cross-posted from: https://programming.dev/post/58416724
I’m a German nurse unhappy with nursing and I’m in my 40s.
I wrote I need because my current job as a nurse is physically extremely demanding and I know I don’t want to do this till I retire. My life cannot be to hope to advance in this field by moving up to a position within the hospital where I don’t actually have to work bedside. In Germany nurses don’t need a bachelor to practice, they only need an apprenticeship (Ausbildung).
Something I always liked as a child is music, either the classical guitar or the piano, so I talked to 2 professors, one for piano, the other one for classical and electric guitar. There is no question that east Asians dominate the piano market, they are insanely good and securing a spot in a piano bachelor would be very difficult, but a bachelor of classical and electric guitar is not as looked after like the piano, which could be my way to do something I enjoy, earn more than now with regular, predictable working hours, small groups of students when I finish the bachelor and stop doing something that’s physically destroying me.
About job options after I finish the bachelor, the professor I talked to, a classical guitarist with several prizes I’m not naming said that nowadays all kinds of music teachers are retiring and he constantly gets calls asking for new guitar teachers, that all his students who finish the bachelor have contracts even before finishing the bachelor and the figures he offered regarding salaries are higher than what I earn now, because I’d have a bachelor.
Now I don’t know if this professor is overselling his program, but this is a renowned music school in a city next to mine, which means its close, I wouldn’t have to move and the bachelor would cost me nothing but 100 Euros per semester, provided I prepare for a year for the admission exam, checking my progress every 3 months with this professor, something this musical school offers free of charge and actually passing the exam.
I don’t believe this professor was lying: salary figures I checked match what he said and he proposed I prepare for the exam, check with him my progress and if I get admitted, study for a year to see if I like it, because I can always use my apprenticeship as a nurse to work nursing, radiology instead of bedside nursing or work for a healthcare insurance company. If I do this I’d work part time during the bachelor.
I’ve been playing the classical guitar for the last 8 years if that helps and I learned musical theory and piano as a child.
The other option would be to study a bachelor of science and become a physician assistant, but to do this on a respectable public university and not with a private, online diploma mill that only wants my money I’d have to relocate, which is something very risky (new city, new hospital, no social contacts), or pay for a second flat for 4 years, which would be expensive. The medical side of nursing has always interested me and I enjoy explaining organs to patients, and I’m not ready to simply ignore the last 7 years of my life, the time I’ve been working as a nurse, but bedside, as said, is killing me, but relocating 3 hours away for 4 years...
I’m split. Both paths offer a way out of my current situation. I wouldn’t mind working as a guitar teacher for the rest of my life, nor would I mind working as a physician assistant.
ETA: thanks to all of you for your input, including those post I didn't comment on.
I have changed my career multiple times: Ranching/farmer, Statistician, Microbiologist, Geneticist, International Marketing, Agronomist, and eventually Sales. 2 years ago I started my own business at the age of 47. I have had to learn bookkeeping and accounting which is not fun (fuck QuickBooks). I have also lived in 2 countries with many moves of 2,000 to 3,000km to new jobs.
Here's the key: You don't have to choose permanently. Pick the one that you are comfortable with doing now and go for it. If you fail, try again or try the other option.
The guitar sounds like it has the lowest barriers for entry. So I would do that one first. If it doesn't work out, go do the medical route. If that doesn't work out, try something else. There's always options and you have another 20+ years to work.
wait, how is that even possible? Because here in Germany you need an accreditation to do any of those jobs you listed, at least an apprenticeship. I'm assuming the rest of Europe is the same. Are we really that different across the Atlantic?
how can you be so optimistic? How can you so easily change jobs?
It's not unusual in the U.S. for people to study one subject in school and end up working in a completely different field. Not to the same extent that I have. I am a bit of a outlier.
Early on in my career I took advantage of my employers "continuing education" programs. These allowed me to continuously take graduate level courses for years. I have attended 6 different universities. Education, experience and not being afraid to apply to all sorts of positions is how I have such a varied career path.
How can I be so optimistic? I have done it several times. It was nerve wracking the first couple of times I did it, but I succeeded every time.