What is your history graduate doing next?

[Treviarpelli]

Dd seems a bit clueless as to what to do with her history degree. Not averse to further study if necessary but would probably prefer to get started on a career.
Didnt apply for grad jobs this year as just got there head down with getting her degree but is feeling a bit rudderless now

My History grad got a place on the NHS Management Training scheme.

Did it for a year and decided it wasn't for him - I think he just got unlucky with his first placement as his manager wasn't very involved.

Then got a job doing Data Analyst work - he has Maths A level - and has stayed doing that for a few years and is now doing pretty well.

Some history grads go into Law - or lots of things really!

Mine is just completing a Master's in journalism.

One of mine did History and their job is nothing to do with their degree.
But that is the same for virtually all of their friends.
I think the figure for those graduates who work in a field related to their degree is around 25% of all graduates. Which, if you take out the students who do a vocational degree (nursing, medicine, Primary Education, physiotherapy, SaLT, OT, Pharmacy, etc etc) means very few people do. Of that small % who do, I'm going to guess most will be in engineering.

@Piggywaspushedthat’s something she’s strongly considering but is unclear on employment prospects after as it will cost a lot . I’d love to hear how it’s gone for your yp

Or science, I'm still working in my degree subject 35 years down the line, you can't do our jobs without a science degree but it's not vocational as such.

My son did a History degree immediately followed by a History Masters 10 years ago. He loved the subject and had got top marks in it but also knew that he wouldn't make his career in it and wanted to move into a financial sector role.

Got a grad scheme job at a financial services company and has done extremely well, great career, great prospects, loves his job.

His history degree background means that he is excellent at analysis, reports, problem solving, looking at the whole picture, communication, decision making, coming up with solutions etc.

Dd2 has a joint honours degree ba archaeology and ancient history. She followed it up with a masters in sustainable heritage management. She had volunteered plenty starting at age 14 in various digs and projects and had work experience during uni working with a company that repurposed old spaces for new use . After that she worked in a museum , then left once she got her professional accreditation as it was a zero hours contract . Joined a trust company , did her first trust exams and saved money whilst looking out for work in the field, alll the while working on the side doing archaeological surveys for construction companies and now works as a heritage officer for a heritage trust and still does the surveys .
sone of her course mates went on to do law , another works in archiving , another works in a gallery , another two are teaching, one is working in a hotel, another in the civil service and one even joined the police .
she just needs to think what it is she would like to do with it and try follow that path.

Mine did a Masters of Teaching afterwards and is now a HSIE teacher in a high school. He absolutely loves his job but we live in Australia where teachers don’t seem to be as unhappy as they are in the UK.

I know lots in consulting. One of my best friend who did history went into recruitment and is now a very successful head hunter with her own firm.

He hasn't finished yet. He is enjoying all the opportunities. It is hard work and forces him out of his comfort zone a lot.

If yours is into social media and videography it is worth a look. He isn't and most of the advertised jobs want that skill .

He has had lots of experience including some paid bylines but hasn't managed to get on to a big grad scheme or secure a job yet. He is doing his Master's at one of the targeted unis for journalism .

Does she do anything currently because they really need a portfolio. I'm afraid the people securing placements and jobs seem to have friends in high places.

Mine is very determined and very diligent so hopefully he will get there!

DD is about to go into her final year after doing a year abroad. She has no idea what she wants to do but it won't be a Masters!

She's planning on making good use of the Careers Office at uni and hopefully that'll throw up some ideas. She appreciates she might not get a graduate job and might have to work her way up from an entry level job.

I would question the value of a masters. I did an English Literature masters and I’m now doing a funded PhD, however I’m a mature student, was fortunate to get funding and don’t need a decent salary as such, having worked in industry previously. Get into work is my advice, focus on this, it is what employers value.

In the case of a journalism Master's you get an NCTJ as part of it - which is pretty essential.

Coomunications. Her research and written skills are excellent from writing so many essays.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the full picture.

These fields are so oversubscribed that even volunteer roles are difficult to secure. Many organisations saying they already “have enough” volunteers. Museums, archives, and charities require years of unpaid or precarious experience before you are even considered for paid employment.

It is extremely difficult. I hold a BA, MA, and PhD in History, yet the opportunities to work in anything directly related to history are very limited or non existing.

For fields such as law, accountancy, or counselling, a master’s degree is required. (Also be aware: paralegal and legal secretary jobs are taken over by AI!)

Publishing is also in decline. My friends working in publishing report constant redundancies and growing insecurity across the sector.

Most available roles with history are short-term contracts, hourly paid, and at or near minimum wage.

If interested in teaching, completing a PGCE should be something to consider, as there is consistent demand for history teachers.

Otherwise, I would suggest retraining into a field with stronger funding and more stable career prospects.

Of the ones I know, there are two doing PhDs (after masters), two management consultants, one lawyer, one teacher and one archivist. There are a huge number of possibilities, including most graduate training schemes. Talking with the career service might be a good idea but there must be a lot of options that she could cross off at least.

I’m a history grad and became a solicitor - there were a few of us on my GDL. Skills very transferable.

" There are a huge number of possibilities"

That used to be the case. Unfortunately, not anymore.

Some requires a huge amount of luck (to get an archivist job these days is like winning a lottery- people holding PhD's and years of experience in archival work can't find a job) or more study and training (to be a laywer or a teacher).

Mine did a masters and then went to work for a charity.

No need for a masters for accountancy though - unlike law or teaching (PGCE), all training will be on the job and paid for by the accountancy firm (hopefully - although I know lots of people self-fund ACCA, whilst working). Having accidentally fallen into accountancy, and then specialised in tax, I've had an interesting career and never had any problem getting a decently-paid job. I would definitely recommend it and have already said to my son (Politics student) that he needs to seriously consider accountancy as his plan B if the things he's more interested in don't work out.

History to law is well trodden path but realistically would have needed to be already on it in terms of applying for insight and vacation schemes as an undergraduate to stand a chance of getting a funded training contract it’s just so ultra competitive now.

The graduate job market is extremely competitive, yes, but the point still stands that a history degree can lead to a career in a very wide range of different areas.

Just to add, sorry to say - there isn't a constant demand for history teachers. Three subjects don't have recruitment shortages and one of them is history.

Thanks all, she definitely doesn’t want to go into teaching. I think the issue is partly that history can take you in so many directions she doesn’t know which way to direct her efforts

Mine did a History Masters and attempted to find the unicorn museum job.
I think that is still her dream down the road.

Then ended up doing PGCE and is a Primary teacher.

To be fair we all thought she was always going to be a teacher-it suits her and she is really happy!