Discover what student Caitlin has learned about the career paths, skills and opportunities a STEM degree can open up across different industries.
When deciding what degree to complete at university, it can be a challenge. For me, I picked Materials Science and Engineering because I am interested in the chemistry behind materials and how they can be improved for the future. Here are some of the reasons why I think STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) degrees are useful to your future.
After finishing university, many STEM graduates go into the field they studied, complete a PhD or go into other areas of STEM. These jobs are highly engaging and rewarding, pairing well with the knowledge gained throughout your degree. There is also the ability to move between fields due to the overlapping knowledge and some content taught.
However, gaining a STEM degree does not mean you have to go into a STEM based job. There are plenty of other jobs which you can use your skills for. One of the main routes graduates who do not chose STEM go down is finance and banking. It is a great way to use digital and maths skills but applied to everyday life. A few other career paths are project managers, teachers, journalism and civil service. These are just a few options into the wide range of jobs that you could choose after your STEM degree.
The main reason for this is due to the skills you gain during your degree. It makes STEM graduates more desirable than other graduates. You are taught from the start of your degree to be a problem solver and critical thinker, something which is useful for analysing data and making decisions. These can be on a small scale such as finding compromise in a team environment or on a larger scale when higher up in a company.
Additional skills that you can gain throughout your degree are attention to detail and time management. University projects are often set with a longer time frame so managing this and how it is completed is essential. In addition to this, group projects help you develop these skills as well as team working skills. It is a key skill for any job in the future so being a good listener, respectful and considerate will be important.
Another useful skill that is gained is the ability to use certain computer software. This could be useful to the job itself but also shows that you can develop your IT skills.
Thinking about career paths and job opportunities can seem daunting as an undergraduate. Here at Birmingham, there is plenty of support available. Taking a year in industry is a perfect way to decide what area of your field you like and whether you prefer the industrial side or the research side. There are also plenty of industrial links to many different companies such as Rolls Royce and GlaxoSmithKline. You can get help from the careers hub as well as asking your personal tutor.
With a degree in Materials Science and Engineering, there are lots of different career paths to go down. Some of these include nuclear fission, high-performance materials for aerospace, hydrogen batteries and biomedical applications. These fields will require a wide range of knowledge which is taught throughout the degree programme at Birmingham.
There is also option, if you complete an MEng degree, to complete an individual research project which really helps to decide if a STEM career path is good for you.
Those are some of the main reasons that I think prove STEM degrees are beneficial. However, STEM degrees are difficult and it is important that you do it because you will enjoy it, and not just because of the benefits. It will be a challenging yet rewarding few years of your life.
Materials Science and Engineering BEng
Caitlin is studying BEng Materials Science and Engineering at Birmingham.
