The University of KentCareers and Employability Service

Forensic Science Careers

You can download a copy of this presentation atwww.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm

Skills gained on a Forensic Science Degree

• Gather and analyse relevant information from a wide variety of sources

• Identify and propose solutions to problems• Work with others in the preparation and

presentation of group work (group projects)

• Project management

• Technical skills

• Work independently (individual projects)

• Communicate with others in a clear and articulate manner

• Present ideas and arguments verbally in presentations and seminars, and informal discussions

FORENSIC SCIENCE EMPLOYERS Forensic Science Service. www.fss.org.uk Disbanded!

Independent forensic contractors

LGC - analytical science, consumer protection  pollution and health, DNA and drug analysis also document examination for Inland Revenue and DSS.

Qinetiq - analysis of terrorist-related explosives.

Home Office (Police Scientific Dev’t Branch) research and development on equipment and systems used for the police and fire services.

Police Laboratories - 4 in Scotland

Police forces employ civilians as scenes of crime officers.

Destinations of Kent Forensic Science Grads

www.kent.ac.uk/careers/forensicsci.htm

One third of graduate jobs accept any degree subject.

BECAUSE:

• Learn new skills quickly

• Analyse & solve problems

• Numeracy

• Open to new ideas, adaptable and flexible

• “Managers of change”

• Marketing and Sales

• Retailing

• Social Work

• Personnel

• Civil Service

• Accountancy

• Banking

• Computing

Choosing a Career

• CHOOSING A CAREER BOOKLET - available from Careers Service.

• Prospects Planner - powerful career choice program

www.prospects.ac.uk/links/PPlanner

• www.kent.ac.uk/careers/ScienceJobs.htm

Forensics Vacancy Sources

• Speculative CVs - use Forensic Sci. careers page

• Kent University Vacancies Database www.kent.ac.uk/ces/vacancies.html

• Science Recruitment Agencies www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sitephar.htm#agencies

• New Scientist www.newscientistgraduate.com

• Royal Society of Chemistry - includes vacancies from Chemistry in Britain magazine www.chemsoc.org/careers/careers.htm

• www.kent.ac.uk/careers/ScienceJobs.htm - placements and summer work tab

How to apply

• CV and Covering Letter – speculative applications and small companies. See science CV example www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/forensic-science-cv.htm

• On-line application form – big companies

• For help see www.kent.ac.uk/careers/applicn.htm

• Practice Science Interviewwww.kent.ac.uk/careers/interviews/ivscience.htm

On-line Careers Videos

• ON-LINE APPLICATIONS

• INTERVIEWS

• SELECTION CENTRES

www.kent.ac.uk/careers/IntVid.htm

Postgraduate Study

TAUGHT Higher degrees by taught course & dissertation – MSc. Length: one calendar year (September - September)

RESEARCH PhD. Length: at least three years for PhD. Work independently to prepare a thesis

FUNDING Normally need 2:1 for research council bursary – fees paid, plus about £14,000 grant

www.kent.ac.uk/careers/postgradmenu.htm

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.

Bruce Woodcock

• An adviser is on duty for short (15 minute) consultations in the Careers and Employability Service any weekday morning 10.30-12.30 or afternoon from 2 pm to 4 pm. You don't need an appointment to see the duty adviser at these times. Just ask at Careers Reception to see them.

• Email: bw@kent.ac.uk

• Monday careers events and vacancy emails

www.kent.ac.uk/careers Telephone: 01227 823299 Email: careerhelp@kent.ac.uk

Drop-in times (no appointment needed): 10.30 to 12.30 & 2 to 4 pm

Moodle Careers Employability Award

www.kent.ac.uk/careers/moodle.htm

Moodle Careers Employability Award Assessed by a range of quizzes and assignments

Only 2% unemployment rate for students completing the award compared to 5% for other Kent students.

Will greatly improve your career planning and jobhunting skills, giving you strategies to make career choices and will increase your chances of getting a graduate level job.

Takes about 12 hours to complete

On completion you will get a University of Kent Careers Employability Award to add to your CV

Get 60 Kent Employability points for successful completion of the module.

www.kent.ac.uk/careers/moodle.htm

Comments from students who have completed the award

You get a really nice certificate!

It was so easy, quick and I learned a lot.

Without realising, you have finished the course

and have already put together a very good CV

and covering letter.

It really blew my mind with some ideas I’ve never known

before, such as portfolio working and working from

home. I never thought about obtaining happiness from my

work before.

It would be mad to apply for a job or attend an

interview without doing it! Before the course I had only a vague

idea of my career path and opportunities. Now I am applying for summer internships and know how to

effectively sell my skills to a prospective employer and have a much

more focused plan for my future.

The module is very, very useful! I really love how it makes you to think about your personality and helps you to identify your

strengths and weaknesses.I found the module to be highly thought-provoking as it really

encouraged me to consider how my degree will benefit my future and what I can be doing now to

improve my graduate employment prospects.

I enjoyed the depth of the module. It went far beyond some general tips on

how to write a good CV and prepare for an interview. Rather it went in to detail

about the whole process of graduate job search from the beginning to the end. It

was very instructive .

The amount of time put into this is astounding! I actually spoke to friends from other universities who said they

wished they had something like this.

It has made me feel a lot more confident when it comes to

applications and interviews and has also made me think about skills that I didn't think I had

before. I recently had a very successful interview

largely because I put the advice on the module into

practice.

The University of KentCareers and Employability Service

Forensic Science Careers

You can download a copy of this presentation atwww.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm

GET THREE YEARS HELP AFTER YOU GRADUATE

FINAL YEAR STUDENTS AND POSTGRADUATES

Through filling in our contact form at www.kent.ac.uk/careers/contact.html  you’ll be entitled to three years of careers advice after graduation from the Careers and Employability Service at the University of Kent free of charge.

We send regular Vacancy Emails which will give you job hunting tips and the latest vacancies. 

THE CAREERS AND EMPLOYABILITY SERVICE IS OPEN DURING THE EASTER VACATION