Q3/ 2020
Careers in Science and Healthcare Read more at www.yourfuturecareer.co.uk
What can you do with science and healthcare degrees? These are difficult times for anyone looking for work, and particularly for young people leaving education.
W Charlie Ball Head of Higher Education Intelligence Prospects, Jisc
ith degrees costing a great deal and all sorts of stories about their perceived value – or lack of them – it is only reasonable that people considering degrees in science and health should be asking questions about what they can do with them. What sort of jobs can you get? Are there any jobs to get? Where are they? And how will that all change in the future? Well, let’s take a look at where we are now, which is in the middle of a rolling labour market ferment caused by COVID-19. Even with constant daily changes and updates on what’s going on, some clarity is starting to emerge about how jobs have been affected. Graduate job hunting is tough right now The graduate labour market has suffered significant damage, particularly in the arts – which may be the worst-affected sector in the UK. The level of vacancies is running at about 50-60% of normal rates. But things are far worse for non-graduates. Many key graduate employment sectors – in health, social care, IT, finance – have been much less affected than many other areas of the economy. Although the situation is pretty gloomy for the jobs market right now, if anyone can be considered to have lost out less than others, it’s graduates in healthcare related subjects. COVID-19 has shone a very harsh light on the country’s long-term shortages of all kinds of healthcare professionals and there will be strenuous efforts made to shore up the levels of health professionals in the UK. Anyone thinking of studying degrees in medicine and nursing and all forms of allied health professions – occupational therapy, radiography and midwifery are three areas in particular demand – can be reassured that the market is strong and is only likely to remain strong. Decrease in jobs for science graduates It’s not quite the same in the sciences. There are still a lot of questions about future research funding. The UK’s long-term reliance on the pharmaceutical
@YourFutureCareer
@MediaplanetUK
industry for a lot of science employment meant that prospects took a big hit over the last decade or so with the likes of Pfizer pulling out of their hugely important site at Sandwich and other structural sector changes. As a consequence, the science jobs market for first degree science graduates has weakened substantially over the last 15 years and postgraduate roles are now very important (fortunately that market is not as badly affected).
COVID-19 has shone a very harsh light on the country’s long-term shortages of all kinds of healthcare professionals. Science backgrounds offer attractive, transferable skills for employment However, other industries have capitalised on a relative glut of able scientists, with their quantitative skills and ability to assess evidence and have moved to fill the gap. The business service and finance industry is now the top employment destination for physics and chemistry graduates – a blow to the purists but testament to the valuable skills science graduates bring to the table. And, of course, the pharmaceutical industry has been thrust to the forefront of efforts to combat COVID-19 and its effects, and this is likely to mean it weathers the employment storm rather better than many other. There’s a lot that’s genuinely uncertain about what the future holds for graduates, but if you’re studying science and healthcare degrees you will possess some of the most valuable qualifications for the current and future jobs market. That doesn’t mean jobs will leap out at you – you’ll still need to work to demonstrate your skills and attributes to prospective employers – but the options are there for you.
@MediaplanetUK
Please recycle
Project Manager: Emma-Jean Edwards (emmajean.edwards@mediaplanet.com) Business Development Manager: Roz Boldy Content and Production Manager: Kate Jarvis Managing Director: Alex Williams Head of Business Development: Ellie McGregor Digital Manager: Jenny Hyndman Designer: Thomas Kent Content and Social Editor: Harvey O’Donnell Paid Social Strategist: Ella Wiseman Mediaplanet contact information: P: +44 (0) 203 642 0737 E: uk.info@mediaplanet.com (All images supplied by Gettyimages, unless otherwise specified)
2 | Read more at yourfuturecareer.co.uk
Q&A with Kathie Bowden, Skills and Careers Lead, UK Space Agency What is your role? I am the skills and careers lead for the UK Space Agency, which means that, on a day-to-day basis, I work with organisations across the space sector to understand what skills they need to run their businesses. I work with universities and colleges to understand what their courses are and what training they provide, and I work with students to help them understand what jobs might be of interest to them. I often say that ‘if you tell me what interests you, I can probably find a place for you in space’. How did you end up on this career path?
