Many Earth science graduates enter professions directly related to their degree. Popular roles include exploration and production, water supply, environmental engineering and geological surveying. However, many other graduates will go into other areas that are related and include environmental planning and consultancy, sustainability hydrogeology, surveying and pollution control.
You could also apply the broader skills developed during your degree to many other opportunities: it is estimated that although graduate employers often specify a minimum degree classification as part of their shortlisting, approximately 70% of graduate employers do not specify that you must have studied a particular subject to work for them. However, graduate employers do highly prize skills such as strategic planning, resilience under pressure, creative problem-solving and commercial awareness which are some of the key skills you can develop during your course. Therefore, you could use your degree to access work in a multitude of sectors or industries.
It is also worth noting that over one third of geology graduates go onto postgraduate study.
Researching your career options
With such a wide range of careers open to you as an Earth science graduate, it is important to make sure you explore and research your options thoroughly so that you can make informed decisions about your future.
Take a look at the
Prospects,
TargetJobs and the Geologist Association websites for inspiration:
Employment opportunities
Below is a snapshot of what some of University of Plymouth Earth science graduates told us they were doing 15 months after graduation. For some graduates, these jobs serve as ‘stepping stones’ to professional posts by providing relevant workplace experience.
- Analyst
- Assistant Geologist
- Assistant Geotechnical Engineer
- Assistant Manager
- Auditor
- Cancer MDT Coordinator
- Commercial Analyst
- Composites Technician
- Contracts Support Officer
- Data Analyst
- Digital Date Officer
- Engineering Design Technician
- Engineering Geologist
- Environmental Consultant
- Environmental Engineer
- Environmental Outreach Worker
- Environmental Technician
- Exploration Geologist
- Fit And Stead Programmes Coach
- Flight Operations Assistant
- Flood Risk Analyst
- Geo Environmental Engineer
- Geo-Environmental Consultant
- Geo-Environmental Consultant Graduate
- Geological Samples Radiography Technician
- Geophysicist
- Geotechnical Engineer
- Geotechnical Laboratory Technician
- Geotechnical Project Manager
- GIS Technician
- Graduate Engineer
- Graduate Geo Environmental Engineer
- Graduate Geo-Environmental Consultant
- Graduate Geo-Environmental Engineer
- Graduate Geologist
- Graduate Geotechnical Engineer
- Graduate GIS Consultant
- Graduate Junior Technical Engineer
- Graduate Water Scientist
- Industrial Placement Geo-Technical Engineer And Asset Management
- Intern
- Junior Broker
- Junior Geologist
- Laboratory Technician
- Learning Mentor
- Marine Geologist
- Mining Geologist
- Monitoring Engineer
- Photography Portfolio
- Project Management Graduate
- Quality Control Technician
- Risk Analyst
- Software Developer
- Supply Teacher
- Survey Technician
- Teacher
- Technician (Electron Microscopy- Geosciences)
- Trainee Engineering Geologist
- Wireline Engineer
Employers
- AECOM
- Applied Geology Ltd
- ASL
- Atkins
- Babcock International
- BCP Council
- Bridgeway Consulting Ltd
- British Lithium
- Buccombe Breweries
- CAN Geotechnical
- CMS Geotech
- Cormac
- Cornish Lime Company
- Cornwall Resources Limited
- E3P
- Earth Environmental & Geotechnical Ltd (Southern)
- Earth, Environmental And Geotechnical
- Enverus
- Fairhurst
- Fleetcor
- Fluorsid British Fluorspar Ltd
- Fortescue Metals Group
- Freight Investor Services
- Fugro
- Fugro Geoservices Ltd
- Geotechnical Engineering Ltd
- Geotechnical Ltd
- Geotenerife
- Green Earth Management
- Ground And Water Limited
- Ground Tech Consulting
- Imerys Ceramics
- James Dylan Kid Geo Tech
- JBA Consulting (Jeremy Benn Associates Ltd.)
- JP Chick And Partners
- JPP Geo, Technological And Environmental
- Land And Minerals Consulting Ltd
- Lepus Consulting Ltd
- Local Council
- M And J Drilling Services Ltd
- Map Group UK
- Meggitt
- National Oceanography Centre
- Network Rail
- NHS
- Nicholls Colton
- OHES Environmental Ltd
- Omnia Environmental Consulting
- Pell Frischmann
- Plymouth Argar Community Trust
- Quantum Geotechnical Ltd
- Royal Air Force
- RSK
- Sanctus Ltd
- Socotec
- Soil Technics Limited
- Specialist Piling Solutions
- St Cuthbert Mayne School
- Structural Soils
- Tara Mines New Boliden
- Terra Firma (South)
- UK Hydrographic Office
- University Of Plymouth
- Viroidor
- Vision For Education
- Warner Surveys
- Wessex Water
- Westwood Global Energy Group
- Zetica Ltd
*Data is from the Graduate Outcomes Surveys of 2017/18 and 2018/19. Graduates were surveyed 15 months after graduating. Data displayed is for 68 UK-domiciled, first degree, full-time graduates who are working, studying or looking for work.