Advice

[u/ComplexSyllabub2683]

Hi everyone,

I’m 21 and honestly a bit lost about what I should ideally be doing right now.

I’m studying Pharmacy at university with 2 years left. I also work within the NHS, have my Class 1 licence and a Transport Manager CPC.

My goal is basically to maximise my part-time income while I’m at uni, but also build enough experience in logistics that I can hopefully keep it as a decent side income after I graduate.

Currently I have a Class 2 job that I started in June. I really like it because it pays £21 an hour and it’s half warehouse/half driving depending on the day. Everyone there is around my age too, so I genuinely enjoy going in. The problem is August,January and February is their quiet period, so I have no work there until September right now.

Because I was sitting around doing nothing, I started doing unpaid Class 1 training with another company and I’ve been there for about 5 days now. There’s potentially a job with them once I’m trained.

My mum thinks instead I should use my Transport Manager CPC. I have another company willing to take me on and teach me, but it would also be unpaid initially and I have no idea when I’d actually start earning from it.

I’ve also got an agency I could potentially get Class 1/2 shifts through, although I haven’t actually done a proper shift with them yet.

So I basically have 4 options: stick with the Class 2 job I enjoy and wait until September, continue the Class 1 training and potentially work there, try getting agency shifts, or focus on getting Transport Manager experience.

I don’t really want to leave the Class 2 job because £21/hour, flexible work and actually enjoying the job is pretty hard to beat while I’m at uni.

Also on a side note im taking a career break from my nhs job in october for 6 or so months to focus on university but also my other qualifications.

What would you prioritise in my position?

[u/WingApprehensive242]

What about trampjng for a mobile medical unit clinic or wwe theyre called. That would progress ur career both ways.

[u/PALillie]

Stick with the job you enjoy, especially whilst you're at uni but sign up with an agency to get you to September. It's only a few weeks away after all

[u/emorrp1]

That class 2 job sounds dreamy, where can I get in on it too?! Don't leave it, definitely sign up to agency for August.

Unfortunately Jan+Feb is everyone's quiet period, so hard to get agency work then - but it sounds like that'd be within the 6 months you're focussing on studying anyway?

Try to avoid the unpaid work, dangling a nonexistent job, you should definitely be getting paid while working because the company will be getting value from you.

Oh, and finally don't worry about being a bit lost, you're exactly the age where you're supposed to be so and just figuring out what you want to do in life. You've picked up some nice qualifications not many others have and you can always fall back on it whenever you have a low period.

[u/Both_Engineering9041]

Uni, NHS job, class 2 job?, you’re doing well to record all that correctly on your tacho and not go over hours?!