I wanted a job which would take me outside, where I could travel – and preferably at someone else’s expense. I studied geology at university because I wanted a job which would take me outside, where I could travel – and preferably at someone else’s expense. I worked for a mining company who were an early adopter of satellite remote sensing (Earth observation) to support their global exploration programmes. The job involved working all over the world and gave me the opportunity to do field follow up in awesome, remote environments. It also set me up with the skills and network to move to a company supplying satellite services back to the mining and oil industries, and to other resource (forestry and agriculture) and environment (monitoring and evaluation) companies, then I managed some big public science projects, a research centre and came to work for the UK Space Agency. What advice would give those considering a science-based career? Science skills of observation and analysis, coupled with the soft skills to pass on your information and knowledge coherently are highly transferable and sought after, just don’t put your thoughts and aspirations into a silo. You can go anywhere!
WRITTEN BY Kathie Bowden Skills and Careers Lead, UK Space Agency
MEDIAPLANET
An alternative career in medicine Clinical academic doctors are working to ensure medical research remains innovative and cutting edge to improve patient care while also training the future medical workforce.
T Dr Katie Petty-Saphon Chief Executive, Medical Schools Council
he career opportunities in academic medicine are now more varied than ever. Clinical academics are doctors who divide their time between treating patients, undertaking research and educating medical students. The decision to embark on a clinical academic career does not need to be made while still in the medical degree. There are various stages of training in which a career in clinical academia can be considered. Early years Intercalated degrees in medicine allow students to combine a regular medical degree with an additional year of studies in a related field. This might involve research or teaching, and typically revolves around a research project of the student’s choice. Students who intercalate will be awarded with both a medical degree and an additional degree, often a BSc or MSc, which opens up the possibility of later studying for a PhD. You can apply for intercalation during your medical degree. After graduation, newly qualified doctors are required to complete two years of foundation training. The Academic Foundation Programme (AFP) offers the opportunity to gain experience in academic, teaching and leadership work. Clinical academia is a flexible career path, with many different routes at various stages of the medical career that can allow you to explore your research interests. It is not necessary to enter academia after the AFP, nor is it necessary to take the AFP in order to enter academia. Equally, it is not necessary to have taken an intercalated medical degree in order to access the AFP or further academic posts.
Specialisation and beyond After the completion of core training, there are several posts that allow doctors to combine speciality training with academic work. This includes academic clinical fellowships (ACFs), clinical lectureships, clinical scientists and MD/PhD training fellowships. There are also senior academic posts for eligible doctors who have completed their training (CCT) such as senior clinical lectureships and fellowships. Institutions such as the National Institute for Health Research (England), NHS Scotland and Northern Ireland Medical & Dental Training Agency offer more detail on the requirements for these posts and how to apply. The future of medicine Medical research in the UK is world class. An example of this is the medical community’s response to the coronavirus pandemic. Despite challenges, British researchers are leading the way for treatment and potential vaccines to combat the novel virus.1 To ensure this innovation continues, we need to encourage and recruit more talented individuals into academia and there has never been a better time to become involved in academic medicine. However, this does not mean there is one right time. Many of the country’s leading clinical academics discovered their aptitude for research later in their careers. Becoming a doctor provides many opportunities to improve patient care and if you have the passion and aptitude for research, academic medicine may be worth exploring further. References 1. https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2020-07-22/british-response-to-covid-19has-been-world-class
Dr Katie PettySaphon has been Chief Executive of the Medical Schools Council since 2003. She was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for her services to medicine in 2011 and has been a fellow of the Academy of Medical Educators since 2015.
