Hi

I until recently was at Uni doing an animal behaviour degree, i basically cannot afford to go anymore. The rent, dog food, food bills, tv, internet etc and a little bit of socialising is just too much on a student loan. I was also thinking that with the degree as it is had no practical experience whatsoever, didnt once touch a dog or any other animal in the first year and there was very little throughout the whole 3 years!!! (Anyone thinking of going to lincoln uni to do an animal degree id suggest otherwise). I was thinking of doing a compass course as i have looked in to it before, but if i did i would do the advanced Dip in canine psychology. But then what, id have to gain more practical experience and im still not guarenteed of earning any money at all.
I really do want to work with animals particularly dogs. I have looked into veterinary nursing but there are very little taking on trainees. Am i asking too much of this world i just want to enjoy the job that i do earn enough money to live off and look forward to going to work. I currently work at asda and dont really mind staying here until i find something better. I would love to work for a dogs home rehabilitating dogs for re-homing. Another thing i would like to do it interior design working towards developing my own properties.

Im just stuck in a rut at the moment and just dont know what to do with myself, i want to settle down into a job i enjoy and get my own house. Anyone in similar situations or had a career change?

Louise

I'm afraid Louise that what you are describing are peoples hobbies...working with dogs or interior design.

Without recognised qualifications (or large independent means) you will find it very difficult to make a living at either.
I would stick at something through thick and thin and soon the financial hard time will be behind you.
Both my hubby and I studied for a very long time and were perpetually skint, before we reaped any rewards.

Knowledge is power and life is short...so grab it.

I have to agree with Toolz.  I have two degrees (as of last week) - a BSc in Animal Management and an FdSc in Canine Behaviour and Training (similar aspirations to you I think!).  But realistically, financially, I have had to take whatever job I can to pay the bills - I did attempt to set up as a trainer but didn't get any response in a month (couldn't afford to advertise more), and I couldn't afford to pay the insurance premium without more money coming in.  Rock, hard place.

Your best bet is to get whatever job you can put up with until you are in a better financial position to go back to doing something you love.  I have wanted to work with animals from day one, and still do, but at the moment I have to accept that it's not feasible for me - which is why I work in a potato factory :-P and was a cleaner for a year before that!

> Anyone in similar situations or had a career change?

not really got any advice for you but i can sympathise, i graduated this summer and am still working at a call centre :( the prob for me is my degree really needs a post grad to take you anywhere and they cost a lot!

just take your time to figure out what you genuinely enjoy and want to do, there's no rush :)

Now isn't that interesting?

I'm 50 and nearing the end of my career and Astarte sounds like a young stripling :-).........
She says " no rush- take your time" and I say "grab things now- lifes too short"

There is a lesson to be learnt there girls.......... :-) ;-)

Why dont you take your expierance and obvious love for dogs and do what I am going to do and become a dog trainer?
I am enrolling in a course soon and their is loads of hands on as I will be staying away for a while (OH will look after dogs :) ) and getting some shadowing of real trainers and also learning hands on etc :)

Being a dog trainer I think is the most rewarding job out there and as you already have animal experance and a degree, sounds like it would be good for you :)

louise, I would partly agree with the posters so far and would suggest to you a portfolio career.  The idea behind this is to have a good work life balance by getting well paid (depends on your standards and definitions of well paid though ;)) job and doing it part time and then having a lesser paid job that you love, thereby paying the bills and having a job you love.  Could you stick with Asda (possibly doing the most profitable shifts?) and then do a bit of dog stuff and interior design on the side?

I agree with cheekychow and several others here Louise - if money is no object then it's fine to look at alternative careers but in the real world where only those at the top of their field earn truly worthwhile salaries (and they'll have years of hands on experience - not classroom) it's well nigh impossible to pay day to day expenses out of such occupations never mind have a comfortable standard of living.

I don't want to dampen your spirit or ambition however I'd recommend you look into a career path which is much less niche and use your spare time or weekends to follow your dreams.  Who knows, a few years up the road you could well have enough interest and income in your preferred field to go for it full time - dreams shouldn't die, but sometimes they need to be put on hold for a bit :)

best wishes, Teri

I agree with the others too - but I do sympathise as the pay for working with animals does seem to be really poor. I've always wanted to be a kennel maid (my mother despaired of me - I think she still does - she had high hopes of me!) but the pay really put me off. You could always as Teri & some of the others have said, do some weekend or evening work relating to your interests - perhaps you could find a rescue kennels near you or something who would be keen for the extra help?

