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If you’re thinking about degree courses and are torn between the sciences or the arts – this news just in may help in your decision making.
Students on science, technology, maths and engineering degree courses have a better chance of getting a job after graduating compared to those on other subjects, according to a recruitment expert, Carl Gilleard, chief executive of the Association of Graduate Recruiters (AGR).
Current university students in their final year are likely to feel uncertain about securing a job after graduating in the current competitive job market. But Carl recently told The Independent that students studying science, technology, engineering and maths degrees, with their qualifications and skills, are more likely to get on the career ladder compared to students on other courses.
And Carl’s thinking is not unfounded. Companies in the engineering and technology sector are continuing to pay to take out exhibition stands at university career fairs, which are aimed at next year’s graduates. Carl also suggests that employers are talking positively about future graduate recruitment. He says: ‘I was at a meeting of 12 or 13 firms looking to recruit engineers, and I would say that the mood was fairly upbeat. There is still a demand for good graduate engineers, and the employers are working hard to get their message across about the attractiveness of working in the sector.’
To try and raise the profile and attractiveness of careers in these fields among school pupils, the government-funded Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths Network (Stemnet) helps to inspire young people and has set up school visits, whereby ambassadors from the industry can talk about their jobs in science and technology roles. For more details on this, visit www.stemnet.org.uk
Not sure what course to take? Here are a few jobs a science degree could lead to…
- Ecologist: you study plants and animals in a location and the way they relate to one another and their surroundings.
- Structural engineer: you design the framework that holds a building or structure together.
- Forensic scientist: you use principles of biology, chemistry and maths to locate, examine and prepare traces of evidence.
- Energy engineer: you work on the extraction of oil and gas, or on producing energy from renewable sources.
For more job profiles relating to the science sector, visit www.scenta.co.uk
Climbing the career ladder
The level of graduate recruitment is set to rise next year, according to research by the Association of Graduate Recruiters. The survey showed that 33% of businesses plan to increase graduate numbers while a further 43% plan to maintain recruitment levels. Companies are also aiming to appeal to all final year students and graduates, with 61% confirming that they will spend the same amount of time or more on campus at events such as graduate and career fairs.
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