Unlocking a different way of thinking with a Masters

As I delivered an inspiring speech in the lecture room with quotes on leadership and future success from Barack Obama and an emotional and tear-jerking rendition of Dr Seuss's "Oh, The Places You'll Go!", I couldn't help reflecting on how far these proud, confident and professional postgraduates had come already in a relatively short time. What a different sight these very same students had presented just a year before, in the very same room, on day one of the MSc, with their backpacks and notebooks and apprehensive smiles and nods of "Hello" to each other. I realised that this group of postgraduates had been through a demanding journey that had not only taught them about the subject but had fundamentally changed their way of thinking. These postgraduates are entering a tough job market but I was proud to know they were fully prepared with an MSc that gave them so much more than a certificate.

Learning to think differently and asking..."So what?"
The ability to think strategically sets these postgrads apart from their undergraduate peers. Its no longer being able to absorb and faithfully repeat knowledge that is rewarded. On the contrary that approach that might have generated a distinction would hardly raise a pass in the postgraduate world. The bar is lifted and now the emphasis is on critical thinking, comparative and strategic thinking and impact. The ability to assimilate, discern, challenge, evaluate and communicate information is key to postgrad-level career success in the fast-paced field of sustainability and energy development. Subject knowledge, whilst important, can get outdated quickly. It seems that the ability to research and maintain up-to-date knowledge is more important than simply learning facts. Its also about being able to work out the "So what?". For example, it's all well and good being able to draw up a business proposal and planning document for a new waste-to-energy anaerobic digestion facility for the large hospital you work for but it will never see its way to being a real project if it doesn't include a dash of "So what?". What will be the benefit for the organisation in terms of economic return, sustainable development, enhanced reputation and improved efficiency, over what timescales and involving which stakeholders? What are the risks and how can these be mitigated?

An MSc course is a journey

Routes into leadership and driving innovation
According to the UK Commission for Employment and Skills 14.1% of all UK jobs will require a postgraduate qualification by 2022. That's around one in every seven! However, over the last four years postgraduate taught student numbers in the UK have fallen by 17%. No wonder the UK government are investing in the postgraduate population to ensure that this valuable pipeline of resource and skills is there for business and industry. These strategic skills are vital in energy development, sustainability and meeting many of the key global challenges we face as a planet.

For more information about our MSc click here

Getting ahead in your career in Sustainability: is an MSc necessary?

"What jobs do MSc graduates go on to?". The voice on the other end of the phone can be male, female, young or older but always the same question. It's a fair question. If I was applying for a masters and paying fees it would be my top question too. It is true that a masters degree does enhance employability but the reasons are complex. It is documented that employers want postgraduates with specific skills and knowledge. Employers particularly want graduates with work experience and relevant practical skills. Tricky to deliver in an interdisciplinary course like ours. There is a balance between delivering a consistent, high quality learning experience and giving a tailored experience, giving them relevant employability skills and allowing our masters students to align their experience to their career destination. Not easy but definitely do-able. We are proud of our distinctive graduates who stand out from the crowd.

It's not easy standing out from the crowd

From my experience the magic key to unlocking employment potential  has been a three-way process between our masters students, our teaching staff and employers during the course. This makes sure that employers are at the heart of our teaching and telling us what they want and how they want it. Masters students have the opportunity to develop a relationship with employers and to develop relevant dissertation projects and gain that all important CV fodder, experience. The driver of this process is the staff member who works behind the scenes, oiling the cogs and managing expectations on both sides of this relationship. 

We are fortunate to have great support at Keele University to foster these links and to grow these relationships. This year there are two different internship programmes that will enable our graduates to flex their knowledge and get their teeth into some real work experience. We know this works. I had so many messages this Christmas and New Year from ex-students who have gone on to be academics or professionals in environmental organisations, local authorities, the NHS, businesses and charities. You can see what some of our graduates have done by clicking  here.