Alternative Careers in Psychology

1
Alternative Careers in Psychology

• Kate Williams
• Kw72_at_kent.ac.uk
• www.kentpsychology.co.uk

2
What else can I do with my degree?

• There are many routes you can take using your
  degree, but what else could you do?
• About 10-20 of Psychology graduates enter a
  professional route in Psychology.
• So where do other students go?

3
What else can I do with my degree?

• Mental Health Nurse Occupational Therapy
• HR Careers Advisor
• Teacher Speech Therapy
• Learning Support Assistant
• Care work Youth work
• Social work Childcare
• Police Health Care Assistant
• Psychotherapy
• Counselling

4
What else can I do with my degree?

• There are clearly lots of alternative routes you
  can take.
• In this talk, we will focus on a couple of these
  popular areas.
• Mental Health Nurse, HR, Occupational Therapy,
  and Teaching.

5
Mental Health Nursing

• Mental health nurses work with children, adults
  and older people suffering from various types of
  mental health problems
• One of the most complex areas of nursing
• Rewarding
• 1 in 4 will develop Mental Health problems

6
What does the job involve?

• Conditions such as Psychosis, psychological and
  personality disorders.
• Form therapeutic relationships with clients, and
  their families.
• NHS wards, Outpatients, Day hospitals, or Private
  Hospitals
• Work with Doctors, Psychologists, Social Workers,
  Psychiatrists, Occupational Therapists, Arts
  therapists, and HealthCare Assistants.

7
What does the job involve?

• You could be required to
• Provide Counselling and support
• Use alternative therapies
• Medication
• Physical Care
• Admin work

8
How do I become a Mental Health Nurse?

• Need a Nursing and Midwifery council (NMC)
  approved degree
• OR, the Diploma of Higher Education in Nursing
  (Mental Health branch)
• Evidence of good numeracy and literacy skills
• Be over 17.5 years of age
• Have a CRB check

9
Pros and Cons

• Pros Cons
• - Rewarding - Long hours
• - Meet different people - Responsibility
• - Job locations - Violence
• - Learn about different - Stress
• medications - Salary
• - Help people - Excessive
• - See a difference paperwork
• - Varied work day

10
HR Human Resources

• What does the job involve?
• An HR officer devises, advises on and implements
  policies related to the workplace.
• Areas of work could include recruitment, pay,
  conditions of employment, and promoting
  diversity.
• Why is Psychology useful then?

11
What would you do on a typical day?

• Assisting Line Managers understand policies
• Promote equality and diversity
• Recruiting staff
• Developing new company policies
• Advise about pay issues
• Payroll
• Grievance procedures, and disciplinary
  procedures.
• Planning training for staff

12
Entry Requirements

• A Psychology degree greatly improves your chances
  of gaining a job in HR (www.prospects.ac.uk)
• HR Graduate Training Schemes
• Admin roles
• Once employed, CIPD training

13
Pros and Cons

• Pros Cons
• Salary - Long hours
• Opportunities - Demands from
• to travel management
• Could work - Main jobs in cities/towns
• at home
• Work with people
• Variety of the job

14
Occupational Therapy

• Help people overcome difficulties
• Work one-to-one
• Develop therapeutic programmes
• Keep details of daily client progress
• Consider more effective treatments
• Liaise with families
• Opportunities for specialising in mental health,
  paediatrics, brain injury, and stroke
  rehabilitation.

15
How can I become one?

• Degree/Post grad course in Occupational Therapy
  approved by the HPC.
• Need relevant experience first
• Science A-Level

16
Pros and Cons

• Pros Cons
• Rewarding -Salary isnt great, about
• Creative, every 23 000
• day is different - Competitive
• Part-time and - Stressful
• Career break - Frustrating
• opportunities.
• Travel opportunity

17
Teaching

• Planning and delivering lessons to either primary
  or secondary pupils.
• Marking
• Liaison with parents, staff, and of course
  pupils!
• Managing pupil behaviour
• Preparing students for exams and assessments

18
How can I do it?

• With a Psych degree secondary teaching
• GTP
• QTS
• Need classroom experience, familiarity with the
  subject, and enthusiasm
• Places are competitive

19
Pros and Cons

• Pros Cons
• - Flexibility, can - Stress from pupils, and
• teach how you like demand from government
• as long as it follows - Physical disadvantages
• the curriculum. Carrying books can be heavy
• - Holidays up to - Salary
• 13 weeks a year - Inner city schools
• - Part time work and
• career opportunities are
• available.
• - Overseas travel with
• Exchange students

20
So

• There are many job opportunities as a result of a
  Psych degree
• Research your options, and go for one you really
  like the look of, and that you will enjoy.
• If youre still unsure, there are alternative
  Masters courses available such as Music Therapy,
  or Linguistics if you want extra qualifications.
• Good luck!!!