Early Childhood Studies Introduction There are various options available to Early Childhood Studies graduates including going into employment, taking further study, starting your own business or taking a year out to travel or volunteer. This factsheet will help you look at career and further study ideas. We recommend that you also view the Career Planning Action factsheet as this will help you consider what you would like to do.
Skills & Employability An Early Childhood Studies degree provides excellent skills for almost all areas of employment. Skills include:-
Career ideas - the following ideas may require further training or qualifications.
Communication
ICT skills
Presentation
Interpersonal
Planning
Prioritisation
Team working
Self-management
Organisational
You will also have gained many skills from work, volunteering or extra-curricular activities. When exploring your options you will need to find out about the skills and experience required for the careers you are interested in and consider if you have any gaps and how you can fill them ready for when you graduate. Your employability will be further improved if you undertake work experience and relevant postgraduate qualifications. Action Points to help you recognise your skills and improve your employability See the Employability factsheet Skills Assessment - go to the BG Futures pages on the website, select ‘Make yourself Employable’, ‘and ‘Skills Assessment’.
Related Careers
Education Manager / Officer Outreach Worker Community Education Officer Playworker / Play Therapist Family Support Worker Teacher
Alternative Career Ideas
Careers Adviser / Personal Adviser Project Manager Charity Worker Recruitment Consultant Community Development Worker Training & Development Manager Learning Mentor Youth Worker
Research Careers. There are hundreds of different types of jobs and at least 40% of these are open to graduates of any subject. Conducting research to find out the entry requirements or what experience is needed for a job can help you decide if you are able to or still want to pursue a certain career path. Job Profiles. The best place to start researching a career is to view job profiles. These short factsheets usually include:
Typical work activities Salary
Training Entry requirements
Career Development Typical employers
The best place to start researching a career is to view job profiles. These short factsheets usually include:
Graduate Prospects - www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs.htm TARGETjobs - www.targetjobs.co.uk National Careers Service - https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk The Jobs Crowd - www.thejobcrowd.com (Reviews of jobs by employees)
Employers and professional organisations You can often find out about jobs from employers themselves via their website. You can also find out about types of jobs from professional organisations own websites which will often include career and training information. View the find job opportunities and work experience section for more information.
Postgraduate / Further Study There are various levels and types of postgraduate study; find out more by going to: www.prospects.ac.uk/about_postgrad_study.htm
Postgraduate / further study subject ideas
Teacher Training Speech/language Therapy
EYTS Social Care/Work
Start your own business You may consider starting your own business or becoming self-employed. View the Self-employment (factsheet) https://issuu.com/bgcareers/docs/self_employment
Gap year A gap year can be in the UK or overseas. You can do this to earn money to fund further study, gain work or life experience and to help you decide what you would like to do. View the factsheets ‘Working Overseas’ and ‘Vacation work and gap year job hunting’ for further information - https://issuu.com/bgcareers/docs/working_overseas and https://issuu.com/bgcareers/docs/vacation_and_gap_year_job_hunting
Research Action Points Go to the Resource Centre in Hardy where staff can answer your questions and you have access to resources. BG Futures module on Blackboard: ‘Explore your options’ /’Job Sectors’ folder; ‘Postgraduate Study’ section. Jobs+ Vacancies (http://bishopg.prospects.ac.uk/). Search for Employers via the Employers directory
Find job opportunities and work experience Networking
Key Employers
Using your contacts is one of the best ways to find out about job opportunities. You can build these up through work experience, volunteering, family and friends. You can join the Networking Club run via BG Futures. This club offers the opportunity to meet up with employers to find out about their job role and their organisation.
There are a number of key employers in this sector. The following links contain information about their organisation, the type of jobs available and information about jobs and work experience. www.charity-commission.gov.uk Find out about careers, search for jobs www.directgov.gov.uk (Government website) Type Local Councils into the search box for an A-Z list www.education.gov.uk (Department of Education) Learn about teaching/working with children/young people www.nhscareers.nhs.uk (NHS) Explore careers, find out about training, search for jobs www.skillsforcare.org.uk Information on careers, training and jobs, Professional organisation www.basw.co.uk (British Association of Social Workers) Careers, qualifications, search for jobs Essential Information: Researching Employers (factsheet) Job Sector (factsheets) – Social, Guidance and Community Work/ Health/Public Services/Social Work/Charity Sector, available via Resource Centre or Blackboard Search for vacancies on the Jobs+ Vacancies Board -
You may also benefit from joining the professional networking site LinkedIn. This is an excellent way to make professional contacts, join discussion and networking groups. Action Points:
Join the Networking Club Join LinkedIn, guide to using LinkedIn (factsheet) http://issuu.com/bgcareers/docs/linkedin.
http://bishopg.prospects.ac.uk
Advice and Information Go to the Resource Centre in the Hardy Building with your initial enquiries or email bgfutures@bishopg.ac.uk. If you require advice with exploring your further study or career options you can book an appointment with a Careers Adviser. Please email bgfutures@bishopg.ac.uk to request an appointment booking form. www.thejobcrowd.com (Reviews of jobs by employees)
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What did other Early Childhood Studies students do? These statistics are taken six months after graduation. 50% Working (25% were employed in a professional or managerial job) Childcare and related personal services Teaching and educational professionals Protective service occupations Caring personal services Sales occupations
60% 15% 10% 10% 10%
35% Further study, 5% Studying and working, 5% Unemployed, 5% Other For statistics of other combined courses at BGU, go to the Unistats website. http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/
BG Futures: Careers, Employability and Enterprise Operates in accordance with the University Diversity and Equality Policies. If you require this document in an alternative format, for example in large print, please email us at bgfutures@bishopg.ac.uk