Job Opportunities?

Tarvismike

If I do Arts, what are my career prospects, realistically? I plan to do Geography and Archaeology and the only job I can think that would lead to is teaching (or archaeology, I suppose, but I'm not quite sure how that would work).

Any experienced advice?

remus808

Tarvismike wrote: »

If I do Arts, what are my career prospects, realistically?

It's an endless world of choice... doorways open through Arts!

...
McDonalds
Burger King
Subway
Tesco
Super Valu
Xtravision

.. Take your pick!

x keo21

You forgot

D2
Jean Scene
Tk max
Pennies
Dunnes Stores
Bin man ( pushing it now)
My personal favourite............ LIBRARIAN............with that most 'excellent' degree of information studies, OH Jesus

Breezer

I don't have a very extensive knowledge of the subject but I'll try:

Teaching, obviously, with a H Dip.

A Masters or PhD of some description which can lead to job opportunities in many sectors (sorry for being vague, I've never really investigated it, but I know Arts graduates with further study tend to be very employable. Journalism, for example, or lecturing.)

Entry to graduate-entry degree programmes such as Veterinary Medicine or Medicine (though these are normally aimed at people with a science background, any degree is accepted).

Not much help I guess, but better than a smart answer.

Jonny Arson

Tarvismike wrote: »

If I do Arts, what are my career prospects, realistically? I plan to do Geography and Archaeology and the only job I can think that would lead to is teaching (or archaeology, I suppose, but I'm not quite sure how that would work).

Any experienced advice?

the dole





Geography and Archaeology would be a really good combination of subjects in Arts as both overlap and relate to each other in some aspects

if you do want to end up in a career in those particular subjects you'll almost certainly have to specialise in a certain area (for example in Geography maybe Urban planning or Geomorphology) by doing an MA and maybe a PhD but i'm sure there are people out there who have ended up in those fields without an MA someway or an other. as Breezer said, a good degree will also give you graduate options in other areas too

without an MA there are prospects, sure one survey a couple of years ago from UCD showed that the vast majority of Arts graduates were either in further study or employment, i'm sure one or two might have ended up in McDonalds i know people with Arts degrees in teaching, journalism, the civil service, banks, insurance so you can get a start on a good career with an Arts degree. however with our economy going complete tits up at the moment and probably at least another 5 years it's going to be a tougher climate for graduates without an MA but i'm sure if you work hard and get a good BA degree you'll be grand. most importantly Arts gives you plenty of options so you're not necessarily pigeonholed into something for life

JumpJump

I plan to do a postgrad in Journalism.

Without a post-grad I imagine it'd be difficult to break into any very specific job markets. Could be wrong.

pretty*monster

Banking seems to be what most of the people I know who didn't do any post graduate courses have gotten into.

stereoroid

pretty*monster wrote: »

Banking seems to be what most of the people I know who didn't do any post graduate courses have gotten into.

Well, good luck trying to get a banking job in the next few years - the banks will be struggling to clean up the "credit crunch" mess left by the last batch of Arts graduates...

simonrooneyzaga

those streets wont clean themselves...

wandering_star

simonrooneyzaga "those streets wont clean themselves..."

Lol.

Seriously though, there are lots of openings for archaeologists here in Ireland, more so than other countries, but it's just cracking into the industry that can be the problem, generally doing voluntary work on digs during the summer while you're in uni, getting experience etc is a good way to start.

As for geography, what I'm finding personally now is that i'll need to go on and do a postgrad course to go do anything with it.

There's always the civil service, the bank, or teaching kids.

Check out these lads though, typically American, but it'll give you an idea
http://www.saa.org/careers/index.html
https://communicate.aag.org/eseries/scriptcontent/custom/giwis/cguide/

As an aside, I've found geography a really rewarding an interesting course.
Do it!

Tarvismike

Thanks for the advice.

I think I'm going to do a joint major in Geography and Economics now.

Assets Model

Economics is probably better for job opportunities but you'd want to like calculus..

polevault

"Well, good luck trying to get a banking job in the next few years - the banks will be struggling to clean up the "credit crunch" mess left by the last batch of Arts graduates... "

that is a very true statement. I graduated last July out of there and the whole way through college i kept hearing,, ohhh i am going to america for a year or i will be grand i will do a H dip or the most popular one for the last three years was the bank option. Unfortunately my friend these options are no longer there because the way things have gone over the past 6 months. Its not nice to admit it but anyone who went away on their "couldnt be arsed to get a job straight after college" holiday funded by daddy will not have a job when they come back. Three of my friends returned from australia last October after 12months and are screwed for work. It is common knowledge now between all the big firms that recruiting will be declilned dramaticaly over the next 2yrs and these "holidayed" graduates wont be considered.