MEDIAPLANET
Read more at yourfuturecareer.co.uk | 3
The skills you need to be an allied health professional
A Written by: Tony Greenway
A role with a high level of responsibility The job of any AHP is demanding but, ultimately, hugely rewarding. Take those who help rehabilitate adults and children who are ill, have disabilities or special needs. “As a physiotherapist, I’ve cried with patients when they’ve taken their first step four weeks after suffering a stroke,” says Professor Demain. “I’ve had cards and letters from people who have said: ‘You’re the first person who has really listened to me in 20 years, and I now have hope.’ So, as an AHP, you absolutely change lives.” There are 14 AHP occupations in all, including art therapists, dietitians, drama therapists, music therapists, occupational therapists, operating department practitioners, orthoptists, osteopaths, podiatrists, prosthetists and orthotists, and speech and language therapists. Take podiatrists. This essential profession provides expert footcare to patients of all ages with a range of conditions, including cerebral palsy, diabetes and peripheral nerve damage. Their work can prevent the need for amputations and, by treating sports injuries, help elite athletes maximise their performance. While these roles are very different, they are all strongly patient-facing, have an important role to play within the multi-disciplinary NHS team, and – crucially – enjoy autonomy of practice. “It’s important to stress that allied health professionals manage their own caseloads from day one,” says Professor Demain. “They make their own decisions about who they need to treat and how they need to do it. This high level of responsibility makes it an extremely attractive prospect for many people considering their career options.”
As a physiotherapist, I’ve cried with patients when they’ve taken their first step four weeks after suffering a stroke.”
©ZINKEVYCH
Professor Sara Demain Head of School of Health Professions at the University of Plymouth
llied health professionals include occupational therapists, osteopaths, podiatrists and dietitians – people who can make a life-changing impact on the patients in their care. Think for a minute about the types of jobs within the NHS, says Professor Sara Demain, Head of School of Health Professions at the University of Plymouth. A large number of roles are regularly overlooked or, at least, under-appreciated – so the full list might surprise you. “Everyone always says ‘doctors and nurses’,” she notes. “But what about paramedics – the people who get patients to the hospital? Or radiographers who are needed if those patients require an X-ray? Or physiotherapists?” In fact, paramedics, radiographers and physiotherapists are just three examples of allied health professions (AHPs), the third largest workforce in the NHS. These are people who make a massive and sometimes life-altering positive impact on patients in a wide range of settings, including hospitals, community care, social care and voluntary sectors.
Excellent interpersonal skills required Most allied health professionals will be educated to degree or postgraduate level (although degree apprenticeships are available for some roles). Yet paper qualifications are only part of the story. AHPs should be able to demonstrate a range of excellent interpersonal skills, too, because they’ll be working with people who may be anxious, confused, in pain or depressed. For example, an occupational therapist may work with a child who has profound learning disabilities, while a dietician may offer nutritional recommendations for patients with, for instance, kidney failure or anorexia, or children who have had chemotherapy. “AHPs must be able to build good relationships with patients and their families,” says Professor Demain. “They have to be problem-solvers who are empathetic and good at prioritising. They also need the emotional resilience to make difficult decisions. They may have to defend those decisions sometimes, and to reflect and learn when occasionally – as in every healthcare scenario – they don’t achieve the outcome they desire.” In addition, allied health professionals should be good team-players who respect the expertise of other medical practitioners. Opportunities for a flexible and varied career In most of the allied health professions, chances of employment currently stand at 100%. “There’s a very clear structure of promotion throughout the professions within the NHS system, plus all sorts of opportunities for private practice,” says Professor Demain. “Or, AHPs may want to move away from patient-facing roles to take opportunities at research or educational establishments. Many of the professions offer chances for flexible working, too, allowing AHPs to shape their careers in lots of different ways.” The problem is, how does someone choose which occupation to enter? “My advice would be to explore options by visiting the websites of professional bodies,” says Professor Demain. “And find opportunities for work experience (if at all possible) to get an insight into the challenges you might encounter and the skills you’ll need.”
Paid for by University of Plymouth
Find out more at plymouth.ac.uk/ schools
MEDIAPLANET
Read more at yourfuturecareer.co.uk | 4
Diversity is not an optional add-on; it is an economic imperative
Q&A with Libby Jackson, Human Exploration Programme Manager from the UK Space Agency
I often tell people that Parliament is the most diverse environment I’ve ever worked in. That surprises people – our representative body is not known for its representativeness – until I tell them I worked as an engineer for two decades before entering Parliament, then it makes sense.
