To ask if you did any of these courses in uni what career you have gone into?

[fluffdefluff]

This may not be the right area to ask but suppose it might get traffic

My dd is applying for her university courses and is unsure what to do as she has A LOT of loved in life...so

1. English lit and French

2.commerce and French

1. Biochemistry
2. Chemical and process engineering

I know they are ALL so different but she adores of all the subjects equally and is very good at them all. If not more scientifically minded imo.
So if you have done any of these courses what career path have you followed? I just wanted to give her some real life examples as none on the family has done them. (Both me and dh are nurses.) I don't mind what she does as long as she is happy.

Thank you

@AlrightTreacle well now!!! We never saw this!! I'll have to show her once she's out of the shower! She wouldn't mind going to the U.K. either if the equivalent course is not offered here!!!THANK YOU!

I know lots of chemical and process engineers who work as engineers/ project managers/ consultants/ technical specialists for banks etc in power generation. Pretty good job security and opportunities to move around and get into newer/ green technologies. Or work for investment banks for silly money.

I did the equivalent of chemical process engineering. I started my career in a nuclear licensed development chemistry lab working on new radio imaging diagnostics. I then supported clinical trials (on site real time imaging agent preparation). I did a year in Norway doing formulation development. After that I moved into medicines licensing. I’m now 21 years into my career and a very highly paid Director, department head and medicines licensing consultant. My job is stressful but rewarding, flexible and well paid.

Chem Eng, work in Oil and Gas

In that case all her choices are fabulous. You can always change your degree if you don't like it.

As evidenced by posts upthread your degree doesn't determine your career.

Good luck to your DD

Nephew did biochemistry at Oxbridge (not saying which) and is now a City Solicitor specialising in biotech.

I did French and, after a 1 yr p-g course, have been a chartered academic librarian for 25 years.

My cousin did biochemistry, she’s know a PhD student, I did biomedical science and I’m a clinical scientist (NHS).

I did languages at university. I’ve worked in financial services my whole career (fell into it by accident) and I’m now a director of a wealth management firm.

I echo what others have said that she should study what she enjoys most.

I did Eng Lit and though I didn't do French, I did to A level and kept it up so I was fluent in it in my twenties.

I started out doing simultaneous translations French into English and moved into editing. I love my work. Never been bored by it.

I studied languages and taught English abroad for a few years before returning to uni to do a PGD in translation. I have a thankfully secure career as a translator but A) I have in my 30s already hit my class ceiling in terms of role and income and B) translating is a dying art these days with technology quickly reducing our role to proofreading. In 10 years machines will be doing everything and humans will just be checking it. It can quickly get boring. I will need to train to do something new before I retire, 30 years from now. I have nowhere to sidestep without retraining (not so easy now with a mortgage and young family).

Languages are fabulous and open up so many opportunities but please make sure she studies them with something “other” and something “solid” that she can fall back on. I’d lean towards options 3&4 and veer clear away from option 1, at least in terms of future employability. Option 2 would open many doors but she would have stiff competition.

Oh and don’t forget the part where if she studies a foreign language she might end up staying there forever. Give her wings and all... leaving my home country for the umpteenth time age 24 was fine, but one brain tumour during a pandemic later and ‘home’ has morphed into a place much further away than I could ever have imagined.

I did Eng Lit with Creative Writing minor and I'm Applications Development Team Manager now. By way of Multimedia Arts MA and then programmer > analyst programmer > team boss.

DFriend 1 - Chem Eng with Chemistry. Worked in oil and gas, then went into safety engineering, and works with the HSE.
DF2 - Chem Eng. Works in a brewery.
DH - Chem Eng. Working on a big chemical factory.
Me- Process Technology. Worked in the research labs for a big chemicals company, had 5 years out, and just started in a school.
DF3 - Biochem. Did 10 years with a big pharmaceutical company, and us now doing scientific communications for the directors at the same place.

Biochemist-did a PhD, work in industry, very interesting job - done many jobs within my time in the same company. Meet many younger students who wish to stay in academia who don't realise how interesting industry can be. Science degree doesn't pay the greatest salary but can be a great jump off to other things. I also had to decide between arts and science- glad I did science as you can always have an interest in the arts and pursue it in other ways than study but you can't do the same for science! You can also do extra courses in business online etc but its much harder to take up science and tech due to the nature of the subjects.

@fluffdefluff I probably should have been clearer!

If she pursues biochemistry/chemical engineering and continues French (whether as part of the course or through time spent abroad at some point) it could open up a career in specialised translation, either in house for a pharma company, for example, or freelance.

I know often students feel they need to choose between languages and science as if the two are not compatible but together they can provide some interesting (and lucrative!) options.

Not exactly biochemistry but I did forensic science and I am now a science technician at a secondary. I work with science teachers who all did various courses. I have an old friend who did biochemistry and she is a science writer and my sister's sister in law is now manager of a laboratory in microbiology. When my kids are old enough that I don't need term time I hope to move to a lab or I may get into Pharmacy.

@fluffdefluff

No worries, ah to be young with all that potential in front of you again! Manchester is an amazing student city, and guessing there are lots of flights to/from Ireland. I went to Liverpool uni and there's lots of cheap flights to and from Ireland to there.

The course looks good, she would do a year abroad on a research project:
www.manchester.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/2021/00520/bsc-biochemistry-with-a-modern-language/#course-profile

I'm an English teacher, Lit MA, working in Switzerland. Teachers here make 100,000chf a year once they've been teaching 10 years. That's approx £75k at the age of 31 / 32.

Not bad at all. Save half her salary, could buy a house in the UK outright within 7 or 8 years.

I did Business Studies and French. Ended up dropping French at the start of third year (year abroad) and ended up doing straight business.

Used to manage student accommodation, now I work in e-learning for the NHS/healthcare providers.

Thank you all! Lots of food for thought!! She is very excited to see more options!

I did English Lit and French then taught ( English language and French)

If she wants to study Biochemistry or Chemical Engineering, she might consider spending a gap year working in France before university, to become completely fluent.

I'd recommend a pre-university working-abroad gap year to any school leaver.

Oooh yeah, I'd echo what @2bazookas said, my best friend spent a year working as an au pair in Paris before doing languages at uni and had an amazing time!

I did biochemistry. Got my PhD and now work in the biopharmaceutical industry.

I did English for my first degree. I have been a life long learner though. I was a social worker. Now I am a child health researcher in the NHS. My PhD and Masters are science based. Not sure how Romanticism helped me in my career path but I enjoyed studying it.

Thank you. Yes she would love to spend time in France. A year there sounds great...not sure about being an au pair though. She isn't a children person 🤣🤣 she shudders at the thought of babysitting! (We all have our weak points I suppose)