The University of Kent Careers Advisory Service

1. The University of KentCareers Advisory Service Careers for Mathematicians You can download a copy of this presentation at www.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm

2. Skills gained on a Maths/Actuarial Degree Maths/Actuarial graduates are attractive to many employers outside science because of their: • Ability to analyse information in a logical way • Investigative and problem solving skills. • Numeracy • IT skills • Especially finance & computing

3. BECAUSE: Learn new skills quickly Analyse & solve problems Communicate well Open to new ideas, adaptable and flexible “Managers of change” Marketing and Sales Retailing Social Work Personnel Civil Service Accountancy Banking Computing One third of graduate jobs accept any degree subject.

4. Destinations of Kent Maths Graduates

5. Actuarial Work - insurance firms (Friends Provident) and Consultancies (Mercer) Pensions Analyst Deloitte Touche, Nat West Bank Accountancy – KPMG/PWC Banking – Lloyds TSB Tax – Coutts Bank Statistical Work - GSS Operational Research – GORS Defence – GCHQ, DSTL Computing - Logica Teaching - PGCE Risk Management MATHS/ACTUARIAL JOB AREAS

6. Accountancy Biggest recruiter of graduates in the UK. PWC and KPMG recruit 1,000 graduates each 3 years training whilst working – paid a salary Audit, tax and consultancy Some similarities with actuarial work Main area is Chartered Accountancy (ACA), but also Certified, Management and Public Sector Accountancy www.kent.ac.uk/careers/workin/accountancy.htm

7. Banking Two main areas: • Retail banking – High Street banking – mortgages, loans, current accounts etc. • Investment banking – very competitive, long hours, pressure, well paid. Must apply early in final year and od lots of research www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sitebank.htm

8. Statistician Analyses and interprets data. Collects information, analyses it using statistical methods and computer programs such as SPSS. Interprets data for clients and users. Writes reports.EMPLOYERS: The largest employer is the Government Statistical Service GSS which employs 700 staff in more than 30 departments. Medical Statistics is also another large area with some major hospitals having statistical units.Biometrists work as statisticians in the pharmaceutical industry, as researchers in medical schools and hospitals and in agricultural institutes. SATISFACTIONS: intellectual stimulation of work.NEGATIVES: spend most of time in the office.DEGREE: Normally mathematics, statistics, economics or other statistics-related degrees. Graduates in other subjects can do an MSc in statistics.

9. The Government Statistical Service (GSS). • GSS is the UK’s largest provider of statisticians: 1200 professionals in 30 departments and agencies. • Two graduate entry routes into the GSS - the Fast Stream and the Statistical Officer programme.  • Entry requirement for both schemes is a first or second class honours degree or a postgrad. Degree. Assistant Statistician Closing date Usually April Number of posts usually about 30 Apply online at www.statistics.gov.uk/gssjobs

10. Operational Researcher • Aiding & developing management strategies & decisions through the use of analytical methods. Consulting with clients. Collecting & analysing data. Developing mathematical models on computer. Identifying solutions & presenting these to clients. • EMPLOYERS: Finance industry, Government Operational Research Service, local government & OR consultancies. • SATISFACTIONS: Assuming a senior role within major organisations. Can be very well paid. Intellectually stimulating. Varied project-based work.NEGATIVES: Can be working under considerable pressure.SKILLS: numeracy, analysing & investigating, planning, problem solving, verbal communication.DEGREE: business, computing, engineering, management, mathematics, psychology, sciences & other numerate subjects.POSTGRADUATE STUDY: A Masters degree in Operational Research or Management Science will aid entry

11. Government Operational Research Service Graduate Trainee OR Analysts – 50 posts • Government OR analysts work to inform decisions in developing policy, formulating strategy and delivering programmes. In HM Revenue and Customs for example, issues might include "what duty rates should be levied on tobacco?" (policy), "how should we tackle smuggling?" (strategy), or "how do we organise the staff at Dover?" (operations). Emphasis on structuring problems and helping customers to help themselves, rather than on producing standard answers to standard problems. Analysts employ a wide variety of techniques depending on the particular problems they tackle, ranging from basic spreadsheet modelling, forecasting, databases, univariate statistics, project management and problem structuring to data mining, system dynamics and simulation. • www.operational-research.gov.uk • Closing date usually March

12. COMPUTING has become a popular area for maths graduates in recent years, partly due to the availability of postgraduate conversion courses, such as the one year MSc in Computing at Kent. Employers here include: Tessellawww.tessella.co.uk   developer of Scientific Software.LogicaCMGwww.logicacmg.com recruits science and maths graduates into computer consultancy. IBMwww.ibm.com/uk at CAREERS FAIR - Nov 4th

