Forensic Anthropology CAREER INSIGHT
LJMU CAREERS TEAM 0151 231 2048/3719 ❚ careers@ljmu.ac.uk
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Career Insight: Forensic Anthropology
Introduction A degree in Forensic Anthropology will help you develop skills and expertise which will support you in a career as a Forensic Anthropologist working in the wake of natural disasters or conflicts, international aid and logistical organisations. You may feel equally equipped to work in forensic laboratories, museums, police departments, teaching or research (in for example, universities and museums), industry and government laboratories. Alternatively, secondary science teaching is a popular route. Some graduates have taken their studies further with a master’s degree or PhD. Employment in the Forensic Science Sector has grown at an unprecedented rate over the last ten years, due largely to advances in technology such as the National DNA Database, and an increased reliance on forensic techniques by police forces for minor crimes. There are about 5000 staff working in the UK forensic science industry. The Forensic Science sector recruits about 200 graduates a year, but there are currently about 1500 forensic science graduates being produced each year by UK universities, so there is strong competition for jobs (source Forensic Science Degrees: The Higher Education Perspective). If you decide not to pursue a career in forensic anthropology, your transferable skills will enable you to compete in the wider job market, for instance in the medical or health sector where training in human anatomy and biology is highly valued. For example there are accelerated courses available to graduates which can enable you to train to work in the health field. There are two year Masters Courses which are available in careers areas such as dietetics, radiography, physiotherapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy. These courses are usually available to those who are studying (or who are predicted to obtain) a science degree. Make sure that you check the entry requirements though, with individual universities before applying. You may need to apply for some of these courses early in your final year. There are also four year accelerated course which are available in dentistry or medicine. To find out more about medicine or dentistry courses do a search via www.ucas.com. Make sure as well that you attend the workshop about apply to graduate courses in dentistry and medicine which takes place every term. (You can find out when the next workshop is by going to: https://worldofwork.ljmu.ac.uk/events/). In recent years, securing a graduate role has become increasingly competitive, so gaining relevant work or voluntary experience and engaging in extracurricular activities alongside your studies is crucial to demonstrate to prospective employers that you have the motivation to succeed in your chosen area and have developed the required skills. Being aware of the range of options open to you is important to make an informed career decision. Researching different career pathways and entry requirements is essential preparation for your graduate career, so ensure you make the most of available resources, attend career events or employer talks, join relevant professional bodies and take every opportunity to network with professionals to find out as much as possible about the career areas that interest you. .
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Career Insight: Forensic Anthropology
Typical job options Your job options depend on your degree background as well as the skills and experience you develop alongside your studies, so ensure that you check entry requirements for the suggestions below and for your own career ideas. You could start exploring typical job options via the prospects.ac.uk website and use the ‘What can I do with my degree?’ link. They do not have an option for Forensic Anthropology the options for Anthropology and Forensic Science will be a useful: https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree/anthropology https://www.prospects.ac.uk/careers-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-degree/forensic-science
Jobs directly related to your degree include:
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Forensic Anthropologist (The Royal Anthropological Institute provide more information on this career path: https://www.therai.org.uk/forensic-anthropology
Forensic Scientist www.prospects.ac.uk/forensic_scientist_job_description.htm
Fingerprint Officer https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/fingerprintof ficer.aspx
Criminal Intelligence Analyst https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/criminalintel ligenceanalyst.aspx
Archaeologist www.prospects.ac.uk/archaeologist_job_description.htm
Anatomical Pathology Technician https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/life-sciences/anatomical-pathology
Pathologist (this is a branch of medicine so further training is needed). https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/pathology
Scientific laboratory technician http://www.prospects.ac.uk/scientific_laboratory_technician_job_description.htm
Scene of Crime Officer https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/advice/planning/jobprofiles/Pages/scenesofcri meofficer.aspx
Teaching laboratory technician http://www.prospects.ac.uk/teaching_laboratory_technician_job_description.htm
Toxicologist http://www.prospects.ac.uk/toxicologist_job_description.htm
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Career Insight: Forensic Anthropology
Jobs where your degree would be useful include:
Further education lecturer http://www.prospects.ac.uk/further_education_lecturer_job_description.htm
Higher education lecturer http://www.prospects.ac.uk/higher_education_lecturer_job_description.htm
Police officer http://www.prospects.ac.uk/police_officer_job_description.htm
Science writer http://www.prospects.ac.uk/science_writer_job_description.htm
Secondary school teacher http://www.prospects.ac.uk/secondary_school_teacher_job_description.htm
Solicitor http://www.prospects.ac.uk/solicitor_job_description.htm
These are just suggestions and you are by no means restricted to these job areas and could use your skills, interests and work experience to enter careers in a variety of other sectors. To explore job options by sector, check http://www.prospects.ac.uk/types_of_jobs.htm. You can also use career planning tools like http://www.prospects.ac.uk/myprospects_planner_login.htm and http://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-report to generate initial career ideas. Ensure you check entry requirements for each area, e.g. will you need a degree in a specific subject? Is a 2:1 degree classification essential? Will you need to complete a postgraduate degree? Is any specific work experience required? Being aware of the range of options open to you is important to make an informed career decision. We also recommend that you download a copy of our “Planning your Career” guide from the World of Work website at https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/Careers/123871.htm This includes a list of useful questions to help you explore your career options.
Example Employers of Forensic Scientists Laboratory of the Government Chemist
www.lgc.co.uk/divisions/lgc_forensics.aspx
Cellmark Forensic Services
http://www.cellmarkforensics.co.uk/
Environmental Scientifics Group
www.esg.co.uk/
Forensic Access
www.forensic-access.co.uk
Keith Borer Consultants Ltd
www.keithborer.co.uk/about-us
Key Forensic Services Ltd
www.keyforensic.co.uk/careers.php
Mass Spec Analytical Ltd (MSA)
www.msaltd.co.uk/Home.aspx
Forensic Science Agency of Northern Ireland
www.fsni.gov.uk
Forensic Services (Scottish Police Services Authority)
www.spa.police.uk/forensic-services/
Specialist Crime and Operations (part of the Metropolitan Police Service) http://content.met.police.uk/Site/specialistcrimeoperations
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Career Insight: Forensic Anthropology
Other employers of forensic anthropologists
The Natural History Museum, London www.nhm.ac.uk/research-curation/science-facilities/consulting/forensic-science/forensicanthropology/
NHS www.jobs.nhs.uk
Looking for work experience If you wish to work within some of the above fields, then it is a very good idea to gain relevant work experience during your degree course. Career pathways in forensic anthropology can be extremely competitive, so any practical experience gained in the field will prove invaluable. Many of these jobs will require you to acquire further skills or undertake further study in order to be eligible to apply. The most valuable experience can be gained by doing a placement year, spending the year between your second and final year in industry. However you can also consider shorter periods of work experience, relevant volunteering, work shadowing or research opportunities in your department. Many undergraduate students secure work experience through a more ‘speculative’ or ‘creative’ approach, i.e. after contacting organisations directly through networking events, via email or through LinkedIn. Voluntary work in a local hospital is certainly a good way to gain some useful experience for a future career in the healthcare sector. You may even need to complete a specific amount of work experience in order to apply to certain health related courses. Please bear in mind that the application process for voluntary work in hospitals can take several months, and some hospitals even have waiting lists for volunteers, so ensure that you apply well in advance and also consider other types of voluntary work, e.g. in a care home, a hospice or a mental health charity. If you are interested in working in a laboratory setting in the future then it is very useful to gain any type of laboratory experience. You may be able to find laboratory experience within a variety of job sectors such as in the food or manufacturing industries or within a NHS or private hospital laboratory. Schools or universities may also employ laboratory technicians and therefore you could try approaching them for experience, as well. If you would like to work in the museum sector in the future, then it would certainly be useful to try and gain some experience in that field during your degree course. Some museums such as the Liverpool World Museum (www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk) may offer voluntary work opportunities. You can also download our mini-guide on “Making yourself employable whilst at University” from https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/Careers/123871.htm for an overview of the different types of work experience available and some general suggestions about finding work experience opportunities. Useful websites to research a range of voluntary opportunities include http://www.do-it.org.uk/ https://www.liverpoolguild.org/main-menu/volunteer and http://www.Frontier.ac.uk/. You could also contact LJMU Volunteering Manager Chris Prescott on 0151 904 6356 or c.j.prescott@ljmu.ac.uk to enquire about current opportunities. It is also worth researching relevant organisations/charities and contacting them directly to find out about voluntary roles on offer. There are further links below to help you with this research.
