Good news, bad news

[Sundae]

@ DanaC:

I value education very highly. And commitment to it.
But I'm not fussed about vocational qualification for the sake of it.

The TA I work with is now in her 2nd year of earning a HLTA (Higher Level Teaching Assistant) qualification. She teaches our class alone every Wednesday. She is kind, capable, organised and extremely competent at teaching. She earns a fair amount more than me, but she has been in the job for a long time. Remember I wandered in off the street two years ago and only worked two days a week. I officially started work last February but only part time.
The only raise she will get by going through this long drawn-out admin exercise is that she will qualify for a higher level of pay - HLTA - when she is in sole control of a class.

Same with the HLTA next door.
She has run packs of Beavers, Cubs and Scouts for years. She has sons in the Forces and daughters outside. She's unflappable and can manage any young person of any age. She qualified last year.

You know me, little ambition, high self doubt.
I'd rather have a secure job I loved and take on an OU course in literature. It would have the same earning capacity (ie none) but at least I'd enjoy the work.