1 What do Birmingham postgraduates do?

School of Social PolicyFirst destinations of postgraduates

What do Birmingham postgraduates do?

n EmployabilitydataforSocialPolicypostgraduates,2009–2013n Illustrationoftherangeofoccupationsundertakenbyourpostgraduates

www.birmingham.ac.uk/social-policy

College of Social Sciences

2 What do Birmingham postgraduates do?

Foreword

WEAREDELIGHTEDTOINTRODUCE‘WHATDOBIRMINGHAMPOSTGRADUATESDO?’WHICHLOOKSINDETAILATTHEFIRSTDESTINATIONSOFOURSOCIALPOLICYPOSTGRADUATES.

ThispublicationisdesignedtogiveaninsightintothekindsofemploymentsectorsandjobsforwhichapostgraduatedegreeinyourchosensubjectatBirminghamcanprepareyou.

Pursuingapostgraduatedegreeoffersyoutheopportunitytoexploreyourchosenareaofinterestindepth,aswellasdevelopingyourknowledgeandunderstandinginasubjectareaaboutwhichyouaretrulypassionate.Beyondthetransferableskillsthatyouwilltake

withyouintotheworkplace,yourpostgraduatequalificationwillgiveyouthechancetoengageincriticalenquiry,togrowasascholarandeventobecomeanexpertinyourfield.Here,weshowyouhowyourpostgraduatequalificationcanhelpyoumakethatknowledgeandexpertiseworkforyouaftergraduation.

Fortheschoolordepartmentthatisrelevant,youwillseeasnapshotoftheachievementsofourpostgraduatessixmonthsaftergraduation.Alldataistakenfromtheresultsofa‘DestinationsofLeavers’surveyissuedtoourpostgraduatesafterthistime.Youwillbeabletoseehowmanyofourpostgraduateswhorespondedtothissurveysuccessfullyenteredemploymentand/orfurtherstudywithinjustsixmonths,alongwitharangeofthediverseandexcitingcareeropportunitiesthatwillbeopentoyouafterstudyingforapostgraduatedegreeinyourchosenfield.

AccompanyingthedataarecasestudiesinwhichrecentpostgraduatealumnisharetheirexperiencesofpostgraduatestudyatBirmingham.Here,ouralumnitalkaboutthevalueinherentinpostgraduatestudy,theknowledgeandskillstheydevelopedduringtheirdegreesandwheretheirqualificationshavetakenthemsincegraduation.

Wehopeyoufindtheinformationpresentedhereusefulandouralumnistoriesinspiring.Weverymuchlookforwardtowelcomingyoutoourcampussoon.

3 What do Birmingham postgraduates do?

Highlights:Overthepastfiveyears:n 96.8%oftaughtpostgraduaterespondentswereinwork

orfurtherstudysixmonthsaftergraduationn 87.5%ofresearchpostgraduaterespondentssuccessfully

foundworkorfurtherstudysixmonthsaftergraduating

TheskillsyouwillgainfromstudyingSocialPolicyandSocialWorkarehighlysoughtafterinmostjobsorprofessions.Bothsubjectareasdevelopanalyticalskillsandtheabilitytogather,assessandinterpretdata,allofwhichrequireclearandlogicalthinking.

Birmingham’sSocialPolicypostgraduatesenterawiderangeofoccupationalsectors.Themajorityjointhepublicsectorinareassuchasyouthworkbutotherschoosesectorsincludingevents,sales,administrationandeducation.ThevastmajorityofourSocialWorkpostgraduatesenteremploymentassocialworkers,themajoritystayingintheWestMidlands.OurSocialWorkpostgraduateshavegoneontoreceivenumerousaccolades,suchasAmandaBeaufoy(graduated2010)whowasawardedthetitleofChildren’sSocialWorkeroftheYear2013.

Thetwochartstotherightshowresultsfrom‘DestinationsofLeavers’surveysforourSocialPolicyandSocialWorkpostgraduatesoverthepastfiveyears.