My advice which may be too late for you is that you should have decided the career or job you wanted for the rest of your life before you decided the college, location, potential fun and friends aspect that would only last 3-4 yrs. Join the rest of your arts buddies in the dimwit confusion of what to do once you have to get a job and stand on your own two feet without hiding behind mum and dads bank account, that wont last forever.

Ps whatever you do dont go away for the session year after college, those days are gone, you will not regret it, go on the holiday to beat all holidays when you are earning and successful, prob at a time when your friends are scrapping around because they would rather arse around beforehand.

Rosita

The mind boggles at the idea of people talking about "Arts graduates" as if they were one homogenous group with the same qualification.

The subjects chosen are critical. You can do Economics and you'll be more knowledgable than any B.Comm "morketing major" graduate. You can do a language too which is always advisable.

Arts has the advantage of not pigeon-holing you into some dreary "business executive" role for the next thrity years but arguably a disadvantage is that it would require specialisation afterwards.

Certainly if you are interested in teaching it would be advisable to consider what subjects are teachable at second-level. You would not have a hope in hell of getting a teaching job with Archeology/Geography.

FledNanders

Rosita wrote: »

You would not have a hope in hell of getting a teaching job with Archeology/Geography.

Is geography not a second level subject?

Stepherunie

It is but schools generally like you to be able to teach two subjects and if you do a degree in geography and archaeology would only qualify you to teach one subject.

BlackMamba

Stepherunie wrote: »

It is but schools generally like you to be able to teach two subjects and if you do a degree in geography and archaeology would only qualify you to teach one subject.

True!! Loads of the teachers in my old secondary school taught 2 subjects and one of them advised me to major in subjects that I could teach in case I needed a plan B.

lizzyvera

I am studying science but I've worked in archaeology firms bonewashing and doing general manual labour every summer for years. I think I only got the job because I know archaeologists but at least it's a job you can definitely get experience in if you want it, and apply to every firm early.
I think most archaeologists like their job and it's good fun on site.

lizzyvera

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/What_do_graduates_do__2005/p!eaLbdff

old statistics from britain cos I couldn't find Irish ones but I can assume it's similar here. Only 5.5% of 2005 geography graduates were unemployed 6 months after graduation, making it one of the best arts degrees, in fact better than average science of 6.5%.

stolenwine

Tarvismike wrote: »

If I do Arts, what are my career prospects, realistically? I plan to do Geography and Archaeology and the only job I can think that would lead to is teaching (or archaeology, I suppose, but I'm not quite sure how that would work).

Any experienced advice?

There are lots of options- I have two friends who studied archaeology. One went on to do an Ma in Museum Studies and is now a full-time researcher in a Geosciences department. My other friend who studied archaeology is doing an Ma in Forensic science via a part-time job as a social worker. You don't have to plan it all now.

polevault wrote: »

"Well, good luck trying to get a banking job in the next few years - the banks will be struggling to clean up the "credit crunch" mess left by the last batch of Arts graduates... "

.

News flash: Not everyone wants to be a banker. Most of my friends are arts graduates and not one of them is on the dole, they are already gainfully employed and not within the financial sector thank you.

gubbie

My friend in Cork is doing those exact things. What she wants to do is do costal mapping. We always mocked her for her choices. Sorry but its what happens

Pride Fighter

Stepherunie wrote: »

It is but schools generally like you to be able to teach two subjects and if you do a degree in geography and archaeology would only qualify you to teach one subject.

You dont need a qualification to teach religion or Civics though, throw in PE and your flying.

Stepherunie

Most places require you to be qualified in P.E and you can do religion teaching so I'm not sure how true it would be, depending on the school.

Riamfada

Those Arts jokes never get old. I would have thought people who make them would obtain the education to think of something new :rolleyes:

Then again id be bitter too if I had to study business and get a job in an office and a semi-d on the commuter belt followed by retirement and death. Love leaving your mark on the world

Jonny Arson

polevault wrote: »

"Well, good luck trying to get a banking job in the next few years - the banks will be struggling to clean up the "credit crunch" mess left by the last batch of Arts graduates... "

that is a very true statement. I graduated last July out of there and the whole way through college i kept hearing,, ohhh i am going to america for a year or i will be grand i will do a H dip or the most popular one for the last three years was the bank option. Unfortunately my friend these options are no longer there because the way things have gone over the past 6 months. Its not nice to admit it but anyone who went away on their "couldnt be arsed to get a job straight after college" holiday funded by daddy will not have a job when they come back. Three of my friends returned from australia last October after 12months and are screwed for work. It is common knowledge now between all the big firms that recruiting will be declilned dramaticaly over the next 2yrs and these "holidayed" graduates wont be considered.

