Education

Education courses vary in content and depth but will generally equip students with knowledge of some of the following areas: educational issues, theories of learning, equality and diversity, education policy and practice, comparative studies of educational institutions in the UK and elsewhere, creativity and education and some understanding of education in social, political and economic contexts.

Over the course of your degree you develop a wide mix of subject-specific and technical skills, you should consider these skills developed on your course as well as through your other activities, such as paid work, volunteering, family responsibilities, sport, membership of societies, leadership roles, etc. Think about how these can be used as evidence of your skills and personal attributes. Then you can start to market and sell who you really are, identify what you may be lacking and consider how to improve your profile.

Prospects

In 2010, almost three-quarters of those completing courses with qualified teacher status (QTS) went into full-time paid work after graduating, and 62% of these entered teaching.

Other education graduates generally enter jobs working directly with children or young people, in a support capacity, or opt to apply for jobs for which any degree is acceptable, competing with graduates from other subjects.

Other roles in an educational setting, but with less direct contact with children or young people, include administration roles in education. There are posts available in other public sector organisations, such as local government, the health service and the civil service.

Where are the jobs?

The main employers of education graduates are usually local government education authorities as they have the responsibility for schools. Some education graduates may go on to work in colleges or for private schools where you will be employed directly by the institution. Central government departments and universities also employ education graduates to work in policy or research roles. Other employers in this area include museums, community and voluntary organisations. For more detail, look into the following areas:

• Education;
• Government and public administration;
• Charity and development work.

Jobs directly related to your degree

• Primary school teacher
• Secondary school teacher
• Early years teacher
• Special educational needs teacher
• Further education lecturer
• Adult education lecturer
• Community education officer
• Education administrator

Jobs where your degree would be useful

• Learning mentor
• Careers adviser/personal adviser
• Museum education officer
• Social worker
• Training and development officer

Although some of the jobs listed here might not be first jobs for many graduates, they are among the many realistic possibilities with your degree, provided you can demonstrate you have the attributes employers are looking for. Bear in mind that it's not just your degree discipline that determines your options. Remember that many graduate vacancies don't specify particular degree disciplines, so don't restrict your thinking to the jobs listed here.

You can find more about the skills you develop during your course, the jobs listed above, plus case studies and where to find these jobs at Prospects.

Included with the permission of AGCAS. For the latest version of this publication, see www.prospects.ac.uk. For permission to reproduce, contact copyright@agcas.org.uk