SOCIALPOLICYANDSOCIALWORK

(Nodatafor2007/8and2008/9)

‘Mycareeraftergraduationhastaken

apromisingstartwithmyfirstjobwiththe

UnitedNations.Understandingoftheconcept

ofinequalityandsocialexclusioniskeyinmy

workwiththeUNandresearchskillsacquired

duringtheMAcourseareveryimportant

tomycurrentrole.

‘Iamcurrentlypartoftheteamproviding

technicalsupporttotheMinistryofWomen

andChildren’sAffairstoconductabaseline

studyonhowtheDomesticViolenceAct

ofGhanahasprotectedvulnerablewomen

andgirlssinceitspassagein2007.

ThisresearchwillfeedintotheUNWomen

andtheGovernmentofGhana’sintervention

ongender-basedviolence.Beingable

topositivelyinfluencethelivesofthevulnerable

insocietyisveryrewarding.

‘Ibelievemytrainingasasocialworker

hasgivenmetheabilitytoworkwithvarious

stakeholdersatthecommunity,atbothnational

andinternationallevels.Socialworkcoreskills

suchasassessment,planning,negotiation,

organisation,management,resource

mobilisation,monitoringandevaluationare

veryimportantforinternationaldevelopment,

justastheyareforcasework.Furthermore,

eradicatingextremepoverty,achievinguniversal

primaryeducation,promotinggenderequality

andtheempowermentofwomen,reducing

childmortality,improvingmaternalhealth

andcombatingHIV/AIDSareallkeyareas

ofsocialwork.’

Amanda Foka,MASocialWorkgraduated2010Amanda is now working for the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women, formerly UNIFEM) in Ghana.

LEARN MORE www.birmingham.ac.uk/iass

Percentage of research postgraduate respondents in work and/or further study six months after graduation

100908070605040302010

02008/9

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

Percentage of taught postgraduate respondents in work and/or further study six months after graduation

100 98.2 94.9 97.3 98.3

SOURCE:Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Institutions,HigherEducationStatisticsAgency,2009–13

School of Social Policy

EMPLOYABILITY

100908070605040302010

02009/10

2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

50

100 100 100

4 What do Birmingham postgraduates do?

Range of employment sectors

n AdministrationoftheStateandthe economicandsocialpolicy ofthecommunityn Employmentplacementagenciesn Engineeringactivitiesandrelated

technicalconsultancyn Generalpublicadministrationactivitiesn Highereducationn Humanhealthactivitiesn Regulationofprovidinghealthcare, education,culturalservicesandother socialservicesn Rentingandoperatingofown orleasedrealestaten Residentialcareactivitiesformental

retardation,mentalhealthandsubstanceabuse

n Servicestothecommunityn Socialworkn Specialistmedicalpractices

Range of employers

n BirminghamCityCounciln BirminghamandSolihullWomen’sAidn Cafcass(ChildrenandFamilyCourt

AdvisoryandSupportService)n CedarCounsellingn CoreAssetsFosteringn CityofLondonCorporationn LiquidPersonnel(agencysocialwork)n LivingSpringsFamilyCentren NationalInstituteofAdult

ContinuingEducationn NottinghamCityCounciln Sheltern VictimSupport

Range of occupations

n Anti-SocialBehaviourOfficern CaseWorkManagern CommunityPsychiatricNursen DutyCommissioningManagern FamilySupportWorkern MentalHealthSupportWorkern RefugeProjectWorkern ResidentialManagern SocialWorkern StrategicManagerforSafeguardingn SupportandReassessmentOfficern TeachingFellown TeamManager–SocialCareServicesn WorkforceDeveloper

‘StudyingforaPhD

inSocialPolicyat

Birminghammeant

Iwasabletowork

alongsidethebest

supervisorswhooffered

meendlesssupport

andcriticalcommentary

onmywork.TheSchoolhelpedtomake

myprospectivefutureclear;staffsincerely

helppostgraduateresearcherstobuildtheir

ownacademiccareers.Thelibrarysystem

attheUniversitywasmarvellousandmade

merealisejusthowwidetheacademicworld

reallyis.Ialsomadesomeinvaluablefriends

duringmyPhD.

