Can I work full-time in the UK while doing my dissertation?

How should I approach this situation at work?

• Hi, I need some advice/suggestions regarding how to proceed with this situation at work. I work fulltime and study part time (I'm doing a legal qualification right now). I work in operations but for a national regulator which possesses an extremely influential legal team. Work experience with this team would potentially be the difference between me getting a training contract or not (a training contract, for those of you who don't know, is a 2 year work placement in a law firm/legal department with the outcome being the trainee becoming a qualified lawyer) I am in my second and final year of my studies, and have put some enquiries into my organisation's HR department about informal placements/secondments available. I have received a response regarding this issue (largely a processed, automated response as one might expect) but that is the least of my concerns for now... The problem I have is with my department and line management. I suspect that they have never been terribly supportive of my course and career path (although I do have some allies in the department). I don't think my boss is a terrible man or is trying to block my path but I do suspect that he does not have a clue with regards to how to assist me in my quest for legal work experience. So I was wondering whether it would be wise to go behind is back and try to make things happen behind the scenes and try to get him to ‘ok’ everything once I've pretty much set up the placement? Or should I involve him in everything I do? There is (like most UK public sector organisations) an issue with 'chain of command' i.e. you involve your superiors in everything that you do which is related to the organisation. Normally, I would have no qualms with this but my career plans are very precious and I'm not sure I trust my manager with them in case he intentionally (unintentionally for that matter) sabotages them. What should I do? Any suggestions will be gratefully received!

• Answer:

  better to discuss it with your Manager first and get him involved