The University of Kent
Careers Advisory Service
Careers for
Mathematicians
You can download a copy of this
presentation at
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm
Skills gained on a Maths/Actuarial Degree
Maths/Actuarial graduates are
attractive to many employers
outside science because of
their:
Ability to analyse
information in a logical way
Investigative and problem
solving skills.
Numeracy
IT skills
Especially finance &
computing
One third of graduate jobs
accept any degree subject.
BECAUSE:
 Learn new skills quickly
 Analyse & solve problems
 Communicate well
 Open to new ideas,
adaptable and flexible
 “Managers of change”
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Marketing and Sales
Retailing
Social Work
Personnel
Civil Service
Accountancy
Banking
Computing
Destinations of Kent Maths Graduates
MATHS/ACTUARIAL JOB AREAS
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Actuarial Work insurance firms (Friends
Provident) and
Consultancies (Mercer)
Pensions Analyst Deloitte
Touche, Nat West Bank
Accountancy – KPMG/PWC
Banking – Lloyds TSB
Tax – Coutts Bank
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Statistical Work GSS
Operational
Research – GORS
Defence – GCHQ,
DSTL
Computing - Logica
Teaching - PGCE
Risk Management
Accountancy
Biggest recruiter of graduates in the UK. PWC
and KPMG recruit 1,000 graduates each
 3 years training whilst working – paid a salary
 Audit, tax and consultancy
 Some similarities with actuarial work
 Main area is Chartered Accountancy (ACA), but
also Certified, Management and Public Sector
Accountancy
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/workin/accountancy.htm
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Banking
Two main areas:
 Retail banking – High Street banking – mortgages,
loans, current accounts etc.
 Investment banking – very competitive, long hours,
pressure, well paid. Must apply early in final year and
od lots of research
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sitebank.htm
Statistician
Analyses and interprets data. Collects information, analyses it using
statistical methods and computer programs such as SPSS.
Interprets data for clients and users. Writes reports.
EMPLOYERS: The largest employer is the Government
Statistical Service GSS which employs 700 staff in more than 30
departments.
Medical Statistics is also another large area with some major
hospitals having statistical units.
Biometrists work as statisticians in the pharmaceutical industry,
as researchers in medical schools and hospitals and in agricultural
institutes.
SATISFACTIONS: intellectual stimulation of work.
NEGATIVES: spend most of time in the office.
DEGREE: Normally mathematics, statistics, economics or other
statistics-related degrees. Graduates in other subjects can do an
MSc in statistics.
The Government Statistical Service (GSS).
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GSS is the UK’s largest provider of statisticians: 1200
professionals in 30 departments and agencies.
Two graduate entry routes into the GSS - the Fast
Stream and the Statistical Officer programme.
Entry requirement for both schemes is a first or
second class honours degree or a postgrad. Degree.
Assistant Statistician
Closing date Usually April
Number of posts usually about 30
Apply online at www.statistics.gov.uk/gssjobs
Operational Researcher
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Aiding & developing management strategies & decisions through
the use of analytical methods. Consulting with clients. Collecting
& analysing data. Developing mathematical models on
computer. Identifying solutions & presenting these to clients.
EMPLOYERS: Finance industry, Government Operational
Research Service, local government & OR consultancies.
SATISFACTIONS: Assuming a senior role within major
organisations. Can be very well paid. Intellectually stimulating.
Varied project-based work.
NEGATIVES: Can be working under considerable pressure.
SKILLS: numeracy, analysing & investigating, planning, problem
solving, verbal communication.
DEGREE: business, computing, engineering, management,
mathematics, psychology, sciences & other numerate subjects.
POSTGRADUATE STUDY: A Masters degree in Operational
Research or Management Science will aid entry
Government Operational
Research Service
Graduate Trainee OR Analysts – 50 posts
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Government OR analysts work to inform decisions in
developing policy, formulating strategy and delivering
programmes.
In HM Revenue and Customs for example, issues might
include "what duty rates should be levied on tobacco?"
(policy), "how should we tackle smuggling?" (strategy), or
"how do we organise the staff at Dover?" (operations).
Emphasis on structuring problems and helping customers to
help themselves, rather than on producing standard answers
to standard problems. Analysts employ a wide variety of
techniques depending on the particular problems they tackle,
ranging from basic spreadsheet modelling, forecasting,
databases, univariate statistics, project management
and problem structuring to data mining, system
dynamics and simulation.
