Mature students

Not one of you??

with a view to what? something with a professional career path following, or just self advancement, so to speak? Both are good, if you have a firm idea what you want to achieve.

Can you be a bit more specific about how mature you are and what you're considering doing?

Well I was fancying doing retail management as I think the environment is quite good to what Im used to and believe some of these supermarkets are good to work for again compared to sales which I do ar the moment.
That said brother in law is in computers and said that thats where the money is so undecieded now.

Depends what your reasons are for doing it?

Im 30 as from other day hence why Im wanting to turn things around before to late.

Retail with management or poss business.

Im 30 as from other day hence why Im wanting to turn things around before to late.

Retail with management or poss business.

you don't need to go back into education for retail management really

tho yeah i know there's a specific degree

but for a supermarket, hardly seems worth it

just join one and get trained

I've seen a lot of people do part-time courses at uni as mature students. They seem pretty happy but the course is only a small part of the uni experience. At 30 you're not too old to immerse yourself in the whole experience, and nor will the other students think that you are.

Canary I have applied for a few general assistants jobs and wanted to work my way up. But their only offering part time positions. Need full time to pay the bills. Willing to work my way up even though initially it would be a 10k pay cut.

I went back to Uni at 35, did a History degree, then did my Masters. Now at 41, got a job that I really like and looking back it was the best decision I ever made. As an aside, made some great new friends also, from different walks of life than perhaps I may have done.

Go for it bud if you can afford it.

just keep trying i guess

or find a way to do part time, maybe evenings, and then sort out full time once you've done that for a bit

SPYKES, they only offer part-time positions so if someone is sh!t they can get rid of them easily. If you're any use you'll be able to get a full time position within 3 months max. That said, you will have to put up with a LOT of sh!t to work your way up to management position...which can be entry level for someone with a degree.

You'd obviously have a lot of experience behind you, though.

yeah tbh i don't think the **** is worth the hassle

saw so many people with stress problems from it and having to do ridiculous hours

for rubbish money

could have done it myself years ago but turned it down

Cheers roycas the friends thing is a bonus yes. Appears I dont have much in commen with most my mates seem to have less in commen as the years pass.

Can afford it just I think but gotta start looking at the bigger picture for a change.

Probably true that Sparks and the experience was the reason I wanted to work my way up rather than starting higher up with the degree.
Appears none of them are highering this time of year anyhow. Go in ask every 2 weeks :-)

might do it one day out of boredom. dont want a job but could be interesting doing a degree. got a degree in computing but i mean something more interesting like geography or politics.

quite a lot are old pervs who just want to sit next to a young person.

Just a general point about supermarket managers. In my opinion, none of them, be they store or department managers, are really managers. They're all obsessed with meeting 'test' targets on availability, mystery customers, wastage, rather than the bigger picture. Basically the company doesn't trust them to do good job, so sets all sorts of benchmarks and checks - trying to pass these on the odd occassion they take place, the store operates completely differently from how it normally does, which rather defeats the purpose.

Not knowing you, or the situation, obviously, my inclination would be to advise you to do it. If you stick to route one, and in a couple of years said to a prospective employer that it was a dodgy time economically, so you took the chance to improve your education, that will sound like good managerial talent to me.

But also, once you get into the course and life, you may well find yourself being drawn down a route you haven't even considered yet. If in doubt, do it. You probably won't get another chance, and the worst case scenario is a couple pf years not in work. When you are sixty, two years say, won't fell stupid looking back, whatever the outcome.

yes, and also you'll meet some top grade clunge.

Well I have to admit meeting my current missus at Uni, and she is 12 years younger than me! So I guess that was an added advantage haha

I was coming to that sparks. How do I stand at 41 do you reckon?

OK hopefully...

Already got too many regrets dont want this to be another.And yes the fann y would probably have me drooling like a dog.

Unfortunately a lot of the f@nny is in a similar condition.

In the army they are taught, if you are choosing between action and inaction., do it.

Tony Blair was seemingly listening...

hmmm. Not sure it equates to political decisions, where the rule should be reversed imo.

Honestly, from what you have said it would appear to be the thing for you. At least go to your local Uni and speak to them.

I left school with just a few o'levels and spent the nxt 14 years in engineering. By the end I was bored **less. So I travelled for a year or so, came back and paid my debts off and went to Uni. After the first year I needed a part time job...so worked in a Bookies! The job is poorly paid, but the hours can suit.

Now I am doing the job I was aiming to do, enjoying it, nice lady in my life and chuffed that I actually got my arse into gear and went for it.

Only get one go, make the most of it.

good luck

Been in FE. Saw so many take years of doubting themselves and plucking up courage to do it, then realising how quickly time passes on course. get started and, as you understand the pressures of mixing study and your work/family life as well as your capability, you'll be ahead of where you would have been had you waited. Then, if necessary, steer yourself to where you want to go if you are not on the right track. Many courses give credits for stuff already achieved. Even better, find a course that has placement or do a deal to work PT. Fact is the academic year lasts about 30 weeks, class contact is often in single digits so it can all be coped with easily by good communications with employer and family and, nmost of all by getting the work out of the way ahead of the deadline (I never did but do as I say, not as...). All my promotions came from showing that I was interested enough to better myself.

One thing about mature students:more women than men! I reckon the women look at themselves, knowthey have a problem and do somehting about it; they also support each other better; some even do it for social reasons, to ge tout of the house instead of watching his footie on TV waiting for him to come home. Men, I reckon, are afraid of what the lad's will say and blame their situation on other factors.