This is my first post and this blog is one of my own New Year’s Resolutions that so many of us have. This started me thinking about how many people plan on changing career at the start of the year, many without really knowing where they want to go or what they want to do.
Why not try looking at a career in Higher Education? It may seem strange at a time when University funding cuts are being widely talked about but for me the pros far outwiegh the cons.
I worked in a corporate environment before I took a job in Higher Education and the contrast is startling. To work in an atmosphere that was not entirely focused on making money was a refreshing change. Most of the staff in HE both academic and non-academic are focused on improving the students’ experience. This is becoming increasingly so as the students are expecting more for their increased fees.
There are a wide variety of jobs (As the blog title says it’s Not Just Teaching) that are required in order to keep a university functioning. From marketing and PR jobs, careers advisers, administrators and even graphic designers, so any job in a university brings you into contact with a wide range of people with differing skills.
The pay and benefits are also good at most UK universities – they haven’t suffered the pay freezes that the public sector have and wages are still competitive with similar roles in the private sector. Many universities offer cut-price childcare and gym membership as additional benefits.
Holidays too are generous with most universities giving around 5 closure days/concessionary days over the year including a long break at Christmas without any extra holidays taken.
Opportunities for progression are often very good with opportunities across various departments allowing you to develop a wide range of skills.
Of course there are downsides too and not everyone will have found their experiences as good as mine; Funding cuts are a cause for concern and some smaller universities may merge which would cause some job losses. However, I think for those of us who are lucky enough to work in Higher Education should take the time now and again to appreciate how much worse our working lives could be and how fortunate we are.
Within the realm of teaching it includes both the level sometimes referred to as and beyond that or postgraduate level for qualified students who wish to go further in their education and skills. In contrast the vocational higher education and training that takes place at usually concentrates on with very little theory..In addition -level education is always included within Higher Education and usually in since many are both vocationally professionally and theoretically research oriented such as in the and . Higher vocational education might be contrasted with education in a usually broader field which might concentrate on and abstract knowledge..
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