Careers in science are varied, and so our latest Spotlight On focuses on the diversity of options for Science graduates. Varsity recently visited the Materials Science department careers fair in order to speak with a number of different employers.

Rolls-Royce are one of the more ‘traditional’ employers for Engineering and Science grads due to their large scale and wide range of departments to make a career in. I spoke to Ajay Mande and Justin Burrows from the company, who were keen to stress the close links between Rolls-Royce and an academic career. Burrows, the University Research Project Manager for Rolls-Royce, emphasised the company's links to Cambridge in particular, with around 20 PhD students currently working at the joint University/Rolls technology centre. Of these, around 20 per cent typically go on to work for the company directly, with the remainder favouring a career in academia.

TWI is another company keen to underline the importance of links between industry and academics. PR Manager Catherine Condie told me that the company often hosts PhD students at its National Structural Integrity Research Centre near Cambridge. Both firms, however, employ graduates and PhD students, and tend to encourage their graduate employees to pursue doctoral studies where relevant.

In contrast, there were also some consulting firms at the event, further demonstrating the variety of options available to Science grads. Chartwell Consulting, an operations consultancy, suggested that their preferred applicants have studied Science or Engineering because of their approach to solving problems. Technology consultancy Innovia went even further, estimating that around two-thirds of their consultants are Science grads.

But it’s not necessarily all roses – technology company TTP cautions that graduate recruitment is becoming increasingly difficult. Companies have to spend time and energy finding out if graduates (particularly those from Oxbridge) are able to critically apply their knowledge (or whether they’re just really good at passing exams). Because of this, the company likes to hire graduates with two or three years of workplace experience.

This was a recurring theme in the conversations I had at the event – both fresh-faced graduates and grizzled PhDs are welcome, as are experienced hires at the majority of firms. What is arguably more important to consider, as always, is the type of company (small, large, niche, global) and the culture of the firm itself. As a Science grad, you have more options than you might think.

Thanks to Zoe Barber, Noel Rutter and Jess Gwynne at the Materials Science department for accommodating us