Anyone else doing the uni round?

[beebopper]

Thanks for your input beebopper.
This course is actually fully funded by the Welsh government to ensure they have people coming in at the junior levels (succession planning). This will reduce his student loan to his living expenses, books etc. The tuition fees are covered. This makes this particular course quite attractive so I don't think that they will have to sell the course to him.
From what we have been told, there is a structured career path for health care now and there are extended periods of work embedded in hospital labs throughout the course.
I believe that this is a recent development.
He is very determined that this is what he wants to do so I think it is important that he does what he has so much passion for.

Well that certainly helps allot. Why is it funded? Is it also funded for English students with no strings attached? Well that is unusual. Surely this makes going to Cardiff a no brainer!!
If its like teaching its because not many people are willing to enter the classroom for very good reason. Is heading for a MLSO position in the NHS? Such an important role but the pay is terrible.

Its great he has a passion ( I wish more of the youngsters I teach did actually really unusual) and I wish him well as long as he goes into it with his eye open. You have to remember in the world we live in you need a decent income to afford a decent standard of living.
Also lab work is usually actually really dull when you are doing it day in day out year in year out. I guess it a little like being a bee farmer; a few hives is great but 1000's is not everybodies cup of tea.
Of course he can always just use the degree as a degree at some point and get out of the lab, but its not always as easy as it sounds.

I realise I sound like a sour puss and don't want to discourage your boy but just want your him to realise what it is really like in the real work of the lab. Has he done any work experience in a lab?

If he still wants to pursue it then fantastic I take my hat off to him and applaud his determination. I am sure he will enjoy the degree; I went to Cardiff Uni back in the 80's - it is a fabulous city to be a student.

 

[B+.]

Well that certainly helps allot. Why is it funded? Is it also funded for English students with no strings attached? Well that is unusual. Surely this makes going to Cardiff a no brainer!!
If its like teaching its because not many people are willing to enter the classroom for very good reason. Is heading for a MLSO position in the NHS? Such an important role but the pay is terrible.

Its great he has a passion ( I wish more of the youngsters I teach did actually really unusual) and I wish him well as long as he goes into it with his eye open. You have to remember in the world we live in you need a decent income to afford a decent standard of living.
Also lab work is usually actually really dull when you are doing it day in day out year in year out. I guess it a little like being a bee farmer; a few hives is great but 1000's is not everybodies cup of tea.
Of course he can always just use the degree as a degree at some point and get out of the lab, but its not always as easy as it sounds.

I realise I sound like a sour puss and don't want to discourage your boy but just want your him to realise what it is really like in the real work of the lab. Has he done any work experience in a lab?

If he still wants to pursue it then fantastic I take my hat off to him and applaud his determination. I am sure he will enjoy the degree; I went to Cardiff Uni back in the 80's - it is a fabulous city to be a student.

The way it works is the Welsh government make a plan of the resources they will need in the three years it takes to complete the degree. They tell the Uni how many students they can recruit and train (the students do 15 weeks in their first and second year, then 25 weeks in their third year working in a Welsh NHS hospital lab - 23 students are being taken on in sept 2017). These are effectively long interviews because, in addition to the training, the students have to commit to working a minimum of 2 years in the Welsh NHS. For this, the Welsh government agrees to pay the tuition fees for certain courses....but, it ensures they have graduates ready to take up roles in three years...trained by them, funded by them. It sounds fair to me.
They come out with the NCPC alonside the degree so they are qualified to work in a lab as a Health Care Scientist when they finish the degree. There is a structured training ad development programme for them beyond that too.

We just arrived home. It was a long and tiring day.