The University of Kent Careers Advisory Service Careers for Mathematicians You can download a copy of this presentation at

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” Marketing and Sales Retailing Social Work Personnel Civil Service Accountancy Banking Computing

Destinations of Kent Maths Graduates

MATHS/ACTUARIAL JOB AREAS  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  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

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

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). 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

Operational Researcher 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 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. 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 developer of Scientific Software. LogicaCMG recruits science and maths graduates into computer consultancy. IBM at CAREERS FAIR - Nov 4thwww.ibm.com/uk

SCIENTIFIC MATHEMATICS 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 national intelligence and securitywww.gchq.gov.uk HM Government Communications Centre QinetiQ (an agency of the Ministry of Defence) Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (dstl) (explosives/weapons technology) Defence Engineering and Science Group (DESG BAe Systems global aerospace and defence AWE (Atomic Weapons Establishment) Roke Manor Research communications research lab. of Siemens specialising in AEA Technology does contract researchwww.aeat.co.uk The Met Office

OTHERS Teaching Risk Management Quantity Surveying Bioinformatics - application of information science, computer science, statistics & maths to biological issues Biometrics & computer forensics

Maths Job Sources University of Kent Vacancy Database Maths-jobs includes maths jobs in banking, insurance, finance, statistics, biology, medicine, bioinformatics, data mining, marketing, computing and OR. Council for Mathematical Sciences. Maths Careers links to career profiles and further study. Institute of Mathematics careers section. Careers Advice leaflet for mathematics students/graduates Now has a Facebook group can ask questions of “real mathematicians” about their careers and what they do. Careers Advice leaflet Plus Magazine Maths Careershttp://plus.maths.org/interview.html London Mathematics Society academic jobswww.lms.ac.uk/jobs American Mathematical Society

What can I do with a Maths degree

CHOOSING A CAREER Choosing a Career Booklet - available in Careers Service. Choosing a career pages Prospects Planner - powerful career choice program in Careers Service. Also cut down web version at

Careers Talks and Employer Presentations VACANCY AND WORK EXPERIENCE DATABASE

Bruce Woodcock Normally on duty TUESDAY MORNINGS (10.30 am pm) and WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOONS ( pm). You don’t need to book an appointment to see me at these times. - for enquires that I can answer

Location of the Careers Service Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays including vacations. The Careers Web Site is available 24/7www.kent.ac.uk/careers

The University of Kent Careers Advisory Service You can download a copy of this presentation at

Postgraduate Study MSc – 1 year PhD - 3 years Teacher training – 1 year (bursaries available) See

VACATION WORK Careers Database Also Sandwich placements  STEP Paid project work in smaller companies for second year students. 1400, 8 week projects each summer. Pay £190 per week  Also see

Videos APPLICATIONS INTERVIEWS ON-LINE APPLICATIONS SELECTION CENTRES Now on-line

WEB PAGES Kent Vacancy Database Prospects Web Applications and Interviews (includes assessment centres and psychometric tests etc.) Example CVs & Covering Letters Practice Interviews Interview Reports – lots of actuarial interviews!

Actuarial CV

Other points Check you campus s regularly as I will send you s 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.