Hugely gutted and feeling let down

[Vanessa]

Some of you may recall I applied to and was offered a place at the Jewellery School for September - sigh- my circumstances have now changed, my sabbatical has been refused since I have been offered a place on the course. I have considered all my options available to me for this year and have appealed the decision twice which has resulted in the same disappointing outcome. I have been on a roller coaster of emotions over the past 7 weeks -HR and Union do not understand why it has been refused as the reason given is not actually a reason they tell me. I am also aware time is running out as the UCAS deadline for me to respond to my offer is fast approaching, so in order to give me more time to consider my options as to what i do next and to give me time to research and find possible alternative employment, I have decided to ask the university for a deferred entry explaining my reasons why, I've not heard back as yet I hope they agree - I need to get on the course and the extra time will allow me [as already said] to possibly find alternative employment and it will give me extra time to save up more money.

Thanks for listening

**Please dont get me wrong I am grateful for having a job.

[Patstone]

Thats really hard luck. You dont say what you do for a living and whether it would be easier to quit your job and look for another one, or perhaps whether your age would make that more difficult. Is making jewellery going to be a living or a paying hobby. Is it worth giving up a job that presumably is reasonably well paid to start again as a jeweller, and maybe not earn enough to pay bills etc. Its one thing having a job you love, its another to make enough to make it pay well. My daughter and I both make jewellery and although I am retired, she works full time doing a very manual tiring job for the Donkey Sanctuary in Sidmouth and would love to do jewellery full time, but she lives on her own and has to have a steady income to pay her mortgage etc You dont say how long the course is, but can you do it as an evening course or perhaps on a day release basis. Can you learn what you need to know from books and videos etc. No doubt you have already asked yourself those questions, but having lived on my own and when working full time (doing office work, not jewellery), just about survived for 15 years before getting married again, life is tough. I think if I were in your position, (without knowing your financial circumstances) I would keep working and learn all I need to know about jewellery from other sources, I went on a 10 week evening course, one evening a week for the basics, then picked up the rest from here and the people on the forum, watched videos on You Tube and books. Both of us have been making jewellery for just 3 years and I can now set stones of any type, and can do more or less anything, I know how to do it, but need more practice on some things, need to perfect the finish. Think very carefully before leaving your job, and think carefully a) can I easily get another job that pays as well and b) if I choose to go to college and it goes well, can I get a job as a jeweller easily afterwards, and if going solo, can I make it pay enough to pay my bills.

[caroleallen]

That's really sound advice from Pat.

I never did a degree in jewellery, but went down a similar route to Pat. Every year I do a masterclass with someone whose work I admire and thus over the years I've built up my skills. It's taken a long time but finally I'm happy with my income. I wouldn't have been able to survive on what I was earning at the beginning of my jewellery career. Luckily I had a part-time job back then and jewellery making was more of a hobby.

[pearlescence]

can you do the same (or similar) part time in the evenings. Most higher education establishments run their courses part time as well these days. You don't say in your initial post exactly what the course is or how long?