Maths Career Guide

Gaining experience

Maths

A maths degree opens up a wide range of career options and opportunities, gaining work experience will depend on the direction you want to choose. You may want to increase your commercial awareness, build experience in analysis and statistics or gain classroom experience if you are considering teaching.

Overall, the key to success when looking to gain experience is to prepare thoroughly, carry out research and to organise your placement, internship or volunteering opportunity in good time.

 

Types of opportunities

Below are some examples of the different types of opportunities to gain experience while you study.

Placements are a great way to gain substantial experience, help you to build contacts and gain an understanding of an organisation. 

On some degrees, work placements are part of the programme, whilst on others you can choose to complete a placement as one of your modules. 

To learn more about completing a placement, you can contact the Placements team in the Careers and Employability Service. 

Learn more about completing a placement year

Internships are usually for a fixed period and give you more hands-on experience. Many employers will treat interns in the same way as full-time employees, so when future job roles ask for 'at least one year's experience' you can include an internship in this type of experience.

Find out more about internships

Enhance your prospects with hands-on experience through volunteering. Whether you're uncertain about your career path or aiming for professional success, volunteering offers a chance to explore diverse roles. 

You can also get involved in relevant university projects through the different groups and societies via the Student Union. This is a good way of demonstrating your motivation and interest in this area of work.

The Careers & Employability Volunteering Bank provides local opportunities to undertake alongside your studies, listing roles such as:

  • STEM Ambassador with STEM Learning

  • Code Club Volunteer with Code Club

Learn more about our Volunteering Team

 

Where to find work experience opportunities

There are plenty of ways to find work experience in accounting, finance and economics. Some key online platforms include:

 

Teaching

If you are looking to get into teaching specifically, then the following sites provide more information:

  • The Undergraduate Ambassador Scheme run by the Department of Mathematics enables final year students to undertake a ten week placement in a local school. Students benefit from work experience in an educational environment, as well as the opportunity to work directly with mathematics teachers across key stages and higher level qualifications.
  • Get into Teaching provides tailored advice from teaching experts covering everything from arranging school experience to preparing a strong application.

 

Speculative applications

Speculative applications involve sending a CV and cover letter to an employer to ask if they have any vacancies, even if the company is not currently advertising for a role. They're a great way to access "hidden jobs" that go unadvertised.

Submitting a speculative application shows your interest in a specific company and your willingness to go above and beyond to develop your skills and understanding of the industry. 

Learn how to send a speculative application

 

 

Explore the Maths Career Guide

Maths

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