Employers love scientists! Your curious, investigative minds are useful to all sorts of employment areas, not just in the science sector. In 2008, six months after graduation, almost two thirds (59%) of biology graduates had entered full- or part-time employment and nearly a third (30%) went on to do full- or part-time further study. Of those who entered work, just under 1 in 6 (14%) went into professional and technical jobs, such as research assistant or lab technician, and just under 13% went into scientific jobs. Almost 1 in 10 (8%) went into management jobs. The rest of the graduates who were asked in 2008 were working in a wide range of sectors including education (5%), sales and marketing (4%) and health (3%). Just under one third (28%) were working in administration, retail or catering, perhaps to build up work experience or take some time out. Where are the jobs?A wide range of employers recruit graduates for biology-related jobs including: - universities and clinical research organisations (research scientists);
- pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies (research scientists and jobs in quality control);
- private hospitals and NHS trusts (clinical biologists);
- national and global health and environmental charities;
- scientific and technical consultancies;
- schools and colleges (teachers and lecturers);
- outreach organisations such as museums, science centres and broadcast companies, etc. (science communicators).
Biology graduates who choose a non-biology-related career can cast their net more widely and so it is a good idea to look at the information on specific careers. For an insight into employment areas see: See industry insights for further information on possibilities in other employment areas. Statistics are collected every year by the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) to show what HE students do immediately after graduation. These can be a useful guide but, in reality, with the data being collected within just six months of graduation, many graduates are travelling, waiting to start a course, paying off debts, getting work experience or still deciding what they want to do. For further information about some of the areas of employment commonly entered by graduates of any degree discipline, check out what do graduates do? and your degree...what next?
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