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Tired of my skills going to waste

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  • 05-02-2011 6:55pm
    #1
    LegacyUser
    Registered Users Posts: 166,026 ✭✭✭✭


    Hi,
    I though I would post this on here instead of Personal Issues, as I would really like some constructive advice.

    I studied Science in college and graduated 5 years ago. Half way through the degree I realised I had a real passion for social justice and social policy, but I finished the degree just to get it. I started work straight after college as a care assistant, working both in nursing homes and in the community. At the moment I am mainly working with young people with disabilities in the community, mostly personal care work i.e cleaning, cooking etc.

    However, I am feeling very, very frustrated and down at the moment as Im not going anywhere in my job, and I really do not know what to do.

    I want to move into a more advocacy and practical role as I'm tired of doing really menial jobs when I'm a passionate, resourceful and intelligent young women. I've done lots of volunteer work in the last few years with Childline and a local youth project to try and bulk up my cv so I can move into the social arena. I set up a womens group in my local area and have been asked to speak at national events and write articles for papers since setting it up, which I have done. I feel alive when Im doing this, as I'm excellent at communicating with people and organising things.

    I earn roughly 19,000 a year at the moment which makes it impossible to save so I can go back and do a course, even an evening course! I feel like I've done the hard slog now, yet am still earning pittens for doing really hard work. Im heading into my late twenites soon, and I feel my skills and talents are just going to waste. What can I do, or how do I go about making that shift from care assistant to a more leadership role?

    Thanks


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    #2
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,966 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    Are there any social justice / advocacy jobs that might make use of your science degree? (green issues? environmental stuff?)

    Other than that, they only way you'll get a more interesting job in social care is to have a relevant degree. Sorry, that's just the way Ireland is at the moment when there are way more candidates than jobs.

    Is there any way you could use your science degree to get entry to a post-grad qualification in the area (don't just look at the official story, identify a course you would like to do and ask ... eg science might be very relevant to some health-promotion things).

    There there any employer that might sponsor your study? This could be harder to find because you've already got a first degree, but there may be some that would see your management potential.


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