Graduates visit campus to talk about life after uni

Recent graduates have been returning to Northampton to talk to current students about life after university.

We have recently welcomed back Amie, Katie and George, all of whom graduated this summer.

Amie has recently started a PGCE course and is training to be a secondary school Geography teacher.  She talked to current students who are thinking about a career in teaching about her experiences, answering their questions about what teacher training is actually like.

Amie and current students

Katie and George visited a third year class to talk about their contrasting experiences.  Katie is working for Jems Recruitment.  She explained about how the skills developed during her Physical Geography degree are appropriate to the role, and the benefits of working for a small organisation.

George is on the Stagecoach Bus Graduate Leadership Programme.  He spoke about what this graduate scheme involves, and the benefits of working for a large organisation.  George also explained about the recruitment processes used for many graduate schemes.

Katie and George

Alumni visits are an important way for our current students to find out about the career options for geographers, as well as learn about graduate recruitment processes.

Northampton graduate returns to campus to talk about her work on health and development

Sonia Coates is a graduate of the University of Northampton and now works as a consultant for IOD PARC, a development consultancy based in Sheffield. Sonia recently returned to class to talk about her experiences as a development consultant.

Sonia Coates

Sonia is currently a team member working to provide technical assistance and Institutional support to UNICEF India for their reducing Open Defecation programme, and has recently completed a piece of participatory research looking at the impacts of WASH on education for girls in Zimbabwe for Plan International. She has experience of managing multi-country projects across sub-Saharan Africa and has also worked in S E Asia. She has a Masters in Public Health and International Development.

The session was illustrated with material from Sonia's work in Malaysia, Nepal, India and several sub-Saharan countries. She discussed various issues, including Water and Sanitation, child health, infectious and neglected tropical diseases.

Sonia answered students' questions on careers in development - and provided some top tips for those interested in working in this sector.

Sonia's top tips for developing a career in International Development

Geography graduate returns to class #2

Sian Williams studied Human Geography & Health Studies at the University of Northampton, graduating in 2014.  She recently returned to campus to talk to final year students about life after graduation.

Sian is currently on a graduate programme with Baxi.  She told the students how she had found out about the role, what the application process involved, and what her role involves on a day-to-day basis.

Sian Williams

A number of alumni are attending classes this term as part of the Geographers at Work module.  The module aims to boost students' employability through supporting their career planning.