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I have a nice problem, and would like the power of mn to help please!

29 replies

Notyummy · 13/03/2008 16:10

I'm not sure that this is exactly the right place to post this, but I will give it try and see what happens!

I left the military 4 years ago, and they have a scheme whereby you have £2000 to spend on training for up to 10 years after you have left.

I would like to think about spending this now, as before dd was born I was working too hard, and immediately after she was born I couldn't do it, but now she is 19 months I think my brain may work again! I am working, but with good holidays, so could fit in a residential course (as long as DH, who is still in RAF, is around to look after dd of course!)

What to do? The good angel on my shoulder says I should spend it on some qualification that furthers my career (I work for the Home Office as relatively senior civil servant). The devil says 'sod that....go to the red sea for a week and do another diving qualification', or go to some retreat somewhere and learn how to teach Yoga.

Just looking for ideas really, to help shape my thinking.

BTW: I already have these qualifications so don't need to do them

Prince 2 Practioner
MBA
MA
PGCE

Over to you, MN.

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Iota · 13/03/2008 16:13

a friend of mine had this dilemma and spent it on flying lessons - or maybe the RAF have already taught you to fly?

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Anna8888 · 13/03/2008 16:13

Definitely go for the fun option - you have far too many serious qualifications already

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hanaflower · 13/03/2008 16:15

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Youcannotbeserious · 13/03/2008 16:15

Or you could go for some middle ground - Get a qualification to teach English as a second language or teach kids to dive?

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Notyummy · 13/03/2008 16:20

No, I can't fly, so thats a definite possibility. I would have to look into prices.

Anna..I am leaning towards fun, I have to admit.TBH, I don't want to do a qualification just for the sake of it IFYSWIM, so it would have to be something that contributed to my job/role, and I'm not sure what else there is out there. I had a vague idea on some sort of psychometric testing qualification, or workplace psychology/emotional intelligence. But if I'm honest, becoming a qualified pilates instructor sounds a lot more fun!!

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Notyummy · 13/03/2008 16:21

Prospectus idea is good. I kind of like the idea of doing a course that I can do in a week or so, and just go and stay somewhere, rather than something that goes on for months in the evening...particularly if DH is deployed out of the country

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Anna8888 · 13/03/2008 16:22

You'll start looking overly serious on your CV if you go for the serious stuff . So it won't necessarily be as career enhancing as all that

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hanaflower · 13/03/2008 16:22

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Notyummy · 13/03/2008 16:25

NLP is a good idea, I will look into that thanks. I have had some limited contact with it in the past, and had some vague fears of it turning me into some overly positive Tom Cruise type....but I think I am just getting confused because his character in Magnolia uses NLP for dodgy ends

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Anna8888 · 13/03/2008 16:30

Actually, on the serious stuff, I would dearly love to do a Negotiation Analysis seminar. There was a negotiation analysis module in my MBA but I was too immature to understand it - it scared the living daylights out of me.

However, now I am older and wiser...

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Notyummy · 13/03/2008 16:37

Another good idea Anna. My job (which I haven't yet started...just moving from a Project Management role) is all about negotiating on behalf of whitehall with local government, so that could come in handy! Having said that, I'm not sure if I will be offered any additional training when I start anyway...would hate to use my training budget, only to discover I am going on a workplace funded course, so might wait and see on that one.

Thanks for the ideas folks...keep them coming.

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Anna8888 · 13/03/2008 16:40

NLP and negotiation analysis would be highly complementary. So you could pay for one with your £2,000 grant and get the other from your employer...

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hanaflower · 13/03/2008 16:52

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squigglywig · 13/03/2008 17:06

A course in organisational psychology maybe? Especially if you're headed to the joys of getting local and central govt. to talk to one another!

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woodenchair · 13/03/2008 17:33

If you are leaning towards flying, you could train as a helicopter pilot. Someone I went to school with is a private pilot and goes all over the place.

I would think it's fairly well paid

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Notyummy · 13/03/2008 19:26

Bump for the evening crew...any more thoughts people?

Ref the helicopter idea; in some way it sounds like fun, but I am not looking to change career, and I think with any type of flying you have to fly every so ofetn to keep your currencu up, which I am assuming may be quite expensive, so I am not sure if that is for me. I will have to look into it to check.

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Notyummy · 13/03/2008 20:01

bump

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littlelapin · 13/03/2008 20:10

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Notyummy · 13/03/2008 20:24

Completed my advanced open water, but haven't dived since then (2005...sigh). Diving to 30m whilst pregnant with dd, but I didn't know! Ah well; did her no harm (nor did the copious cocktail I consumed every evening of the holiday )

I have some time off between jobs in April and will do some serious research then, but its always good to get ideas.

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mumdebump · 13/03/2008 20:30

Interior Design? Good courses at KLC.
Friend of mine did a residential cookery course on her resettlement.
However, I think you're talking about the ELC money, which can only be used on courses by approved/accredited providers and on certain types of training. I know I couldn't use it for the open learning I wanted to do. Can you check the website to find who the MOD 'approves' of. You could narrow done the courses from there.

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mumdebump · 13/03/2008 20:31

Narrow down

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littlelapin · 13/03/2008 20:32

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SenoraPostrophe · 13/03/2008 20:35

you could have both fun and useful with a language immersion course - you could get about a month in spain for example learning spanish (6 weeks off peak season i think) and presumably it's not that much more in france, italy or germany.

but surely you can't claim for things like scuba diving courses with it?

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pinkem · 13/03/2008 20:40

Check out courses4forces magazine or their website, they have advertisements for the courses you can use your money towards. (can you tell i worked in training and development!!)

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pinkem · 13/03/2008 20:41

(www.courses4forces.co.uk/advertisers.php)

This link will give you approved courses.

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