Louise, if you didn't finish your degree then, if I were you, I would move heaven and earth to complete it. I work in Further and Higher Education and the number of people i see coming back after a few years saying, 'if only I'd finished off what I started, 5,6 or 7 years ago'

I know its a huge struggle to survive financially as a student but far better to complete than to leave it half done, ditch the internet and work on the uni machines, and get freeview, your dog will be perfectly happy on dog food 1 grade down from what you buy now! In fact one of the money saving sites suggests we do this with all our shopping, it tells you how to downshift here.
If you have finished your degree then set yourself some goals, you may need to take some run of the mill jobs in the meantime but keep working towards those goals. Working as a volunteer is often a good way of getting into animal care as you get to know people (including vets etc) and that is often the best way into employment in the areas you are interested in. Have you thought about the Police or armed forces? Don't know your current circumstances but they have animals that need looking after/trained too.
I wish you lots of luck but if I had one top tip then its 'get your degree' :-)

I sympathise, I really do. I would be very careful about leaving your degree though. I think it's always much much harder to go back later on - especially as the financial commitments grow. I think there are always more doors open to you with a degree, rightly or wrongly, especially these days. Is there any chance you could transfer onto another course so that your study isn't wasted?

> I have looked into veterinary nursing but there are very little taking on trainees.

Could you do a full time veterinary nursing degree? At my local college if you're studying full time you don't have to find somewhere to take you on - only the NVQ students have to do that.

Good luck :-)

how about working for RSPCA? they train inspectors and animal collection officers-check out the website

I agree in why waste 3 years, finish the degree,

What about parents, siblings, family members, can anyone help you to add a little extra to your income, if you were my daugher, studying and obviously working in Asda to suppliment, showing that you were working hard I would happily even if I were to struggle help with the extra you are missing out on. Could even all members give you £10 each, have you asked?

I agree that you need to find a job that will pay a good wage and put on hold some dreams for now, but I really would not be happy about wasting 3 years and not finishing a course, the more degree's under your belt the better.

Try to find a way to finish the course. :-)

Hi

Well i would like to carry on with my degree but because i was having to work and go to uni i failed a couple of units, so i couldnt even if i wanted to im not re-doing a year, ive had alot of stress this year and i dont think going back to uni is the right thing for me. Ive had a look at RSPCA website and they are not taking on for inspectors again until Oct09 but ill fill the sheet out and wait and see, they have a few other interesting vacancies, need to get that test passed asap. A kind of having my finger in many pies type of thing. Im going to do the Advanced Dip in the start of next year, fresh start kind of thing. Carry on working at Asda get as many hours as poss and a comfortableish wage. My mum is in a similar situation she has just graduated herself from a social work degree and is very hard up, and she has a mortgage to pay for, my sister and dad to support as he cannot work due to illness (albeit self inflicted, glug glug!!) allthough she did help me out where she could. Im going to wait it out, as im only just old enough to drink in the states i dont think there is any rush yet. I will look into training behaviourist for a dog charity still, giving something back and i will enjoy it, i know it may be frustrating at times and upsetting, yet its something i would like to do. Im going to concentrate on passing my driving test, and getting enough money for rent and everything, Thankgod im not on my own if i didnt have OH and his wage id be back at home in the box room. See what 2009 brings and stop worrying and wear a smile at least i have a job a roof over my head that allows the dogs. :-)

Louise

Hi Louise,

you sound like you have a good positive attitude and that although things haven't necessarily gone to plan as yet you're in for the long haul :)  Postive attitude is a must have with anything these days so you're on the right track.

Perhaps in your spare time you could offer to dog walk for a local dogs home - that way you would get the opportunity to do something you enjoy doing, perhaps get the opprtunity to help rehabilitate some less fortunate dogs that just need to build up their trust in people again and would also give you some practical hands on work to add to your CV at a later date :)

Good luck, Teri

I see where you're coming from about having lots of fingers in different pies but sometimes its better to focus on one thing at a time and give it 100%, than give 25% to 4 things (if you get what i mean)
Good luck, hope all works out for you.
x

I Think when i get abit more direction and i definately know what i want to do but will still put bread on the table, i will concentrate on it. Im volunteering at a local boarding kennel that has an rspca block, they have quite a few dogs that just simply havent had anything put into them, they have no lead manners, any recall and there was a PBT that had to be pts the other day. Yet again majority staffy X's but a gorgeous rottie girl i wanted. But she has gone to a new home now. If only i was getting paid lol im sure those dogs would be re-homed sooner if i could go up everyday and spend the time with them they need.

Louise

That may be true Louise and you can certainly help, but remember you are only one person with one  pair of hands - there is only so much you can do!