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What Else Can I Do with a STEM-Related Degree?
Having a STEM-related degree does not tie you down to the relevant industries forever.
Just because your degree is related to STEM does not mean that you have to be stuck in such a role forever! The best thing about these degrees is that it equips you with skills – in logical thinking, problem-solving and numeracy – that are technical enough for a specialised sector, yet general enough to be transferable to other areas of work.
Many companies even have positions where STEM graduates can combine their existing technical skills with commercial, financial and management opportunities.
Here are some alternative career options.
Whenever something has to be moved from one place to another – whether it is the transport of raw materials to a manufacturing facility or distribution of retail products to consumers – it falls under the purview of logistics.
You will be responsible for everything that is related to the process: the planning and financial costs, processing and tracking orders, liaising with other departments and so on.
Two of your main concerns will be expenses and deadlines, so your job will include balancing quality service and timely delivery while minimising costs.
Some of the skills needed include: • Problem-solving and logical thinking skills to tackle urgent last-minute problems. Operations management bridges the manufacturing and business sides of a company, linking them to form an efficient supply chain.
As a result, work in this area is very diverse; you can be involved in nearly everything – from the purchasing of raw materials, to the delivery of a complete product to a customer.
Because roles in this area are primarily occupied with planning and implementing strategies to increase productivity and reduce costs, these notable attributes are required in this type of work: • Analytical skills to deduce necessary information from compiled data. • Critical thinking skills to solve problems that may have a huge impact on a process. • The ability to see the overall picture and final objectives even as you focus on improving specific areas. Procurement is all about scouting for, and purchasing, equipment, parts and materials for projects at the right price and quality. You will have to prepare a list of suppliers and quotations to select from; check on the quality, prices and schedules; and liaise with transporters and logisticians to ship purchases to the right place at the right time.
Engineers tend to be well-suited for this job because of their familiarity with specific parts, equipment and materials, which means that they can help with quality control. However, this does not mean that graduates in other areas of STEM are not!
Here are other qualities that you will need for this line of work: • Meticulousness and accuracy in your calculations and handling of the purchases. Some orders can be worth millions of dollars! • The ability to work under pressure and think fast because you may have to contend with tight deadlines and lastminute problems. • Good communication and negotiation skills to bargain with vendors. • Good technical understanding of the process that you are purchasing for.
You will need to accurately gauge timescales and the impact of any changes you make.
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Logistics
• Most situations will boil down to a cost-benefit analysis. You will need to be able to consider the impact of your choices on the business as a whole. • Good interpersonal skills – you will need to be clear and precise when managing colleagues and customers, especially when you need to be firm with them.
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Operations management
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Procurement, purchasing, and buying
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Supply chain management
Supply chain management manages raw materials, production lines, manufacturing processes and logistics to maintain a steady supply of products to customers on top of ensuring that nothing is delivered late or lost.
To succeed, you will have to strike a balance between providing good customer service and minimising costs. You will also need to understand the functions of other teams, as well as their individual roles, to improve processes and act as a liaison between different parts of the operation.
Many STEM graduates branch out to this particular field because of its focus on quantitative skills, and their backgrounds help with picking up the necessary technical knowledge. This can, in turn, lead to better business decisions. Pay attention to these skills: • Analytical and investigative skills to seek out new opportunities and strategies that may boost profits. • Effective interpersonal skills, as you will be working with people from a variety of backgrounds – from business managers to line technicians. Technical consulting offers broader business-oriented opportunities, and usually involves using mathematical and computational theories to troubleshoot problems that impact the profitability of a business. Graduates with STEM-related degrees are sought-after in this field for their technical knowledge.
Newcomers usually start off in this line of work with research-based duties, but eventually move up into performing data analysis and statistical modelling to help clients solve commercial problems.
Other skills that will help you in this area are: • An eye for detail, superior logical reasoning and keen problem-solving skills. You will be dealing with tremendously large volumes of data, also known as big data. • Excellent interpersonal skills for presenting technical information and analyses to audiences from nontechnical backgrounds. • Specialist knowledge to advise others on the implementation of specialised technology or equipment. A branch of sales that focuses on selling highly technical products or solutions to specialised clients, you will need to persuade clients that your organisation’s expertise and products can meet their requirements. This requires a solid understanding of both their business and their needs.
A solid background in STEM is essential – you will need to understand clients’ technical issues and challenges, as well as how your firm can help them address those problems. Other skills that you may need as a successful technical salesperson include: • A disciplined nature. This will help you remain level-headed in a sales environment, especially when under duress. • Good communication and listening skills, as well as an eye for detail.
You will need to absorb and interpret information on a regular basis. • Self-motivation and a positive nature will make you more approachable, and will also help with generating new business opportunities.
