Returning from the UK

Yesterday I returned from my three-week visit to the UK.  These times are always tough on the heart and this was no exception. It's private stuff so I'm not going to elaborate here but I will tell you that feelings and events have caused me to re-think what comes after my next six months in Sri Lanka.  I've decided that I've got to go back to the UK, at least for a few years, before I do any more volunteering so far from home.

What I'll do work-wise is a bit up in the air. I'm attracted by the thought of getting a Post Graduate Certificate of Education or some such qualification which will allow me to go into formal teaching and give me classroom skills I feel I'm lacking.  I have a good BSc in Electronics and Computer Science and I have a natural liking of maths-based subjects and things with a tech bent. From what I've heard, male teachers are in short supply as are people with maths, though I don't know if more teachers, generally, are needed. But at what level would I teach? And do I need to specialise? My time in India has given me 18 months-worth of teaching experience with children aged 6 to 20, and my time in Sri Lanka has also allowed me to work with adults. And again, prior to India, I had some part-time experience of helping children in a Special Needs school. If I must specialise then some of this experience will surely help me making a decision and help me getting a position. Will it be expensive and can I get paid while I train? There's much to research.

I'm also drawn to is the world of development aid - organisations such as Plan-UK etc which seek the eradication of poverty through child education. Education again.

But I know that the employment situation in the UK is dire... this is not a good time for a 55 year-old to be looking for a job and career change. In fact, this sounds like the perfect time to be going volunteering!