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Why work in Higher Education?

Teacher in class explaining something to a group of students

Are you interested in finding a new role in higher education?

Would you like to know more about the benefits of working in the sector? Higher education (HE) offers a wide palette of different roles. Whether you are looking to work in marketing, catering, estates, administration, finance, teaching or research, there is a range of opportunities for you.

Many people would agree that working in higher education is one of the most exciting sectors to be part of. How would we cope without doctors, scientists and engineers who all receive their education at universities? How would the world look like without world changing scientific research which improves the quality of our lives day by day?

Universities offer unparalleled opportunities to transform people’s life, and to be able to positively influence society.  You can create a meaningful contribution and support the development of the next generation. Your work will help others to expand their horizon, to see with different eyes, and to create exciting innovations for a better world.

Diversity of jobs

As a university lecturer, there is a range of full-time, part-time and contractual jobs you could choose from. Alternatively, if would like to develop a portfolio career, you will find a wealth of sessional roles. If you are interested in developing a career in academic administration, there are positions within each university to do so. Those inspired by research and being part of an academic community can find roles from junior to senior levels. Your job could also include overseas travel. Those who work in student recruitment may be asked to travel overseas and represent the university at international recruitment events. As a researcher, you could be invited to attend conferences and to form collaborations with overseas scholars.

Transferrable skills

Most universities have similar processes and systems. You could get a job working in estates and then transition to a different university to get a promotion. Those who work in academic support roles may be able to easily move into another role, working for a different educational organisation. If you have never worked in HE before, your new employer might strongly appreciate your experience in a different industry. As an example, if you have worked in Finance before (outside of a university setting), your HE employer could find your industry experience most helpful. You could bring fresh perspectives of looking at processes and make some suggestions for change.

Varied responsibilities

Many people working in HE would agree that their everyday tasks are varied. Being able to collaborate with others and complete research is what draws many people to the world of academia. You could be invited to present papers at national and overseas conferences and engage with researchers in your field. Seeing your own work published could be one of the most rewarding parts of the job. You could deliver classroom and online lectures to young adults and inspire them to follow an academic career. Working in academic administration, you could mentor and coach less experienced staff members and foster their professional development.

Wellbeing

Universities take the well-being of their staff seriously. More and more campuses offer a range of fitness classes, hobby clubs, women’s development programmes, counselling, medical and childcare.  You might be surprised to discover that universities offer concerts, libraries, and theoretical and cinema performances for free or at subsidised fees.  Education Support is a charitable organisation which offers emotional support to those working in the education sector. Please see here for more information.

Flexibility

Responding to the fast-growing trend of flexible working, more and more organisations offer flexible working hours including remote working.  Jobs.ac.uk lists hundreds of full-time, part-time, seasonal, term-time only and freelance positions. For more information, please search for jobs.

Most universities provide generous maternity and paternity leave, as well as outstanding holiday packages (in the region of 40 days a year). Universities promote inclusivity in terms of age, gender and culture, and these are strongly embedded in their recruitment and working processes.

You could enjoy flexible working arrangements and deliver your work from home as well as from the campus. Being passionate about your subject field and making a positive difference in the lives of others could help you to navigate through difficult times.

Learning:

Universities recognise that developing their employees is paramount to growing their organisation. The list of learning and development opportunities are endless from face-to-face and online courses, coaching, mentoring, and job shadowing to networking, conferences, and volunteering.  New opportunities are constantly open to respond to emerging trends. Fantastic new jobs are created almost daily to respond to the fast-growing trend of online learning. If you are a quick learner and keen to broaden your skills, you will be able to take on refreshingly new projects and be involved in an emerging trend.

How do I get started?

Take inventory of your skills

You can find links below to specific job openings at the jobs.ac.uk website. Then, make a detailed list of your strengths and improvement areas. Note down any improvement areas or gaps and devise an action plan how to develop them.

Academic Administration

Marketing

Finance

Lecturer

Research

What would be a good fit for you?

Take some time to reflect on what areas you might be most interest in. Are you passionate about teaching? Would you like to make a genuine difference in the world of research? Would you like to develop a career in academic administration? What positive difference do you want to make through your profession?

Ask for guidance

If you have never worked in HE before, you might find it helpful to have a conversation with somebody who currently works in the sector, and learn about their working life. You could ask them questions about how they got their job, what challenges they had to overcome, and what they appreciate most about their profession. People are generally happy to offer advice and help those who would like to change their careers.

What are Professional Services in Higher Education?

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Henrietta Nagy

Henrietta Nagy is a seasoned portfolio worker with over 10 years’ experience in the UK education sector. Henrietta writes educational content, designs academic courses, delivers university lectures, mentors entrepreneurs, and provides career development coaching. One of Henrietta's recent organisational clients is the Oxford University where she has facilitated over 100 hours of learning events. With 9 years of higher education studies internationally (including an MBA), she has worked with CEOs, academics, scholars, managers, women entrepreneurs, academic administrators and other consultants.

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