Studying around your job/duty

[fourkicks]

Hi, I'm due to start a 3 year degree part time in September, I'll be needed at the college 1 day a week (Monday) and the rest will be studying from home.
I'm currently full time on a 9 day fortnight shift and it's obviously going to cock that up a bit! I'm wondering if anybody has any advice/experience on time off for study?
In an ideal world I'd like to keep my duty and shifts but take every Monday off unpaid (stop laughing, I did say in an deal world!).
Do you know of any help I'd receive or is it back to leave reserve and beg for Monday off every week? Not spoken to any gaffers yet as I'm not sure they'd be very pleased to help...

Cheers people!

[chrisj]

I guess if you offer to become a reserve and work every saturday, a progressive DOM might do you a favour. If what you are studying might be of any good to RM as regards managerial value; you might want to go to HR if all else fails.

If you can get a reserve duty i.e keep your job, and study at the same time then you are lucky - you should jump at the chance instead of worrying about keeping your old duty.

[TrueBlueTerrier]

you could try and contact a ULR (Union Learning Rep) they should be able to help.

[RoyalSlave69]

If its part-time wont it take longer than 3 years? I did my first 120 credits (1st year) with Open University. Studied most evenings when I got home from work. Then went full-time at a university and completed the other 240 credits.

[UnhappyGremlin]

You can put in a flexible working request( formerly family friendly) and ask, they may surprise you and agree. After all, you're basically volunteering to work every Saturday, which will help them out as they can be difficult to cover, and also would assist in providing other staff with more Saturdays off, and/or help the boss to achieve 1 in 4 off.

[Darren Bent]

How many hours do you at Royal Mail each week. Just asking. As it is not clear :)