Options with a BioScience degree
3.5.12 SHU BioScience Careers Day
Ruth Holland Careers Adviser
CDL/WBL session2 2008
© SHEFFIELD HALLAM UNIVERSITY CAREERS & EMPLOYMENT SERVICE 2012
Session outline
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Employment options (science & non-science)
Further study/education option
Other options…
Your Careers & Employment service
support
5. Sources of further info/resources
Career Plans - where are YOU?
How can you move forward to
manage your career or
transition successfully?
• I have already decided OR
• I have some ideas OR
• I have been thinking but have
no firm ideas yet OR
• Sometime soon I’ll start getting
some ideas together OR
• I don’t even want to think about
it!
Not sure what to do?
• Try Prospects Planner:
www.prospects.ac.uk/links
/Pplanner
Employability skills developed
by UG BioScientists
Source:/www.bioscience.heacademy.ac.uk/employability/pr
ofilebiosci.pdf
Critical analysis
Communicating complex data & concepts
Research methodology
Interpersonal & teamworking skills
Self management
Project management
Problem-solving
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How transferable are your skills?
• As BioScientists you CAN use the skills
developed during your degree in a large
VARIETY of sectors.
• Employers do value them - listen to this short
video clip… What skills do employers value?
by Christina Hartshorn, SEEDA
• see more employers video clips on
shuspace>My Future>Careers Central
CDL/WBL session2 2008
CDL/WBL session2 2008
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CDL/WBL session2 2008
CDL/WBL session2 2008
Other options include careers in:
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agriculture
banking and finance
environmental consultancy
hospitals
human resources
medical writing
patents
pharmaceuticals research & development
regulatory affairs
sales and marketing
science journalism
teaching
water and environmental control.
What do you want from a
Biosciences career?
Career Profiles:bite-size videos profiling a variety of people who
have studied or are studying science
www.biochemistry.org/Education/Careers/Careerprofiles
Career paths
Careers - A Future in Biology
www.societyofbiology.org/education/careers/explorebiology/
careerspaths
Graduate careers
New Scientist Graduate Careers Special
A Bioscience degree - where and what next?
/www.bioscience.heacademy.ac.uk/ftp/resources/shortguides/
Examples- 2010 SHU BioSc Grad
Destinations
CDL/WBL session2 2008
Sample 2010 SHU BioSc Grads'
Job Titles
CDL/WBL session2 2008
What's really out there?
What do UK Graduates do?
What do graduates do? | Prospects.ac.uk
National data;
Science: Typical employers | Prospects.ac.uk
Gaining a Science graduate job
targetjobs.co.uk/career-sectors/scienceresearch-and-development
FAME database (login via Library Gateway
LitSearch)
www.prospects.ac.uk/science/pharmasector
Sample current broad Jobsearch
CDL/WBL session2 2008
Professional insights
Professional bodies;
Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS)
Biochemical Society
Society of Biology
HE Academy Centre for Bioscience
www.bioindustry.org/about/the-uk-biosciencesector/
Large Employers' Graduate
Recruitment Cycle
• Start recruiting in Autumn - so collect a Directory
(get. or prospects) from Careers Centre L5 Owen
• Vacancies AND applications on-line
• Interviews usually from mid January
• 20% of applicants invited for interview
• 2nd Interviews / Assessment Centres from
February
• Some organisations recruit all year round
• Some organisations don’t market themselves
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Small Employers and Immediate
Vacancies recruiting patterns
• Some concentrate on an annual cycle
• Others recruit when posts are vacant
• Some positions filled on speculative approach
(graduates send CV and Cover Letter)
• Some don’t advertise-word of mouth
• In industries such as the media, it is the norm
for employees to look for employers – not the
other way round.
• Get yourself a good profile on LinkedIn
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Postgraduate or other further study why?
• Approx 20% graduates each year choose further
study or training because it can offer:
– Professional/vocational training
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Enhanced employment prospects
Intellectual challenge: enjoy studying subject
Delays entry into employment market
Career/subject change.
For overviews of PG Study & course search see:
http://www.prospects.ac.uk/postgraduate_study_1.htm
www.findaphd.com
www.findamasters.com
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Postgraduate or other further
study - how?
Research Councils
Note: applications via each University department where
you want to study not direct to the Research Council
• Biotechnology and Biological Sciences:
www.bbsrc.ac.uk
• Medical Research Council: www.mrc.ac.uk
• Natural Environmental: www.nerc.ac.uk
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PG Study - sources of funding
(1) University Funding and Employment
• Graduate Teaching & Research Assistantships
• Scholarships - see www.jobs.ac.uk & individual Uni websites +
Guardian (Tuesday), Times Higher Education (Friday) &
specialist publications,
• Access to learning funds/ hardship funds
• Part-time campus work
• College/Hall tutorship's
• Fee flexibility
(2) Loans
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Bank loan
Career Development Loans: www.direct.gov.uk/cdl
– Run by high street banks & DfES, borrow £300 - £10000
– Always awarded for vocational courses
– Repayment begins 1 month after graduation, paid back at fixed rate
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PG Study: more funding sources
• Medical Charities
http://science.cancerresearchuk.org/gapp/personalfund/
• MRC
http://www.mrc.ac.uk/Fundingopportunities/Studentships/
index.htm
• Wellcome Trust http://www.wellcome.ac.uk/
• RDF funding http://www.rdfunding.org.uk/
• Institutes eg: http://www.pathsoc.org
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Funding: more
possibilities……
• Employer-funded
• KTP www.ktponline.org.uk
• Research trusts, charities and foundations
• The Grants Register
• Directory of Grant Making Trusts
• The Educational Grants Directory
• FunderFinder
• Discretionary Awards
• Highly unusual for PGrad courses/ check with LEA
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Time Out/Gap Year – why?
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Voluntary work (UK or overseas)
Travel
Short course, extra qualification/s
Get relevant work experience sought by employers
Life/broadens experience before 'settle down'?!
more info see prospects' working abroad pages and
country profiles and Careers Central TakingTimeOut
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Self-Employment
Entrepreneurs
• Around 2% of graduates each year go straight into selfemployment because, for example:
• Personality
• It’s the 'norm' in certain types of work
• Lifestyle choice
See Careers Central Enterprise topic on shuspace
Visit SHU Enterprise Centre (up to 5 yrs after course ends)
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What SHU Careers & Employment
Service offers you
• Finalists: 1:1 appointments with specialist Employment
Advisers (Nikki or Annette).
Bookings at Owen Floor 7 BioSc Helpdesk.
• All other years 1:1 Careers Guidance appts
book at Owen Level 5 SLS (Careers Centre)
• Electronic career resources on shuspace>My Future
tab>Careers Central> Subjects>BioSc
• Graduate Job vacancies via external website - register
Contact us
For all initial enquiries
go to Student & Learning Services at:
•
City Campus - Level 5 Owen
Tel: 0114 225 3752
•
Collegiate Crescent - Heart of the Campus,
Tel: 0114 225 2491
Email: sheffield-hallam-careers@shu.ac.uk
Web: shuspace>My Future tab>Careers &
Employment