Top 5 careers for working mums

“Give me an educated mother, I shall promise you the birth of civilised, educated nation.” Napoleon Bonaparte 

If you are one of the many women in Australia who enjoyed a stimulating career prior to having kids, and hope someday to return to it, we’re here to tell you that it’s absolutely possible. While you may put your career on hold for a time to cater to your family’s needs, you certainly don’t need to say goodbye to your professional life forever.

Depending on your area of expertise, there may be some catching up to do when you decide to return to work. Which is why study is such a great option for mums who want to keep their finger in the pie and add value to their credentials to impress employers when returning to the workplace after the break.

On the other hand, if you’re a mother whose ambition is to change professional direction entirely, rest assured there are millions of other mothers out there who have conquered that mountain before you and proven that being a mother and a student simultaneously is absolutely possible.

Work-life balance

It may appear overwhelming to consider balancing the demanding role as a parent with the requirements of being a student. The juggle isn’t easy, but it is certainly possible. But to be successful, there are a number of things you need to ensure are in place prior to beginning on the journey:

• A strong support network: Having a supportive and understanding partner, family and friends is going to be essential to your success. Make sure your support network is backing you, and are there to call on for assistance or support when you need it.
• A schedule: Planning is key … Get your routines in place, establish functioning systems for every part of your life and schedule your time to achieve efficiency.
• Awareness of your limitations: Don’t take on more than you can handle – start small and build up your workload if you feel you can. You don’t want to get totally overwhelmed in your first term!
• Access to childcare: You need to treat your study like it’s a job and, when necessary, have childcare in place so you can stay on track without distraction. Because, let’s be honest, your essay deadline just doesn’t rate as a priority to your child.
• Family participation: Depending on the age of your children, explain to them what you’re doing – and why. This way they will get a better idea of what you’re doing understand why mum may not be as readily available to them at certain times. The example you’re setting your children is invaluable.

Studying on campus vs. studying online

This choice is dependent on a range of different variables – e.g. your proximity to your university campus and facilities, whether the times of availability suit your own study schedule and your access to technology. For busy mums, online study can be a godsend – having access to your course, lectures and tutors online while studying at home saves you the hassle and time of commuting. It also means you can work when it suits you, rather than having to be on campus at determined times for lectures and tutorials.

While there are pros and cons for both, ultimately, you should weigh up how convenient and viable each option is to your personal situation. Sometimes a mix of online and campus study may also be possible.

There are a myriad of courses and degrees available online and on campus - and some are better than others. So always do your research when choosing your institution to ensure it suits your particular needs.

One institution ticking the boxes for mums is Torrens University Australia, which has a range of online and campus study options. It offers Bachelor, Master and Doctoral degrees that focus on providing skills and experience that industries need – making their students particularly attractive to employers. Their studies are taught by recognised industry professionals and academics with extensive professional knowledge and experiences. And, best of all, class sizes remain small – consisting of 25 students or less - which means more one-on-one time and access to learning facilitators. They also offer ‘Dynamic Online Learning’ study options, which means you can earn a professional qualification in your own time with on-demand access to course materials and content to study whenever it’s convenient to you, and also participate in optional live sessions if you want some face-to-face time.

If you think a career change might suit you but you’re uncertain about what direction to take, check out these five career options for mums.

Top 5 careers for mums

1. Teaching

When you’re a parent, being a teacher is awesome because it means you share the same holidays as your school-aged children. You generally keep the same daily hours, too. Whether you choose early childhood, primary, secondary or tertiary education, teaching can be a truly rewarding occupation. There are many universities and higher education providers in Australia offering accredited teaching degrees. Do your research to determine what you need to do to apply for a teaching degree that suits your education-type in your state or territory.

For mothers who are planning to switch careers, if you already have a relevant degree (refer to each institution for specifications), it is possible for you to skip a degree in education entirely and study instead for a much shorter graduate diploma in education. And if you’re already a qualified teacher and thinking of enrolling in a graduate entry teaching degree, such as a Master of Teaching, you need to ensure that your undergraduate degree included the subjects required for enrolment. Torrens University offers a Master of Education (Reading & Literacy), which is three trimesters in duration (with a part-time option) and achieved online around your own busy schedule.

2. Accountancy

Got a thing for numbers? If so, a career in commerce might be just what you’re after. A commerce degree will provide a wide understanding of the economy and business - from the daily management of an organisation to world economics. It can assist you in developing a fulfilling career in accounting, economics or finance. Once you have these skills and qualification, you can also work towards a finance career that complements your family situation.

There’s great demand for quality number crunchers out there, which is why accountancy courses are prolific. But some are better than others so be sure to choose a reputable degree with lecturers who are specialists in their field, like those at Torrens University. For example, their Bachelor of Commerce degree is a six trimester program, which provides students with the tools and prospects for an excellent long-term career. For mums who already have this degree and are looking to upskill, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) is the ideal academic pursuit for career advancement.

3. Health and healthcare

Here’s is a truly worthy and rewarding career option. Whether it be nursing, community development, epidemiology, health policy analytics, health program evaluation or health education, developing a career in health will ensure you play an active – and vital – role in your community. Public health is the study and application of issues facing individuals, communities and nations, with the goal of promoting health and quality of life and with a campus-based Bachelor of Applied Public Health, you will be in a position to positively influence lifestyles and quality of life for individuals and communities on a local, national and global scale.

For mums who already hold a relevant bachelor degree and have already been working as a professional within the health industry, a Master of Public Health from Torrens University is a real winner because it offers flexible study options by offering fantastic online resources for students to enhance knowledge, increase skills and improve career prospects.

4. Designer

If you’re a creative type and your ambition is to establish a career as a designer in fashion, advertising, animation, online media, illustration, newspapers and magazines or books publishing, completing a Bachelor of Media Design is a significant step in the right direction. Not only does a degree provide you with the skills you will require in your specialist area, it will also ensure you have a developed portfolio of design work ready for review by prospective employees on graduation.

There are significant benefits to this career choice – in particular, designers can establish freelance businesses and consult to various clients so that they can work flexibly and from home. This is an attractive benefit because it offers flexibility for working mums who intend to juggle the demanding role of parenting with their career.

5. Writer

If you’re a born wordsmith, a career in journalism is enormously rewarding occupation. There have been some fundamental changes in the media over the last 10 years, owing mostly to advancements in technology. Traditional news media, for example, like newspapers and magazines are giving way to more immediate online news sources. But with the change in mediums has come the greater need for content. Technology has also changed the way journalists toil - working remotely (from home) and freelance (or contract) has become a viable option for many journalists, which offers awesome flexibility and working conditions.

But it’s also highly competitive and to compete with professional journalists, you need to become one of them. Which is where study comes in. University courses in journalism abound but, as with all academia, some courses are superior to others and hold greater esteem within the industry. Do your research before signing up.

Did you think about a change of career after becoming a parent?

More on returning to work from Kidspot:

• Returning to work
• Do you need to retrain or upskill?
• Return to work without hassle