Written by Dr. Suda Perera

At the risk of sounding old, going to university isn’t what it used to be. When I applied to university I, like many of my peers, wasn’t fully sure what I would do with my degree. Going to university in the early 2000s was still regarded as a sort of “rite of passage” – the chance to meet new people, broaden your horizons, learn to think critically and work independently and generally grow into an adult away from home. I knew that university would give me plenty of employable skills, which could translate into a career, but there was no real need to articulate exactly what those skills were or what precise steps my career would follow. I (and my parents) trusted that over the three years of my undergraduate degree I would work it out. That is exactly what happened, and in the summer after I graduated, I started a job at Unicef.

Nowadays this relaxed attitude towards life after university is much rarer. As the undergraduate admission tutor for International Development, the question I am asked most frequently by students and parents alike is “what kind of job will I/my child get with this degree?” It’s an understandable question in the current economic climate: Going to university has come to be seen as an investment, and people want assurances that this investment will pay out with gainful employment. It’s certainly true that many of our graduates go on to have incredible and inspiring careers, but many of those careers did not follow a linear trajectory. 

Indeed my own career did not take a straightforward path: I left a cosy UN job because I wanted more hands on field experience, and moved to a far less stable (but much more rewarding) career working as a conflict analyst in Africa and the Middle East. When I decided to start a family, I realised I needed a job that required more stability and less travel and so I transitioned into becoming a university lecturer. The skills I acquired through my degree gave me the confidence and ability to move between industries and find jobs that suited my values and my lifestyle – both of which have changed over the years.

At Global Studies our students go on to do a wide range of jobs. Lots go to work in what we might think of as the traditional “development industry” – working for the United Nations, international NGOs, governments, donor agencies, and charities. However, many others take on less obvious, but nonetheless extremely rewarding roles. Some work in the private sector helping companies with ethical investing, corporate social responsibility and sustainability. Others go into media and communications, increasing knowledge and awareness of important global challenges. Others even start their own enterprises and non-profits. Some travel across the world to build international careers, while others stay here in Brighton or return to help their own communities. Whatever they do, we have a vibrant alumni network who are out there making positive differences in the world in multiple innovative and exciting ways.

Our former students often return to speak to our current students about their careers, and it’s often quite interesting that, although they certainly value the technical tools and skills training that they receive on the course, it’s the softer skills that have allowed them to navigate change and forge their careers. Being able to think independently and critically; to communicate complex ideas simply; to evaluate the past and think creatively about the future; to work in diverse teams; and present information in different ways.

These are skills which are often undersold in degrees like the ones we offer here, but which are invaluable in their daily lives. More importantly they help us to find careers that really matter to us and don’t leave us burnt out and disillusioned. As one of our former students who now works for Freedom from Torture told me recently, her career is fulfilling because she knows what her values are and her work has meaning. Her career makes a positive difference to other people’s lives and that’s what matters to her.

Thinking in terms of non-linear career paths rather than specific jobs is particularly useful in the current climate when no industry feels particularly safe amid rapidly changing technology and volatile jobs markets. The rise of AI is worsening the job market for software engineers who were so highly-sought after just a few years ago, and even doctors and lawyers are finding their jobs are at risk from new technologies.

I would argue that we need critical and creative thinkers in this changing world now more than ever. AI might be able to write the code, but only humans can ask what that code is doing. Is it making the world a better place or causing further environmental degradation and a looming energy crisis? Are economic models of growth actually enriching our societies or just increasing inequality? And what can we do to make the world a fairer, more sustainable and more peaceful place?

While I understand the desire to ask “what kind of job will I get from my degree?” I think the more important question we should be asking is “how will my degree enable me to have a meaningful and fulfilling life and career?”

At Sussex, we want to help students graduate ready for a rapidly changing world of work and confident to be agents of positive change, however they decide they want to apply that. If you are a prospective student, a parent or a teacher looking to offer careers advice, our first event will be an online Webinar on Global Careers in Sustainable Development and Social Justice on Tuesday 14^th January 5pm-6pm GMT. To sign up for this event click here