‘In2005IreceivedtheAshleyPrizeforthe

bestPhDthesis.MyPhDhashelpedmeto

securemycurrentroleasProfessor,inwhich

Iamabletoconnectmyacademicknowledge

andcareerwithsettingthedirectionofdisability

policyinKorea.IalsowentontowintheJun

BongYoonPrizein2010fromSeoulNational

Universityfordistinguishedresearchinthefield

ofdisability.’

Kim Jinwoo, PhDAppliedSocialStudies,graduated2005Kim’s PhD looked at discrimination against people with learning disabilities in the labour market in South Korea. He is now Professor in Social Welfare at Duksung Women’s University in South Korea.

LEARN MORE www.birmingham.ac.uk/iass

School of Social Policy

RANGEOFOCCUPATIONS

Below is an overview of the kinds of employment sectors, organisations and professions that recent Social Policy and Social Work postgraduates have entered, based on responses to ‘Destinations of Leavers’ surveys conducted six months after graduation.

5 What do Birmingham postgraduates do?

Highlights:Overthepastfiveyears:n 99.5%oftaughtpostgraduaterespondentswereinwork

orfurtherstudysixmonthsaftergraduationn 100%ofresearchpostgraduaterespondentssuccessfully

foundworkorfurtherstudysixmonthsaftergraduating

IntheHealthServicesManagementCentre,allofourprogrammesemphasisetheapplicationoftheoreticalperspectivestocurrentpolicyandpracticeintheNHSandotherhealthcaresystems.Ourpostgraduatecoursesareexplicitlydesignedtosupportprofessionalaswellasacademicdevelopment.

AlongwithBirminghamBusinessSchool,HSMChasalsobeenselectedtosupportthedeliveryoftwoofthethreeprofessionaldevelopmentprogrammesavailableaspartofthenewNHSLeadershipAcademy:thefirstsetofnationalprogrammestocombinesuccessfulleadershipstrategiesfrominternationalhealthcare,privatesectororganisationsandacademicexpertcontent.

Themajorityofourpostgraduatestudentsstudypart-timewhileworkinginthehealthserviceorarelatedfield,althoughwedohaveanumberoffull-timestudentsstudyingonourUK-basedprogrammes.Ourprogrammesprovideachallengingandinspiringstudyexperienceforbothexistingandaspiringpractitionersinhealthandsocialcareorganisations.Theyequipparticipantswiththeknowledge,skillsandconfidencetodevelopboththeircareersandorganisations.

Thetwochartstotherightshowresultsfrom‘DestinationsofLeavers’surveysforourHealthServicesManagementpostgraduatesoverthepastfiveyears.

HEALTHSERVICESMANAGEMENTCENTRE(HSMC)

(nodatafor2009/10,2010/11or2012/13)

‘Firstandforemost

myPhDwasan

opportunitytobring

togetherthedifferent

strandsofexperience

andresearchthatIhad

undertakenduringmy

career.Iwasable

tobringmyinterestsinhealthservicesresearch

togetherwithhealthcaremanagementwhich

wasmyoriginalprofession.Also,interestingly,

Iwasabletodrawontheexperienceofmyfirst

degreewhichwasalsoatBirminghamand

wasinFrenchLanguageandLiterature.

‘IthinkHSMChasmadeahugecontribution

tothehealthservice,andmoregenerally.

StudyingatHSMCgivesthoseworking

inthehealthservice,socialcareorotherparts

ofthebroaderhealthsystemtheopportunity

toreflectandtolearnmoreacademicconcepts

withinwhichtoanalysetheirday-to-day

experienceatwork.HSMCalsoplaysabigpart

inbuildingupthewiderbodyofhealthresearch

andenhanceshealthresearchthatispractical

andisapplicabletobothpolicyandpractice.’