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www.operational-research.gov.uk
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Closing date usually March
COMPUTING
has become a popular area for maths graduates in recent
years, partly due to the availability of postgraduate conversion
courses, such as the one year MSc in Computing at Kent.
Employers here include:
Tessella www.tessella.co.uk developer of Scientific
Software.
LogicaCMG www.logicacmg.com recruits science and maths
graduates into computer consultancy.
IBM www.ibm.com/uk at CAREERS FAIR - Nov 4th
SCIENTIFIC MATHEMATICS
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Scientific Officer - Qinetiq (2),Research Project Ass't - Pfizer
Defence industry and other science and engineering companies:
mathematical modeling and designing algorithms. The work is often
research orientated and can be intellectually stimulating
GCHQ www.gchq.gov.uk national intelligence and security
HM Government Communications Centre www.hmgcc.gov.uk
QinetiQ (an agency of the Ministry of Defence)
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (dstl)
(explosives/weapons technology) www.dstl.gov.uk/careers/index.php
Defence Engineering and Science Group (DESG www.desg.mod.uk
BAe Systems global aerospace and defence
AWE www.awe.co.uk (Atomic Weapons Establishment)
Roke Manor Research communications research lab. of Siemens
specialising in AEA Technology www.aeat.co.uk does contract research
The Met Office
OTHERS
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Teaching
Risk Management
Quantity Surveying
Bioinformatics - application of
information science, computer science,
statistics & maths to biological issues
Biometrics & computer forensics
www.gradcracker.com
Maths Job Sources
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University of Kent Vacancy Database
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/jobs/index.htm
Maths-jobs www.maths-jobs.co.uk includes maths jobs in banking,
insurance, finance, statistics, biology, medicine, bioinformatics, data
mining, marketing, computing and OR.
Council for Mathematical Sciences. Maths Careers
www.mathscareers.org.uk links to career profiles and further study.
Institute of Mathematics www.ima.org.uk/Careers/careers.htm
careers section.
Careers Advice leaflet for mathematics students/graduates
Now has a Facebook group
www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7633226353 can ask questions of
“real mathematicians” about their careers and what they do.
Plus Magazine http://plus.maths.org/interview.html Maths Careers
London Mathematics Society www.lms.ac.uk/jobs academic jobs
American Mathematical Society www.ams.org/careers
What can I do with a
Maths degree
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/maths.htm
CHOOSING A CAREER
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Choosing a Career Booklet - available in Careers
Service.
Choosing a career pages
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/Choosing/ChoosingCareer.htm
Prospects Planner - powerful career choice program
in Careers Service. Also cut down web version at
www.prospects.ac.uk/links/PPlanner
Careers Talks and Employer
Presentations
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/casevents.htm
VACANCY AND WORK EXPERIENCE DATABASE
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/jobs/index.htm
Bruce Woodcock
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Normally on duty TUESDAY
MORNINGS (10.30 am 12.30 pm) and WEDNESDAY
AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS
(2.00 - 5.00 pm). You don’t
need to book an
appointment to see me at
these times.
Email: [email protected] - for
enquires that I can answer
BRIEFLY
Location of the Careers Service
Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays including vacations.
The Careers Web Site www.kent.ac.uk/careers is available 24/7
The University of Kent
Careers Advisory Service
You can download a copy of this
presentation at
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm
Postgraduate Study
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MSc – 1 year
PhD - 3 years
Teacher training – 1 year
(bursaries available)
See www.kent.ac.uk/careers/postgradmenu.htm
VACATION WORK
Careers Database
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/jobs/index.htm
Also Sandwich placements
 STEP Paid project work in smaller companies
for second year students. 1400, 8 week projects
each summer. Pay £190 per week
www.step.org.uk
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Also see www.ukc.ac.uk/careers/vacwork.htm
Videos
APPLICATIONS
 INTERVIEWS
 ON-LINE APPLICATIONS
 SELECTION CENTRES
Now on-line
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www.kent.ac.uk/careers/IntVid.htm
WEB PAGES
Kent Vacancy Database
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/jobs/index.htm
 Prospects Web www.prospects.ac.uk
 Applications and Interviews (includes
assessment centres and psychometric tests etc.)
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/applicn.htm
 Example CVs & Covering Letters
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/cvexamples.htm
 Practice Interviews
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/interviews/mockivs.htm
 Interview Reports – lots of actuarial
interviews!
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/ivreps/ivrepsmenu.htm
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Actuarial CV
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/cv/actuary-cv.htm
Other points
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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.