Any Help For Single Father s Who Want To Go Back To School And Being Unable To Work While Doing So?

  • Thread starter Thread starter lonegreywolf20
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
L

lonegreywolf20

Guest
I would like to go back to school in order to learn a career that will pay me better than what I am currently getting as an EMT. I am looking at being a scrub tech (surgical tech). No, I do not want to be a medic.

My problem is that in order to go to school and work my current job, I would have to work nights and that means for the three days that I am working, I would be getting no sleep at all because I would go directly from work to class and then back to work. School is five days a week. At 44 years old, I cannot do that. I need to be able to sleep and take care of my kids. Doing this would keep me away from home for three days straight as well.

I want to better myself, but there needs to be a way that I can do this without having to work and be away from my kids for three days straight.
 
Have you gone to your local community college and simply talked to someone? There are so many classes that you can pick up online, you might be able to get much of your general ed reqs done without sitting foot on campus.

Your local hospitals have job fairs, or you might just make an appointment with the HR department to ask them for suggestions.
 
I will not be going to a college, but rather a technical career center. Not a place like Everest or a for profit place, but a local place that is a not-for-profit. So there are no general education requirements. I just have to pass a test called a Tabe test in order to get into the class.

There are no online classes for surgical techs.

I’m just trying to better myself and get paid better in a field that interests me while getting out of EMS.
 
Last edited:
First off congratulations. It can be difficult to be a single parent and it sounds like everything you do you do for your kids, 44 is not to old to look at a career change and it is possible is it possible to talk to your HR department I am wondering if your currently an EMT if it’s possible to get some on the job training that you mabye able to cross credit for your course work. ( or mabye the training and education system doesn’t work the same as here) and is there anyway a friend or family member can watch the kids so you can work and study and sleep. Sometimes parents need to put there needs first so they can put there children’s needs first. And trust me your going to need to sleep
 
My job is going to be less than helpful once they know I am going to school for anything other than being an EMT because it means I will be leaving them.

Even with someone looking after the kids, my schedule will look like this:

Go to class, go to work, go to class, go to work, go to class, go to work and then go to class. I will be going from one to the other with no time for sleep. I will be awake for 72+ hours each week if I have to work and go to school. I would also have to fit studying and homework in there somewhere too.

I was hoping there was some way that I could go to class and not work, but get grants that allow me to do that through specific programs for people like me.
 
Here we have a place called studylink they provide financial assistance in the form of interest free loans for course fees and course related costs and benefit payments aka the dole as I believe it’s called in some countries ( payments from the government that don’t have to be paid back) is there a benefit system in place where you live.
 
I can get a pell grant that will cover the cost of the program, books and such that doesn’t need to be paid back. I do not think I will be able to get student loans for this though and I am already $5k in debt from student loans for going to EMT school. I do not know of any benefit payments for going to school beyond the pell grant and student loans.

I’m not even sure that a scholarship would help as that gets applied to the school as far as I know and doesn’t come to me to use for bills and such to support myself while in school.
 
I just thought of something else. I’m not sure I could keep my job while doing this as they would have to create a special shift for me to be sure I got to class on-time. They would probably not do as they have their set shifts.
 
Without knowing your current income as an EMT and 5k in debt, what is the reality that as a scrub/surgical tech, you will make a significant higher income? You’ll have to factor in the cost of the program and chart out when you will see a profit (after both programs are paid off). Also, are you guaranteed a scrub/surgical tech position at a starting income of $xyz? I understand and applaud you for wanting to better your income to help with expenses for your family - but be very careful about student loan debt. I know first hand from my daughter and myself - neither of us will ever see the income increase for which we thought we needed to go into debt for. As a single father, your kids will miss you and you will miss them. Will you have to pay for additional childcare?

Are there any programs for working adults? I got my Master’s through a University that offered such a program - 4 hours, one night a week, crazy amount of independent, group, reading and homework. Best wishes -
 
I only make $12.18/hr as an EMT. The surgical tech field pays at least $7.00 an hour more. Even if I start out at $5.00 more an hour, it’s better than what I am making now, plus less wear and tear on my body in the form of physical and mental stress.

Not looking to go into more debt for this. A pell grant will cover the school. I need something that will help support me while in school.

