Working in a Small Area and Wanting to Continue Study: Alex's Story

 

Alex completed a degree in Politics and International Relations in 2017 at the University of Kent, England. A native of the Jersey Channel Islands, Alex ran into a few difficulties returning home after his degree. Firstly, being a sovereign territory, there were no political parties and no political research was carried out. Secondly, there were very few job offers, as Alex explained to me:

“It (Jersey Channel Islands) has a large finance industry and a large agricultural industry but very few other job prospects,” he said.

 Due to this, Alex entered the finance industry, motivated by a higher initial salary. “As I did not intend to stay there long, it made more sense.”

Despite only intending to stay a short while, and the large finance industry, Alex still found entering the workforce difficult:

“The companies I was interviewing for mostly wanted school leavers they could train up or people who had already completed finance exams,” Alex told me. He later added, “They said (being a school leaver) was why another candidate was chosen over me during the final stages of the interview, in more than one instance.”

This was only a temporary setback, however, as after three and a half months and some interviews, Alex had a job in the industry, but he didn’t stay long, as he has other ambitions and no regrets about not using his degree in the workforce.

“The sole purpose (of the degree) was to afford to re-enter education, to complete my masters… I used my income from (the finance industry job) to pay for my current masters degree, and I intend to move to Canada to complete my Ph.D,” Alex explained of his situation.

Having been in the position of not entering the field of his degree, he has advice for you:

“General advice is tough because it’s largely dependent on context. If your field is science based, you will be unlikely to find employment in your field directly from an undergraduate degree,” Alex said, talking from “anecdotal evidence.”

The most important thing for all people, according to Alex, is research and experience.

“(Do) a lot of research, especially if you’re willing to move to another region or country. Also, don’t wait until you have finished your degree to start looking. Interview practice is important, so get as many as possible, even if you’re not interested in the job.”

 Despite Alex himself admitting it will be a while before he’s in the workforce again, he has had a lot of experience with employment and  interviews. While he faced difficulties in his small region of the Jersey Channel Islands, he has come out with finances for his future ambitions and a lot of skills and opportunities. If you are unsure of whether you want to enter the work field relating to your degree, scheduling interviews, applying for jobs and obtaining work experience are incredibly important.

Few Job Opportunities and the Pathway to Employment: Rowena's Story

 

After graduating from the University of Tasmania with a Bachelor of Arts in 2003, Rowena was unsure of what to do next.

There were no jobs available in the field of her degree. Despite initially wanting to be a university lecturer, once she got through her degree, she “felt it was going to be too hard and… needed to get another job,” as she recounts.

Rowena found there was little help available, aside from one of her university lecturers.

“I had a lecturer who was like a mentor and referee, who tried to find a research assistant job,” she said. However, Rowena was unable to get one, and was unaware of any support from the university she could turn to. If she had been, she believes it could have helped in a different way.

“It wouldn’t have helped me get a job, but it would have helped me through my mental health and made me feel like my degree wasn’t useless,” Rowena explained.

Mental health issues were a struggle for Rowena after she graduated, unable to find a job and facing low income, as she explained to me:

“I was applying for jobs I was overqualified for and couldn’t get them because I had a degree. After six months, I was on Centrelink (Australian welfare payments) and very low income, became depressed and was back on medication.”

Rowena also believes the small size and regionality of Tasmania may have played a part in her struggles to find employment within her university degree.

“I would have loved a job with my Bachelor of Arts,” she explained, “but I wasn’t willing to move interstate. There was absolutely nothing unless I wanted to go back and study, which was too challenging.”

Rowena’s journey into the workforce was long, with many bumps in the road. After being unable to get a job, she went back to UTAS in 2004 to do a Bachelor of Teaching, after hearing you could get a year off the degree with a Bachelor of Arts. However, this lasted only one semester before she dropped out, not liking it and feeling unsupported.

So, Rowena was back where she started, returning to looking for a job, before getting her break in 2005 in the form of TAFE. She studied Children’s Services to become a childcarer, which she has now done for fourteen years.

Rowena was full of praise for TAFE, saying, she “enjoyed everything about the 18-month course” and detailed many benefits compared to university:

“It was user friendly and taught things relevant to the workforce, such as how to write job applications and answer the selection criteria. We also did mock interviews and had practical (prac) placements. The job was exactly like I thought it was going to be from the course.”

TAFE also helped Rowena significantly as her prac placements “led to employment in every workplace I did a prac for.” While she “would tell anyone to stick with TAFE,” Rowena concedes that some jobs do require the degree and this option isn’t for everyone.

Her confidence before starting TAFE, however, was low, but rose considerably afterwards. Despite the bumps in the road, such as depression, low income, and “being on Centrelink for a long time”, she is now happy with where she is.

With fifteen years of child care experience behind her after coming out of university unsure of where to go, and with no opportunities, Rowena has this advice for people who are considering not using their degree in the workforce:

“Try not to be upset that you’ve done a degree that’s not helping because all knowledge is worth having. Have a look at TAFE or something that might lead to a career in the area where you’re living.  Go onto job network sites and look at the available jobs and what qualifications they’re seeking. Go to TAFE and find information, see if anything sparks your interests. Don’t regret what you’ve done, because regrets can make you depressed.”

 

As you can see from Rowena’s experience, while the road there may be difficult, and you may end up with low income or depressed, things will get better. You will find something that sparks your interest, so never give up.