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View Full Version : So confused need a little advice. (WARNING it's rather LONG)


Njathind
January 15th, 2011, 10:44 AM
Let me tell you a little about myself, I'm 17, live in Hampshire England, have a driving liscence and I currently work as an apprentice plumber.

When I was at school I was struggling to think of what I wanted to do, I loved electronics and was really good at it so I decided to go to college and study to be an electrician. However whilst I was flicking through college prospectuses I kept looking at other courses and I really liked the idea of studieing plumbing.

So I went to college to study plumbing and got a job in a shop in the town just to get some money. The job was in a shoe shop which involved a variety of tasks and you were constantly talking to and helping people. I loved it, everyone at work got on so well with each other, and I really enjoyed the job, I even managed to get a little promotion. I also loved college, again everyone got on really well and we all managed to have so much fun whilst getting our studies done.

Now I finished my college course and had to get a job as an apprentice plumber in order to do the next step. One day I got a phone call from my old college saying that there was a job going and I should apply, and I did. I spent months on end traveling all over the country to different stages of the interview process. It was worth it though as in the end I got the job.

The only problem is I never really had it explained to me what exactly I would learn and how it would be structured. This company is the sort that expects you to live to work not work to live. They have basically told me you will work when we tell you to, and this is the college you will go to.

So now I'm studying at a college I hate, its an hours drive from home with traffic. And the worst part is, they have somehow managed to work it so that I am now doing the remaing 3 parts of the training all in 1 go. Which according to other colleges isn't the way it works. They also have me studying for gas qualifications which I wont even get the qualifications for as I wont be able to do the assements as the company doesnt touch gas.

I was recently in hospital thanks to a suicide attempt, and whilst I was in hospital I got thinking. I hate my life, its all work and no play, I work stupid hours, sometimes 1 in the afternoon till 10 at night. Because of my age I can only work a max of 40 hours per week and I do way more than that every week.

So I have been thinking, I want to become a nurse or paramedic, I'm not entirely sure as to whether that is possible due to my current (hopefully soon to be previouse) situation of suicide and self harm.

Heres where I'm stuck, if it turns out I can train to do this what should I do?

Should I stick it out for 2 years and get my plumbing qualifications under my belt. Then go back and do A/AS levels at college in order to get into university to study nursing or paramedical science. I have been doing some resarch and apparently at my local University 500 people have applied for paramedical science and there are only 30 places. So if I do decide to go to university there is no garuntee that I will get a place on the courses.

If you've read this far thankyou, I'm just confused as to what I should do. I did want to be a plumber untill this company ruined it for me.

What should I do?

TheSleepingInsomniac
January 15th, 2011, 11:30 AM
If you really want to be a plummer don't let a lousy collage ruin it for you. One day you could be a great plummer and look back and say "ha i'm a great plummer even though collage didn't help me enough".
Good luck

Njathind
January 15th, 2011, 11:48 AM
If you really want to be a plummer don't let a lousy collage ruin it for you. One day you could be a great plummer and look back and say "ha i'm a great plummer even though collage didn't help me enough".
Good luck

Its not just the college, its everyone related to the company aswell. Everyone is out to get as much as they can for as little as they can. Its discusting.

TheSleepingInsomniac
January 15th, 2011, 10:26 PM
Its not just the college, its everyone related to the company aswell. Everyone is out to get as much as they can for as little as they can. Its discusting.
If thats the case they may be breaking the law so do't be afraid to report them.

Josiah7
January 24th, 2011, 07:49 AM
As a guy that wants to be a Paramedic - Id say go for it, its a great and rewarding career. However thats just me and its not a picture perfect job. You see alot of terrible sights and depression is very high amongst people in the industy. Nursing is another good choice - more jobs avaliable for nurses then paramedics. A lot less stressful, and probally more of a chance of being accepted. Its all about what YOU want to do and what will suit you and your personalitly. No one knows you better then yourself. Where I am (AUS) its a 3 year course for Paramedics.

PM me if you want any more advice - more then willing to help.

Njathind
January 24th, 2011, 06:33 PM
As a guy that wants to be a Paramedic - Id say go for it, its a great and rewarding career. However thats just me and its not a picture perfect job. You see alot of terrible sights and depression is very high amongst people in the industy. Nursing is another good choice - more jobs avaliable for nurses then paramedics. A lot less stressful, and probally more of a chance of being accepted. Its all about what YOU want to do and what will suit you and your personalitly. No one knows you better then yourself. Where I am (AUS) its a 3 year course for Paramedics.

PM me if you want any more advice - more then willing to help.

Thanks, im the uk its 2 years full time or 3 years part time. its just extremly hard to get into the course though, its just so popular.

Thankyou for your input.

Josiah7
January 24th, 2011, 09:30 PM
No problem - message me if you need anything else :)