If you like the idea of developing new food products, testing anti-ageing serums, teaching, setting up businesses or studying the effects of pollution on marine life, then a career in science and mathematics may appeal to you.
You need to be logical, analytical, good at solving problems and accurate in your approach to work.
The science and mathematics career area includes the wide range of careers in maths and the biological, chemical and physical sciences. It also includes materials science and food science and technology.
If you think you may also be interested in other areas of technology you may want to look at the career areas for Engineering, Computing and ICT and Health and Medicine (including Medical Technology).
To see the routes to getting into each of these sectors, take a look at our Career Pathway.
Science and mathematics play a part in a wide range of industries, so you could find yourself working for retail companies to local government or research and development firms.
In the academic year 2020/21, the percentage of science and maths graduates in full time employment after 15 months of graduating was: Biology 49% (48.2%); Chemistry 57% (54.8%); Physical and geographical sciences 56.6% (51.9%); Physics 50.0% (46.8%); and Mathematics 59.0% (56%). 1
IT was the top destination for physics graduates, with 28% of them entering this industry, with the top job being programmers and software development professionals. For biology and chemistry graduates it was science professionals at 22.5% and 36.7% respectively. The highest percentage of physical and geographical graduates worked in business, HR and finance, with the top job being environment professionals. 1
In terms of salary, in 2021 physics graduates earned the highest salary 15 months after graduation at £30,691, followed by chemistry graduates at £27,661. Biology graduates were earning an average of £25,975. 1
Scotland is home to the UK’s number one chemistry department in EaStCHEM, which is the joint chemistry research school of the Universities of Edinburgh and St Andrews. 2
The life sciences sector generated almost £7.4 billion in Scotland in 2020, with plans to grow to £8 billion by 2025. 3
If you are interested in science careers you might want to visit Destination STEM which has lots of resources to explore.
1 What do graduates do? Prospects in association with AGCAS (2023/24)
2 Sectors: Chemical Sciences, Scottish Development International website (July 2024)
3 Sectors: Life Sciences, Scottish Development International website (July 2024)
4 Sectors: Drug Discovery and Development, Scottish Development International website (July 2024)
5 Growth Sector Briefing - Life Sciences, 14,March 2024, Scottish Government
6 Health and Life Sciences Industries, Scottish Development International website (July 2024)
Courtesy of DYW Skills Academy
