Childhood studies : Career areas

Childhood studies has a natural link with work in the social care and education sectors and many graduates will opt to stay within these sectors after graduation. Examples of the types of jobs childhood studies students have entered include: child and family support managers, residential child care officers, classroom/education assistants, kid’s club coordinators, charity development/project officers, outreach support workers, further education tutors and nursery officers.

Other childhood studies graduates decide to apply for jobs for which any degree is acceptable, competing with graduates from other subjects for roles within, for example, administration and customer service roles.

Self-employment is also an option. Examples of this have been graduates who have opened their own private nursery.

Where are the jobs?

Childhood studies graduates enter employment in a variety of sectors and a range of employers, including local authorities, local and national charities, state and independent schools, nurseries and health authorities. In recent years, both the Connexions service, local Sure Start initiatives and The National Health Service (NHS) have employed graduates from childhood studies degrees. The majority of graduates go into either social care or education, so it is worth looking into the following sectors:

• Education - The education sector can be divided into: school education; further education (FE); and higher education (HE). Education also takes place in hospitals and prisons. Teaching is the main area of work, but not the only role in education. There are roles in administration, technical support and teaching support.
• Social care - The social care sector covers all the occupations whose aim is to help people overcome difficulties related to physical, mental, environmental or lifestyle problems at any stage in their lives.
• Charity and development work - The definitions of the voluntary sector are often rather ambiguous. Terms such as the 'charity sector', the 'not-for-profit sector' and the 'third sector' are often used. At its broadest, the sector includes organisations registered with The Charity Commission for England and Wales, as well as housing associations, universities, colleges, schools, places of worship, NHS trusts, trade unions, and small voluntary groups.

See industry insights for further information on possibilities in other employment areas.

Statistics are collected every year to show what HE students do immediately after graduation. These can be a useful guide but, in reality, because the data is collected within six months of graduation, many graduates are travelling, waiting to start a course, paying off debts, getting work experience or still deciding what they want to do. For further information about some of the areas of employment commonly entered by graduates of any degree discipline, check out What Do Graduates Do?  and your degree...what next?