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Career Insight: Forensic Anthropology
Further Study Masters and PhD level Study Many students now to choose to supplement their UG degree with a Masters level qualification. There are many different Masters level opportunities for Forensic Anthropology graduates. Some students also go on to study for an MPhil or PhD after graduating from Forensic Anthropology. Websites such as www.findamasters.com and www.findaphd.com can help with the search for available Masters and PhD projects.
Graduate Training Schemes In addition to the options mentioned above, there are lots of Graduate Training Schemes with large companies and many employers accept applications from graduates with ANY degree subject. If you are interested in these roles you will need to be aware of the graduate recruitment cycle. Many recruiters begin the graduate recruitment process during the autumn term for final year students. Some placements are advertised then as well. Most closing dates are in November and December but some are earlier so it is important to start researching companies that you want to apply to early on. The application process for graduate training schemes usually involves completing an online application form, which may require you to answer ‘competency based questions’. This may be followed by psychometric tests, a telephone interview and an assessment centre. You may also need to submit your CV. Most of the large recruiters have a section on the student/graduate pages of their website that outlines the different steps of their selection process, so check these to find out what is required. For more information about graduate schemes, download the ‘Graduate Schemes’ guide from https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/Careers/123871.htm Many of these opportunities are advertised in the Prospects Directory and the Targetjobs Directory (available from the World of Work Careers Centre or on the Prospects and Targetjobs website); on websites like www.milkround.com as well as on the organisations’ own websites. Check out the Target Jobs website for more information: http://targetjobs.co.uk/graduate-schemes. We also deliver a Graduate Schemes uncovered workshop. To reserve a place on the workshop visit: https://worldofwork.ljmu.ac.uk/events/
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Career Insight: Forensic Anthropology
Useful links and websites Careers Information / Vacancy websites: British Archaeological Jobs Resource: http://www.bajr.org/Employment/ Environment Jobs www.environmentjob.co.uk Countryside Jobs www.countryside-jobs.com Conservation Jobs www.conservation-jobs.co.uk/ ENDS Directory (allows you to search for Environmental Consultancies) www.endsdirectory.com Jobs in Universities/PhDs www.jobs.ac.uk Conservation careers www.conservation-careers.com Blake and Kenyon Emergency Services (Mass disaster relief agencies) - Forensic Anthropologists can sign up for forensic anthropology, search and recovery, data analysis, admin, etc: http://www.blakeemergency.com/ http://www.kenyoninternational.com/
Professional Bodies British Association for Forensic Anthropology (BAFA) www.bahid.org/bafa/ Association of Anatomical Pathology Technologists (AAPTUK) www.aaptuk.org Forensic Science Society www.forensic-science-society.org.uk
General graduate websites for research into careers: Prospects (check ‘jobs’ section and ‘industry insights’) www.prospects.ac.uk Target Jobs Careers website http://targetjobs.co.uk/career-sectors Job Profiles on National Careers Service https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/Pages/Home.aspx Milkround - Graduate jobs, placements & internships http://www.milkround.com/
Other Useful Job Vacancy websites: LJMU My Jobs and Placements website http://ljmu.prospects.ac.uk/ Prospects (click on ‘jobs’ and then ‘graduate job search’) www.prospects.ac.uk Target Jobs (for a variety of graduate jobs) www.targetjobs.co.uk Guardian Jobs Website http://jobs.guardian.co.uk Graduate Talent Pool (internship for graduates) http://graduatetalentpool.direct.gov.uk/ Local Government Jobs www.lgjobs.com Opportunities: The Public Sector Media http://opportunities.co.uk Jobs Go Public www.jobsgopublic.com
Volunteering opportunities: ‘Do-It’ lists volunteering opportunities www.do-it.org.uk/ LJMU Volunteering Service https://www.liverpoolguild.org/main-menu/volunteer Volunteering Opportunities for 14-25 year olds www.vinspired.com Volunteer Centre Liverpool www.volunteercentreliverpool.org.uk/index.htm