What is your role? I am the Human Exploration Programme Manager at the UK Space Agency. I look after the UK’s interests in the human exploration of space, not just on the International Space Station (ISS), but in other space environments here on Earth, such as parabolic flights.
A
How did you end up on this career path? My interest has always been in space and human spaceflight in particular. For a long time, I didn’t realise you could have a career in the space industry, but when I found out I knew I wanted to be part of it. I did a physics degree then a master’s in space engineering. My real passion was in human exploration, so I applied for a job at ESA and ended up working in mission control in Munich, eventually becoming a flight director, which was just like you see in the movies. Then, when Tim Peake was selected as an astronaut, I wanted to play a part in the UK’s efforts around his mission. Growing up I didn’t think it would be possible to be a part of human spaceflight in the UK. That’s what led me to the UK Space Agency, where I managed the education programme for Tim Peake’s mission and now look after human exploration for the UK.
Chi Onwurah MP Shadow Digital Science and Technology Minister, Newcastle upon Tyne Central
Science’s promise is to make the world look better – for everyone Having science as something that happens ‘over there’ in ivory towers, among a narrow demographic prevents us from delivering on science’s promise – to make the world work better, for everyone. So we need to be very clear that diversity is not an optional add-on, it is an economic imperative. Innovation is what happens when people with different ideas, from different disciplines and backgrounds come together to create or discover something new and valuable. We are losing out on our scientific and therefore economic potential by limiting those who access it. And we are also driving inequality. STEM jobs pay better and will drive job creation over the next few years as we build back from the pandemic and face climate change and the fourth industrial revolution. And they are such rewarding and fulfilling careers. It is essential that they are open to everyone, and benefit from the talents of everyone.
What advice would give those considering a science-based career? The most important thing is to do what you enjoy because, if you enjoy it, you will do well at it and you will get job satisfaction. Do not listen to anyone who says you shouldn’t be doing science. You only get one go at life, so do the things you enjoy.
©SV_SUNNY
What does a day in the life look like for you? It’s a varied job. I work with lots of different people, from the European Space Agency to scientists and industry here in the UK. Of course, Tim Peake is our current astronaut, so I stay in touch with him. We work closely with Tim to make sure the inspirational impact of his mission lives on. Human exploration is a powerful tool in shining a light on the huge variety of opportunities across the space sector.
WRITTEN BY Libby Jackson Human Exploration Programme Manager, UK Space Agency
s an engineer, I was so often the only black person in the room, the only woman in the room, the only working class person in the room, and the only Northerner in the room. For those who have not experienced being in my position, I think it can be hard to understand just how lonely and tiring being a minority can be. And just how much it undermines diversity of thought, potential and innovation. The coronavirus crisis has shown us that science plays a vital part in all of our lives and we need the people who work and engage in science to be representative of the whole of society.
There are many reasons that change is slow, but we must keep working to progress When I entered Imperial College in 1984, to study electrical engineering, only 12% of my fellow students were women. I still remember my first day at Imperial College, sitting in an overwhelmingly white, male and privately-educated lecture theatre to learn ‘our’ college song. Thirtysix years later, and the figures on gender have barely changed despite more ‘Women in STEM’ initiatives than I can count. BAME students constitute fewer than 10% of STEM students at Russell Group universities and only 7.8% of engineering professionals. The lack of change reflects the fact that it is challenging, and hard. It’s not down to one factor or barrier. Whether its pink toys or prejudice in peer reviews, lack of flexible working or short-term research contracts, many cultural, economic and institutional factors play a part. But I do know that it can change. I know that there are organisations who do succeed in achieving both diversity and inclusion. They tend to be organisations that combine leadership with evidence-based policies and openness to criticism and change. Diversity and inclusion need to be at the heart of our STEM education, employment practices, policy development and digital economy if we are to thrive. Representation matters, because everyone deserves these opportunities, and because the people who design our world should understand the full range of humanity. The experiences, hopes, passions and needs of us all must drive our scientific achievement.
Read more at yourfuture career.co.uk