’s time to retrain and do a job I actually want to do as oppose to have to do.

From leaving school id always had thoughts of becoming a paramedic but always made excuses as to why I couldn’t. I had run up a fair amount of debt from leaving home so therefore had to have a full time job just to keep food on the table.

Now doing a paramedic science degree is not as straight forward as I had hoped. For a big part of it (if you studying part time) is work based and I can’t see my current employ as a stock controller and production planner really being all that relevant. So I need a job within the NHS or the ambulance service to pursue this.

Now this is also easier said than done. Not only is it a bit of a hard time for public services at the moment I have no clinical experience other than my first aid at work course which won’t carry much weight with my would be new employer.

Where could I gain some experience to get my foot on the ladder......St John Ambulance

That has been my first port of call. This is something I had contemplated doing for a while anyway particularly after my refresher courses or after an incident at work. I’m now signed up to be a first aider and a community first responder once my training is complete.

I completed my first course with them last Sunday. It was a very basic course about working with vulnerable people and touching on basic first aid.

I have also been in touch with the Open University and hope to start my first module in September.

Hopefully in a few years time will have a job within an industry where I can pursue my degree but if not at least I can look back and know I gave it a try