I really want to stay in the medical field, but get out of EMS and I don’t want to be a nurse. I would never pass the nursing program anyway. The math needed to pass is well beyond my skill.
 
Last edited:
Does your EMT job provide medical benefits for you and/or your family? As suggested earlier, have you spoken with anyone in HR or recruiting at local hospitals? I now some offer their own programs. In my city, a hospital tech (take vitals, assist with personal care, etc.) completes an extensive 3-week program at the hospital. Then they hire you. I don’t know what they pay, but would think it would be very close to what you are making. Check out your hospitals.
 
I have health insurance, yes that provides for me and my kids, but my employer pays very little of it. I pay $600 a month for it.

I will talk to some hospitals, but I would really like to go back to school for this program. I just need to figure out how.
 
As someone who works in a hospital, I’m asking you to please, please not sacrifice your sleep!

When you’re working in any medical profession, others are depending on you, and if you nod off or are not at your best, they can end up sicker or hurt.

If you make a serious mistake because you are too tired to think straight, you may end up losing your job and never be able to find another job in the medical profession.

Plus you have your kids to care for–you can’t be falling asleep while driving them to school, or be so tired that you snap at them constantly.

Finally, sleep loss is a major factor in poor health and stress.

So please, get your sleep. If you were 18 years old, you might be able to go 72 hours without sleep, but you’re not. Accept your human-ness and get your sleep.

I think you need to talk to someone in your part of the world (U.S.? what state) and find out if you have any realistic options to change careers. My only suggestion is probably not viable for you, but I’ll throw it out there. Look around and find another family that you and your kids can move in with, or who can move in with you. Perhaps an older couple would be happy to have you and your kids stay with them for the duration of your job training–they might enjoy having younger people around, and a younger man to do some of the yard work and heavier household chores, and they might let you stay rent-free if you’re willing to do these kinds of chores for them. In exchange, they might enjoy watching your kids, driving them to their various activities/school/church, etc.

At various times, my parents’-in-law have had people stay with them while finishing school. My brother has a lot of houses, but he moved in with an elderly woman–she enjoys having a man around to do some of the heavier household chores and also because it makes her feel safer. He enjoys having a clean house and someone to talk to (our parents have passed away). They go to flea markets and other local events together–he can drive her, and she enjoys getting out of the house.

Maybe you can find someone who would welcome you and your children. It’s a lonely world, and a lot of older folks would love to have some younger people around to help them out and provide a little company and conversation.

Hopefully when you find the right person to talk to in your town, they’ll have some ideas for you to make your career trajectory work out for you and your children.
 
Is it possible for you to consider leaving the EMT job and work part time while going to school? That might give you more flexibility than your EMT job. Take any job, just to support yourself while in school, it doesn’t need to be in the medical field. Work at Lowes, or HomeDepot or Walmart. Just something til you finish school.
 
Last edited:
I had thought about that as well. I wouldn’t make enough in a part time job to pay my bills. I would need to take two part-time jobs but then I am just working full-time at that point and right back to where I started.

Thank you though for the reply.
 
Around here, “trade schools” are part of the Community College.

My sister was able to get a job at the hospital then the hospital paid for her training.

I think it sounds like a plan!!

EDit to add: Talk to the local Workforce and see if there are any grants or creative means of financing the career change.
 
Last edited:
Not sure what you mean by Workforce? To me Workforce is me, my girlfriend, my partner, people that work are the Workforce.

Please expand on that.
 
I am really not sure there is any way you are going to be able to do this without working. Either you have to take out loans to pay your bills while in school, or take in a paying roommate that will support you.

I still think if you found a job that pays more you could work less hours and have a bit more free time. I don’t know what part of the country you live in, but my son made $15 an hour at a warehouse job and we are not in a metropolitan area. $12 for EMT sounds a little low.
 
I live in Florida and work for a private company. The $12 that I get paid is pretty competitive. A couple private companies are lower paying companies.

Even county pays only a dollar or more than I make currently. I cannot work for county as you have to be dual certified as a firefighter and EMT and my asthma keeps me from being a firefighter.

Trust me, I agree it is a little low, but it’s better than what they pay in Upstate, NY which is only about $8.50 an hour.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top