Rae last week put in to voice something I had been thinking for a couple of years and today I took action.
I’m applying to go back to uni.
After my less than stellar attempt at an Arts degrees in the late ’80s it’s high time I got a bit of paper. It’s always been a concern that having that paper will help me support my family much more than not having it, and while I have worked hard, have a good job, run my own mini-business and feel I can hold my own in most conversations it’s always gnawed away at me that I am missing letters after my name.
I know I squandered my first opportunity almost 17 odd years ago but I now also know I never should have gone straight in to study. The thought never crossed my mind to take time off, to find out what it was that I wanted to do with my life. It was always assumed, and I was as guilty as anyone else in assuming this, that Tony would go on to uni, study and get a job.
So I’ve taken a deep breath, faxed off for an academic transcript that, with the passing of time, should make for a more amusing than shameful read and when it arrives I shall bundle them all off to the administration gods who will hopefully find a place in the Bachelor of Information Technology for me.
Good on you Tony – and good luck. I finished my degree part time whilst working a 50 hour a week job, my advice is to be organised.
And don’t forget the added bonus that the student card gives you some good discounts!
Another approach which might bear thinking about -depending on how much you had to complete of the BA (from memory it’s not that much?)- is to finish that BA off and then apply as a postgraduate for a Grad. Dip or Masters in the IT field in your area of interest. It would give you two quals and I know several people with industry knowledge and experience who have got their ‘piece of paper’ supporting their IT knowledge this way.
Congrats! It’s a huge step to take. I am having conflicting feelings about starting again in a couple of months, particularly the horror of having to write essays again. But it will all be worth it!
Ahh… uni. Yes. I’d love to go back, and will one day. I made the choice of starting uni straight after highschool when I really should have taken a break for a while as well. Hopefully I’ll get to go back there.
So giive us more details. Which Uni? What are the contact hours? How will this affect work??
Best of luck, Tony. I know how it feels. I left school at the completion of Year 10 and joined the Navy and got a trade. After completing the 7th of my required 8 years in the Navy I made good on the promise to myself that I would one day go back to school and get my HSC.
I was posted to a shore base for my last year and went to TAFE at night
(3 nights a week) and achieved my NSW HSC.
From here I could have applied to go to uni as a mature age student but I thought I’d try my hand at applying with the rest of the school leavers. Anyway, I got into a Bachelor of Business at University of Western Sydney on a part time basis and completed it in 6 years.
When I started the course I was 24, had a job I was learning lots in, had a lovely wife and no children. 6 years later Karen and I had 2 lovely children (now we have 3 and are contemplating a 4th!), I had just been laid off from my job (not the same job I had when I began), I was 30 and still married to the lovely Karen.
4-5 months later I had my graduation and I was so pleased it was over.
The next week I started my new job in Melbourne.
I’ve been out of uni for 2 1/2 years now and am heading back next semester to do a Graduate Diploma in Applied Science, majoring in Agricultural Studies. This time it’s by distance education through Charles Sturt. And it’s a course I’m really excited about. I’m going from my geekly employment related studies to agriculture which I’ve become really passionate about. I’m going to specialise in soil studies, erosion and salinity and the like.
From reading your blog for quite some time, I’m sure you’ll give the B.IT your best shot, and I’m sure you’ll do spectacularly well. With the love and support of a great gal like Rae behind you, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t.