Judith Smith, PhDHealthPolicyandManagementJudith completed her PhD on the role of women leaders in the National Health Service, adopting a narrative approach to the ways in which female executives talk about and describe their careers.

LEARN MORE www.birmingham.ac.uk/hsmc

100908070605040302010

02008/9

20011/12

Percentage of research postgraduate respondents in work and/or further study six months after graduation

100 100 100

100908070605040302010

02008/9

2009/10

2010/11

2011/12

2012/13

Percentage of taught postgraduate respondents in work and/or further study six months after graduation

100 100 100 98.8 98.8

SOURCE:Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Institutions,HigherEducationStatisticsAgency,2009–13

School of Social Policy

EMPLOYABILITY

6 What do Birmingham postgraduates do?

Range of employment sectors

n Accounting,bookkeepingandauditing activities;taxconsultancyn Activitiesofprofessional membershiporganisationsn Educationalsupportactivitiesn Generalmedicalpracticeactivitiesn Highereducationn Hospitalactivitiesn Humanhealthactivities(other)n Informationtechnologyand

computerservicesn Justiceandjudicialactivitiesn Managementconsultancyn Publicadministrationn Regulationofprovidinghealthcare, education,culturalservicesandother socialservicesn Residentialcareactivities

Range of employers

n AmbulanceServicen BirminghamandSolihullMentalHealth

FoundationTrustn BritishSocietyforDermatologyn CivilServiceLearningn ClinicalCommissioningGroupn CognitiveConnections(Cognitive

BehaviouralTherapy)n Guy’sandStThomas’NHS

FoundationTrustn HealthcareConsultancyGroupn HealthInnovationNetwork

n HitachiConsultingn KPMGn LancashireCareTrustn LeedsTeachingHospitaln MyelomaUK(charity)n NICE(NationalInstituteforHealth

andCareExcellence)n NHSCentralMidlandsCommissioning

SupportUnitn Pfizern PwC

Range of occupations

n AssistantDirectorn BusinessManagern ChiefFinancialOfficern CommissioningManagern DirectorofPrimaryCareStrategyn HeadofGovernancen HeadofPerformanceand BusinessPlanningn HeadofStrategyn InstitutionalDonorRelationsOfficern Lecturern NHSManagern OperationsManagern PolicyAdvisorn PrincipalPharmacistn ProcurementOfficern ProfessorofHealthEconomicsn SeniorConsultantn ServiceManager

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‘IhavetosayIenjoyedeverysecondat

Birmingham,ithasbeenfantastic.Ireally

enjoyedworkingwithotherstudents,

includingthosefromotherdisciplines,

whichhasbeenafantasticexperience.

Theconversationsyouhaveduringtea

breaksandduringsessionsareinvaluable,

butalsostudentsfromothercountriesbring

intheirviewsandexperiences.I’verelished

everymomentI’vehadintheHealthServices

ManagementCentre.

‘StudyingmyMastersshowsIcancommit

tostudyandshowsthatIhavethetheory

andapplication.Iwasrecentlyinterviewed

forapostandI’msurethathavingmy

MastersunderpinnedthatIwassuccessful.

MyMastersismysteppingstonetomove

ontodootherthingsaswellandmakes

meamoreroundedcandidate.’

Simon Holbrook, MScHealthCarePolicyandManagementSimon is a paramedic by trade and works with the South Central Ambulance Service as the head of 111 North Operations.

LEARN MORE www.birmingham.ac.uk/hsmc

School of Social Policy

RANGEOFOCCUPATIONS

Below is an overview of the kinds of employment sectors, organisations and professions that recent Health Services Management postgraduates have entered, based on responses to ‘Destinations of Leavers’ surveys conducted six months after graduation.