Are there any jobs out there?

Given the current economic situation final year students at university positioning themselves to enter the job market in 2010, there isn't much cause for optimism.  This year's graduate market had fewer vacancies and with unemployment continuing to rise, students are bound to feel uncertainty at the very least. Some might be questioning the whole worth of spending money, effort and time on a degree. But is the downturn uniform across all sectors?


This excessive gloom appears unfounded as careers advisers on campuses across the country are delivering the message that graduates are being taken on and vacancies do exist, albeit in an increasingly competitive environment. that certainly applies to students on science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) degree courses whose qualifications and skills appear to give them a better chance of getting on the first rung of the career ladder than those from other subject areas.

Engineering and technology sectors are continuing to request exhibition space at university careers fairs aimed at next summer's graduates.  There is still a demand for good graduate engineers and employers are working hard to get their message across about the attractiveness of working in the sector.  However, engineering and science skills are not enough on their own to land a job. Top employers set high standards and are looking for engineers with good social and communication skills who can work in teams and work with customers and who can take the initiative.

Swedish telecommunication firm Eriksson is looking to take on between 40 and 50 graduates from the UK next autumn, a significant increase on this year's figure of 15! Eriksson is targeting graduates with degrees in physics, electrical & electronic engineering, computer science & telecommunication. Firms are keen not to repeat the mistake of the last recession when they stopped recruiting altogether and found themselves a few years later with an 'empty well.' despite the bad press experience by the motor industry Jaguar Land Rover are taking on 85 to 90 graduates this year.  Vacancies fill up so quickly that graduates are encouraged to make early application.  Good advice for anyone completing an application!

There is also buoyancy within the sub-divisions of the wider engineering landscape.  Example here include energy, water, and utilities sector. In a recent survey of 200 employers by Graduate Recruiters, these were the only sectors showing a rise in graduate vacancies compared to last year.

Siemens which employs more than 5,000 on its energy related sites in the UK and where wind turbines as well as turbines and other engineering equipment related to oil and gas for North Sea are manufactured are also recruiting. In the past three years Siemens has taken on 100 mechanical and electrical engineering in their energy operation.

Over the past number of years there has been a low uptake among UK teenagers of 'A' Level and degree courses with a strong science and technology (STEM) content making it difficult for companies like Siemens to appoint graduates with the qualities it requires.

To encourage more students of yours to continue with STEM subjects for sixth form through to university why not set up an exhibition in the foyer/assembly hall of life-size photographs of your past pupils currently in employment within the various STEM sectors.

We do need to do more to show our pupils the range of careers open to them if they choose to continue with STEM subjects. Our recent STEM conferences at both CAFRE Greenmount & Loughry went to some length to enumerate the range and diversity of careers within Food & Drink, Agri-Food and Environmental sectors alone.

45,000 UK science jobs in feeding the world  

Job prospects for food scientists and food technologists in the UK are excellent, according to advisors from the leading Food and Nutritional Science department based at the University of Reading. Professor Bob Rastall of the University of Reading said: "At a time when there has never been so much public interest in the importance of food, the UK food industry is still crying out for qualified food scientists and technologists."