13. SCIENTIFIC MATHEMATICS • Scientific Officer - Qinetiq (2),Research Project Ass't - Pfizer • Defence industry and other science and engineering companies: mathematical modeling and designing algorithms. The work is often research orientated and can be intellectually stimulatingGCHQwww.gchq.gov.uk national intelligence and security • HM Government Communications Centrewww.hmgcc.gov.uk • QinetiQ (an agency of the Ministry of Defence) • Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (dstl) (explosives/weapons technology) www.dstl.gov.uk/careers/index.php • Defence Engineering and Science Group (DESG www.desg.mod.uk • BAe Systems global aerospace and defence • AWEwww.awe.co.uk   (Atomic Weapons Establishment) • Roke Manor Research communications research lab. of Siemens specialising in AEA Technologywww.aeat.co.uk does contract research • The Met Office

14. OTHERS • Teaching • Risk Management • Quantity Surveying • Bioinformatics - application of information science, computer science, statistics & maths to biological issues • Biometrics & computer forensics • www.gradcracker.com

15. Maths Job Sources • University of Kent Vacancy Database www.kent.ac.uk/careers/jobs/index.htm • Maths-jobswww.maths-jobs.co.uk includes maths jobs in banking, insurance, finance, statistics, biology, medicine, bioinformatics, data mining, marketing, computing and OR. • Council for Mathematical Sciences. Maths Careers www.mathscareers.org.uk links to career profiles and further study. • Institute of Mathematicswww.ima.org.uk/Careers/careers.htm careers section. Careers Advice leaflet for mathematics students/graduatesNow has a Facebook groupwww.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7633226353 can ask questions of “real mathematicians” about their careers and what they do. • Plus Magazinehttp://plus.maths.org/interview.html Maths Careers • London Mathematics Societywww.lms.ac.uk/jobs academic jobs • American Mathematical Societywww.ams.org/careers

16. What can I do with a Maths degree www.kent.ac.uk/careers/maths.htm

17. CHOOSING A CAREER • Choosing a Career Booklet - available in Careers Service. • Choosing a career pages www.kent.ac.uk/careers/Choosing/ChoosingCareer.htm • Prospects Planner - powerful career choice program in Careers Service. Also cut down web version at www.prospects.ac.uk/links/PPlanner

18. Careers Talks and Employer Presentations www.kent.ac.uk/careers/casevents.htm VACANCY AND WORK EXPERIENCE DATABASE www.kent.ac.uk/careers/jobs/index.htm

19. Bruce Woodcock • Normally on duty TUESDAY MORNINGS (10.30 am - 12.30 pm) and WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS (2.00 - 5.00 pm). You don’t need to book an appointment to see me at these times. • Email:bw@kent.ac.uk - for enquires that I can answer BRIEFLY

20. Location of the Careers Service Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays including vacations. The Careers Web Site www.kent.ac.uk/careers is available 24/7

21. The University of Kent Careers Advisory Service You can download a copy of this presentation at www.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm

22. Postgraduate Study • MSc – 1 year • PhD - 3 years • Teacher training – 1 year(bursaries available) • See www.kent.ac.uk/careers/postgradmenu.htm

23. VACATION WORK • Careers Database www.kent.ac.uk/careers/jobs/index.htm Also Sandwich placements • STEP Paid project work in smaller companies for second year students. 1400, 8 week projects each summer. Pay £190 per week www.step.org.uk • Also see www.ukc.ac.uk/careers/vacwork.htm

24. Videos • APPLICATIONS • INTERVIEWS • ON-LINE APPLICATIONS • SELECTION CENTRES Now on-line www.kent.ac.uk/careers/IntVid.htm

25. WEB PAGES • Kent Vacancy Database www.kent.ac.uk/careers/jobs/index.htm • Prospects Webwww.prospects.ac.uk • Applications and Interviews (includes assessment centres and psychometric tests etc.)www.kent.ac.uk/careers/applicn.htm • Example CVs & Covering Letters www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/cvexamples.htm • Practice Interviews www.kent.ac.uk/careers/interviews/mockivs.htm • Interview Reports – lots of actuarial interviews! www.kent.ac.uk/careers/ivreps/ivrepsmenu.htm

26. Actuarial CVwww.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/actuary-cv.htm

27. Other points • Check you campus emails regularly as I will send you emails on vacation work, careers talks, vacancies etc. • Get actively involved in university life so you have evidence of teamwork, organising, leadership etc. skills for your CV. • Apply early in your final year – closing dates are often in the first term.