Final Year Student at UWE

1. George Bethell
BScGeography Student, UWE
A student perspective
on employability
What I learnt and what I wish I was taught

2. Where did it
all begin?
Family interests
School
College
Degree choice

3. My degree
 BSc (Hons) Geography
 4-year sandwich course
 Modules including:
 Climate change
 Managing Rivers and Coasts
 Ecology
 GIS

4. Skills acquired
throughout my
course
 Communication
 Technical skills
 Scientific skills
 Research skills
 Organisation
 Resilience
 Reflective skills
 Teamwork

5. Opportunities for further development
 Student representative
 Student ambassador
 Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) leader
 Geography Society committee
 Placement year

6. Placement Year- My role
 Educational Ranger
 Taught sessions to children aged 7-12
 Grounds maintenance
 Increased awareness of the environment
 Developed key life skills

7. Placement
Year- What
skills did I
develop?
Communication Confidence Teamwork
Self reflection Time
management
Future careers

8. How has my degree
helped me become
more employable?
 Developed transferable skills:
 Communication
 Teamwork
 Time management
 Developed technical skills
 GIS
 Report writing
 Collecting and analysing data
 Personal progression

9. Areas for
improvement
 Greater careers development at school and college
 Start careers talks earlier at university
 Greater support whilst on placement
 Follow up on the skills developed on placement

10. A students perception on employability
 Generally positive
 Wide range of jobs and sectors open to environmental scientists
 Skills developed are beneficial for degree specific and non-degree specific jobs
 Support available at university to better employment prospects
 Apprehension, uncertainty, new phase

11. Where am I heading?
 Environmental sector
 Environmental consultancy
 Environmental education
 River and coastal management

12. Thank you for listening