Education - general
The Education sector includes a wide range of roles for graduates from all degree disciplines, using teaching and communication skills to work with young people or adult learners outside of a classroom setting.
There are also a wide range of administrative and support roles, in all education sectors including Higher Education. If you are interested in teaching, please see the Education - teaching sector pages.
What you need to know
Working in the education sector offers a range of different roles, including classroom teaching, administration in schools, further and higher education, and a wide range of opportunities (eg outreach, learning officer) working with children and young people.
- Alternative careers in education on Target Jobs website
- The overview of Teaching and education on Prospects website, including Jobs in education and Working with children
- Education Alternatives 2021 (PDF , 604kb) from Agcas (Association of Graduate Careers Advisory Services)
Research the sector and keep up with current issues by reading:
- education newspapers and supplements, including the Times Educational Supplement (TES), Times Higher Education, and Education Guardian, will help you to keep up to date with changes and developments in the education sector
- Education job profiles on Prospects. See additional case studies for other jobs in education
- Children and Young People Now - news, articles and job vacancies
- Learning outside the classroom
- Gem (Group for Education in Museums)
- Field Studies Council
- Educational Psychology (BPS)
- National Youth Agency - careers in youth work
The skills needed will depend on the individual job role; specialist posts may require specific subject knowledge and training.
Outreach and learning officer roles are likely to require specific sector knowledge (eg heritage, environment, theatre) as well as the skills needed to plan a programme and engage an audience. Careers in educational psychology require specific accredited degrees and training.
Other careers in the education sector may require high level administrative and organisational skills; university roles include student recruitment, marketing, student support, HR, library and information services, events and facilities management, legal work and business development, so be prepared to research these individual functions and requirements to see whether this is right for you.
Valuable skills and qualities for this sector include:
- communication, listening and interpersonal skills
- empathy/sensitivity and patience
- planning/organisation
- project management
- motivational skills
- commitment to children/young people
- ability to work under pressure.
See What can I do at York? for suggestions about developing your skills.
Ideally work experience will give you some practical experience in the job you are interested in, give you a greater insight into work in the sector, and build on your skills and knowledge. If you don't manage to get work experience in your chosen area of work, any work experience will give you the opportunity to develop the transferable skills that are important to employers. Consider volunteering too, as a great way to get experience and to demonstrate your commitment and values.
See Finding Jobs for jobs websites, and What can I do at York? for ways to get experience while you are at university.
Recruitment into this sector takes place year-round, as needs arise, although you may find more jobs advertised to start at the beginning of an academic year.
The following sites may be useful in looking for vacancies:
- National Children's Bureau works to improve the lives of children and young people
- Children and Young People Now - news, articles and job vacancies
- Local Government jobs
- Local government jobs in Scotland
- Local government jobs in Wales
- Public sector jobs in Northern Ireland
- UK councils and their websites
- The Guardian jobs pages
- Jobs Go Public - public sector jobs site
- Museums Association careers pages (register for free to browse jobs)
- Countryside Jobs Service
- Education related jobs from Third Sector jobs and Charity Job
- Higher Education jobs
- Times Higher Education - news about HE and THEunijobs
- Further Education jobs
- CASE (Council for Advancement and Support of Education) graduate trainee schemes in fundraising and philanthropy
The recruitment process
You are most likely to have to apply for a job electronically, by completing an online application form; a CV is not generally required, but you will need to complete a supporting statement, matching your skills and experience to the job requirements. Find out more about the recruitment process in the Finding, applying and interviewing section of our website. Any jobs working with children and young people are likely to require a DBS criminal records check.
- An internship with York Internships offers great experience through a summer (or occasionally term-time) project; some are based in University departments
- Look for internships or work experience; see other job sector pages for suggestions eg Psychology, Museums and Heritage
- Volunteer in your local community - projects in sustainability, or heritage, for example, can offer some great education-related experience
- Classroom-based experience with York Students in Schools is valuable for education/outreach careers and educational psychology, as well as for teaching
- York SU also run volunteering projects
- Do It - search for volunteering opportunities nationally
- Look at our skills pages for more about skills and how you can develop them, through work experience, internships and volunteering
- You might like to take a short online course (MOOC) to build on your existing skills and knowledge. These courses are free of charge, offered via an online platform by universities around the world. Examples of courses (which will be available at different times) include:
- Future Learn: Digital Wellbeing (UoY)
- Open Learn (free courses from the Open University): Introduction to child psychology, Childhood in the digital age, Children and young people's participation, Children's perspectives on play, Learning to teach - reflective practitioner, Learning how to learn, Social problems: who makes them? and others in the Education and Development section
- Listen to our What do you actually do? podcast with Laura Hallett, head of strategic change at York St John University, for an insight into support roles in higher education.
More resources: people to follow, podcasts, blogs
People to follow
- Education Assistant, York Archaeological Trust
- University Timetabling Manager
- Academic Liaison Librarian
- Lead Undergrad Advisor in USA for UK study
- Student Recruitment and Outreach Officer
- Philanthropy Officer
- University Admissions Officer
- Education and Engagement Programme Support Officer, UK Parliament
Find the full list of graduate profiles on York Profiles & Mentors.
You can also find and connect with York alumni working in this sector on LinkedIn.
- @gem_heritage - Group for Education in Museums
- @engagevisualart - Engage, advocacy and training network for gallery education
- @CLOtC - Council for Learning Outside the Classroom
- @cypnow - Children and Young People Now
- @natyouthagency - National Youth Agency
Podcasts and blogs
Listen to Educated-related episodes of our What do you actually do? podcast series:
- Case studies - University of York, working in Higher Education