My advice which may be too late for you is that you should have decided the career or job you wanted for the rest of your life before you decided the college, location, potential fun and friends aspect that would only last 3-4 yrs. Join the rest of your arts buddies in the dimwit confusion of what to do once you have to get a job and stand on your own two feet without hiding behind mum and dads bank account, that wont last forever.

Ps whatever you do dont go away for the session year after college, those days are gone, you will not regret it, go on the holiday to beat all holidays when you are earning and successful, prob at a time when your friends are scrapping around because they would rather arse around beforehand.

1. yes, our economy is up the sh!tcreek and guess what, incoming slowdowns/recessions don't just effect Arts students. if Banks are f**ked some Commerce grads are f**ked, if Microsoft and Dell piss off some IT/tech grads are f**ked, if Pharm companies piss off some Science grads are f**Ked yada yada yada.... very few careers and people come out unscathed
2. Arts grads don't exclusively work in banks
3. not every Arts grad expects to be starting off in a high-flying job with the company car thrown in
4. some people who go abroad for a year actually do something useful like work and gain experience instead of drinking themselves into oblivion
5. not everyone who goes abroad for a year has their trip funded by mummy and daddy
6. not everyone has their desired career nailed down when they are 17/18 and why should they nail themselves down to a specific career when they are uncertain of what they want out of life
7. believe it or not, even through the worst economic storms we will still need Arts graduates
8. i'm too tired to read the rest of the 'mummy and daddy' 'dimwit confusion' condescending ignorant bullsh!t that is your entire post

OP, ignore polevault's post, it stinks of a troll

reality is, yes these will be tougher times for ALL graduates as the gravy train of cheap credit fueled insanity of our economy during the last 5 years is over, things will slow dramatically. despite the common stereotype of Arts grads all working in McDonalds, prospects have been very strong for Arts grads over the last number of years with a minority unemployed. yes there will be more Arts and other graduates struggling for employment than normal over the next few years but at the end of the day you live life once, do what you want to do not what some idiotic scaremonger on the internet says.

Pythia

lizzyvera wrote: »

http://www.prospects.ac.uk/cms/ShowPage/Home_page/What_do_graduates_do__2005/p!eaLbdff

old statistics from britain cos I couldn't find Irish ones but I can assume it's similar here. Only 5.5% of 2005 geography graduates were unemployed 6 months after graduation, making it one of the best arts degrees, in fact better than average science of 6.5%.

The problem with these surveys is that the definition of unemployed is 'not working', so they might be working in a shop or temping in an office and that's still included as working.
That's certainly how the UCD one works anyway.

You can go into the UCD Careers Office and find out what previous graduates of your course did. They do a survey on graduates every year which has a good response rate.

Riamfada

Also get involved in extra curricular stuff. For example i started to do a radio show for Belfield FM two years ago. Yesterday I was in RTE's tv control room and going for lunch with techies and producers and it dosnt matter what degree I have.

funktastic

You would only be able to teach Geography with the combination of Geography and Archaeology. Most schools/teaching council will want you to be qualified to teach two subjects. Not a huge demand for Geography teacher at the moment (I'm one myself). Plus you need a pretty high 2.1 to get into the HDip.

Urban Planning course (the one in Richview) would be better to try and get into - though I hear it's very competitive. You could also try and get into Law as many people do after Arts. civil service exams are a good bet - particularly after masters level- to get into management level - or same level in Banking.

Nowadays you'll need more than an MA to get anything decent lecturer wise. Also incredibly competitive to get a permanent lecturing contract anywhere even after doing your PhD.

'You dont need a qualification to teach religion or Civics though, throw in PE and your flying.' Nope- most schools- and teaching council- will want a qualification in these. Religion from Mater Dei, PE from Limerick and civics is taken if you have studied Politics or sociology at University.

Stabshauptmann

OP, if there is something you want to do, and you are willing to make the effort, I strongly believe you can do it regardless of your background.

Thats not to say that someone with a specialist degree isnt going be prefered by an employer in certain areas, but there is more than likely a post graduate course you could do to bring you up to scratch. I know a couple of arts students who are doing business masters that will put them on a par with someone with a Bcomm (more or less).

Business masters tend to be more expensive than arts ones, but it depends a lot on where you do them. Similarly, I presume you can do masters in other fields that might interest you.

Your second option would be to sell your self to the employer you want based on your skills and personality. Things like extra cirricular activity, traveling and people skills will stand to you. Even if your field of study has nothing to do with a particular job you might still have learnt relevent skills (IT, research, team working, time management). If you wanted to be an accountant or consultant most training is provided on the job.

Your third option, as I see it, would be the likes of:
civil service, gardaí, teaching etc
office work
service industry

And if you really enjoy your field of study, lecturing or someother academic position.

hope it all works out for the best.