Post-graduate study: Prospects (see ‘post-graduate study’) www.prospects.ac.uk UCAS http://www.ucas.com/ Database of Taught and Research Masters Courses www.findamasters.com Database of PhD Opportunities www.findaphd.com Post-graduate Studentships Website www.postgraduatestudentships.co.uk Jobs.ac.uk (allows you to search for PhD Studentships) www.jobs.ac.uk
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Career Insight: Forensic Anthropology
Self-assessment in relation to career choice/Job Suggestion Questionnaires: Prospects Planner http://www.prospects.ac.uk/myprospects_planner_login.htm TARGET Jobs careers report http://targetjobs.co.uk/careers-report National Careers Service's own Skills Health check tool https://nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/tools/skillshealthcheck/Pages/default.aspx# Manchester University Careers Kickstart quiz www.manchester.ac.uk/careerkickstart Myers Briggs Personality Type www.personalitypathways.com Keirsey Temperament Sorter www.keirsey.com
Science Communication: Association of British Science Writers British Science Association European Medical Writers Association PSCI-COM (discussion list)
www.absw.org.uk www.britishscienceassociation.org/ www.emwa.org www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/psci-com.html
Applying to Teacher Training Courses: Information about the various ways to train as a teacher: www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching/teacher-training-options.aspx Information about the funding available for PGCE Courses www.education.gov.uk/get-into-teaching/funding/training-in-england Teach First www.teachfirst.org.uk UCAS Teacher Training http://www.ucas.com/how-it-all-works/teacher-training Open University Flexible PGCE http://www3.open.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/qualification/education/pgce/index.htm Teaching factsheets from the Careers Team – info about postgraduate teacher training options and gaining work experience https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/Careers/123871.htm
Key events and networking
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Liverpool Careers Fair: usually held in the autumn and spring of each year, see fairs website http://www.liverpoolfairs.org.uk/ for additional events Manchester Careers Fairs: open to students and graduates from any university; check http://www.careers.manchester.ac.uk/events/ for details Careers and Employability events at LJMU Keep an eye on our events pages at https://worldofwork.ljmu.ac.uk/events/ for details of upcoming employability workshops, networking sessions and employer talks. LiverpoolSU Clubs and Societies: https://ljmu.unioncloud.org/groups?parent_link=clubssocieties-menu-wrapper LinkedIn: You could also consider setting up a LinkedIn account (http://www.linkedin.com/) to network online with professionals and organisations in your chosen industry. LinkedIn have produced 6 video guides aimed at students and graduates to help get you started: http://students.linkedin.com/uk
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Career Insight: Forensic Anthropology
Other information Centre for Entrepreneurship The Centre for Entrepreneurship supports students and graduates who want to set up their own businesses. Whether you want to develop a new business idea, work as a freelancer or launch a product or service, the Centre for Entrepreneurship can help. To book a place at one of their free workshops or a confidential business advice session with one of their business advisers, call 0151 231 3300 or visit their website https://www2.ljmu.ac.uk/startup
Careers Zones Campus-based Careers Zones provide easy access to careers support in convenient locations at Byrom Street, Aldham Robarts Library and at IM Marsh, staffed by the Careers Team. Support available includes CV and application form reviews, Careers Adviser appointments, drop-in quick queries, practice interviews and access to careers resources and information. The Zones also host regular employer visits during term time where you can meet and network with employers and discuss job and placement opportunities. For the latest updates and details of locations and opening times, try our Twitter and Facebook pages or call 0151 231 2048/3719.
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Career Insight: Forensic Anthropology
NOTES
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Career Insight: Forensic Anthropology
NOTES
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