Geography students graduate with an ideal mixture of skills which are applicable to many fields and sectors, giving them the option to pursue a variety of careers.
What can a Geography Graduate do?
Geography graduates may have studied Human Geography, Physical Geography, Environmental Geography or similar. All of these disciplines will have taught graduates how to understand the world around them. They are trained in analysing figures and performing statistical analysis, and have learned how to produce effective reports, deliver engaging presentations and perform complicated analysis of survey results to develop insightful conclusions. These skills can lead to work in a number of fields.
Many Geography graduates choose to work in the Environmental or Energy and Utilities sectors, as their training and knowledge place them in a good position to work with environmental agencies or companies in construction and utilities. Business related sectors such as Consultancy, Finance, Management and Retail are also good choices for Geography graduates as their grounding in data, research, teamwork and human behaviour are applicable to much of the work in these fields. Being able to source, manipulate and model data in presentable and interpretable forms also allows Geography graduates to transition easily into fields such as Research and Analysis or Science and Technology.
Source HECSU - What do graduates do? 2013.
Taking Stock of Skills
Geography graduates will have learned a wealth of skills during their time at university which are applicable to work in many sectors.
Analysis - Geography graduates are highly skilled at looking at figures, survey results or large studies and analysing them to produce appropriate and insightful feedback. This ability is useful in any field.
Communication - Geography graduates will be familiar with writing reports, delivering presentations and organising group work, key skills for businesses and organisations who want to employ effective and confident communicators.
Data and research - Geography graduates are skilled at sourcing and understanding large amounts of data. They know how to model and present findings, which is useful in fields ranging from Finance and Consultancy, to Retail and Management.
Human behaviour - Depending on their specific degree, Geography students may have refined their understanding of human behaviour and how it impacts the development of housing and commercial districts, as well as the needs of different areas.
Maths skills - Graduates from Geography fields have a good grasp of mathematics and are comfortable managing and modelling statistics, figures and other types of data, a skill which applies to many fields and positions.
Specialist knowledge - Whether it is coastal erosion, town planning or international development, Geography graduates know how to apply their specialised knowledge to real-life situations. This understanding of how both Human and Environmental factors effect the world is important to businesses in many different fields.
Team work - Many Geography courses and modules require students to work on projects as a team. Knowing how to work collaboratively and independently, and how to delegate tasks, are all key skills for professional life.
