Mathematics

As a mathematics graduate you acquire and develop a range of skills, both specific and general throughout your degree. Your highly developed numerical skills will allow you to be able to use numerical concepts and arguments throughout your work.  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.

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Prospects

Of students who graduated in 2009, 42% of mathematics students and a similar 45% statistics students, entered full or part-time work within six months. A further 12% and 15% respectively, were combining work with further study, often for finance-related examinations.

The areas of work chosen were wide ranging, with just over a third of mathematics students and 43% of statistics students were working in business, finance and associate professional roles. Other destinations for mathematicians included commercial, industrial and public sector managers at 7%, education professionals at 10%, and IT professionals at 6%.

Other destinations for statistics students included 8% commercial, industrial and public sector management, nearly 9% in clerical and secretarial roles, 3% were marketing sales and advertising professionals and 2% had joined the information technology profession. Almost 10% had jobs in retail and catering, many of them probably on a temporary basis and around 8% were believed to be unemployed.

Where are the jobs?

It is fair to say that all commercial enterprises and publicly accountable bodies need individuals with numerical skills to ensure the finances are kept in order and the organisation runs smoothly. Therefore, employers of mathematics graduates include representatives from all areas of the public and private sector. The long list includes accountancy firms, NHS trusts, the retail sector, IT companies, advertising and marketing companies, engineering firms, the civil service and public bodies.

For potential employment areas investigate the following:

• Accountancy and business services - firms providing advice and accounting services to clients in the public and private sector;
• Banking, investment and insurance - composed of retail banks, commercial banks, private banking and building societies;
• Transport and logistics - concerned with the movement of passengers and goods by road, rail, sea or air.

Jobs directly related to your degree

• Actuarial consultant or Actuary
• Statistician
• Chartered accountant
• Chartered certified accountant
• Chartered management accountant
• Secondary school teacher

Jobs where your degree would be useful

• Corporate financier
• Market researcher
• Transport planner
• Chartered loss adjuster
• Meteorologist
• Quantity surveyor

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