Biochemistry grads - are jobs hard to come by?

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DS has taken an interruption from his current university course for numerous reasons. He is now back to the drawing board and looking at options. He is considering a biochemistry degree, as he's really interested in the research and lab type careers. However we've had numerous discussions with family and friends, who are discouraging - the feedback is that these type of jobs are scarce, that biochemistry will result in being 'stuck' with being a teacher (not that there is anything wrong with teaching, just not what he wants to do). The feedback is these type of jobs are scarce, pay is poor, and to get anywhere career wise you need a PHD. Any biochemists or life science peeps out there who can advise. He isn't wanting to do a 'milk round' graduate type role in finance / banking etc, but equally want to find somehere where his degree will be relevant. He also is neurodivergent, which complicates things a little and he needs a role with structure.

Can I ask how easy that was? I have a child who who would make a great doctor but I they don’t know it yet! We have come to a conclusion that biochem then convert it later if they catch up with what we all know and if they don’t they have a great degree anyway. But not sure how easy the biochem to medicine conversion is.

Just to add to the subject. I used to work in international finance. Quite a lot of people had biochem degrees.

look very carefully at graduate destinations on every course he considers…. Often ex polys have far better industry links. Experience in work environments will be key. Worth seeing if there are any nhs work experience options he could try before committing.
Data science is changing at the speed of light now- a data science degree alone will not guarantee a job. Much uni teaching is behind the ever changing reality of Gen AI.

Any kind of analytical chemistry will accept biochemistry.

Just note that not all university are accredited to work in NHS. Turns out mine wasn't and I had no idea.

It’s very competitive to get onto the course because few places offer it. The original plan with both was to become teachers, and both did qualify as teachers before applying to do medicine. Both had worked as health auxiliary staff full time in a hospital too to build up experience.

What job is she doing?

It’s in manufacturing within pharmaceuticals.
Certainly wasn’t her dream job I think that would be fair to say

NHS are desperately short of Clinical Scientists and Medical Physicists and you wouldn't need a physics degree to get in, anything scientific would do it.

There's also a good choice of similar roles in agencies in the civil service.

Mumsnet talks endlessly about how there's no jobs but in these professions they're desperately short of recruits and retention is also a real problem despite it being a secure, reasonably well paid profession with good T&Cs. Interesting worthwhile work too.

I believe they do insist on a 2.1 though which in science is not the majority of graduates.

Of course it is. Hardly anyone gets lower than a 2.1 these days and with 3 A stars, he should be fine.

Hardly anyone? 25% get a 2.2
4% get thirds
The dropout rate in stem subjects is disproportionately high compared to the arts

I wasn’t talking about the original posters son but many many people on my daughter‘s course did not get a 2.1 no matter what their A level results