Working in Kent

 

Welcome to the Opportunities in Kent pages, for graduates seeking to remain in, or relocate to, Kent for their first graduate position.

These pages include KentGrads – an online directory of potential recruiters of graduates in Kent developed by the Careers and Employability Service at the University of Kent. Please note that this list does not provide current vacancy information but aims to give a general overview of employers in the county who may recruit graduates on occasion.

The database focuses on graduate opportunities, although employers were also asked if they offer vacation work. For information on part-time or casual work, see the Work Experience section of this website. University of Kent students can find information about these types of work through the Kent Union Job Shop www.kentunion.co.uk/jobs

Work in Kent

THE JOB MARKET IN KENT

Kent has a working population of approximately 780,000 with an unemployment rate, in March 2011, of 3.1% (slightly below the national average. However, levels of unemployment vary across the county, ranging from 1.7% in Tunbridge Wells to 5.5% in Thanet. For the latest figures, see http://bit.ly/geFIos

Service industries account for half of all employment in the county. Local government, health services, education, financial services and retail are all important employment areas. Kent’s geographical position as the gateway to the UK from mainland Europe is reflected in a significant number of openings in transport, distribution and travel/tourism services.

Within the manufacturing sector engineering industries are a major potential source of graduate employment.  Biotechnology and pharmaceuticals are also significant, but the forthcoming closure of the Pfizer plant at Sandwich will have a major impact on recruitment into these areas. Major regeneration and development projects such as the Thames Gateway have created a range of opportunities in the construction sector. A number of food processing manufacturers handle agricultural produce grown in Kent itself or imported from continental Europe and beyond. A historically important industry in Kent has been paper manufacture and a number of companies still continue this traditional business in modern plants.

The public sector employs many people in Kent – 24% of the working population of the Medway towns, for example, and 20% in Canterbury, are employed in this sector - and the county is therefore likely to be heavily affected by public sector job cuts in the next few years. Kent County Council has produced a report on the impact of these cuts at http://bit.ly/dLj789

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRADUATES IN KENT

In 2008/09, 65.8%, of all the graduates going into employment in Kent found full-time employment, while 16.6% were working part-time and 6.3% were working while engaged in further study

Activity of graduates employed in Kent - 2006/07 to 2008/09

                                          2006/07

2007/08

2008/09

No.

%

No.

%

No.

%

Full-time paid work only (inc. self-emp.)

2,685

72.0

2,860

70.8

2,800

65.8

Part-time paid work only

465

12.5

535

13.2

705

16.6

Voluntary/unpaid work only

30

0.8

45

1.1

55

1.3

Work and further study

550

14.7

605

15.0

695

16.3

Total

3,730

100.0

4,040

100.0

4,255

100.0

Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency http://bit.ly/hZexPR

 

Of the 2005 University of Kent graduates based in the UK who included the location of their employment in their DLHE questionnaire, 455 were working in Kent (55% of the total). Below is an overview of their employers and areas of work:

 

A quick analysis of the 2005 graduates based in the UK who included the location of their employment in their DLHE questionnaire reveals the following:

For a full overview of graduate destinations, see www.kent.ac.uk/careers/fdrbases/destinations.htm

Salaries

Graduates in the regions should expect a starting salary of between £15,000 and £18,000 according to new research from the UK’s leading graduate recruiters. The Graduate Employer Survey 2011 carried out by the Graduate Network has revealed that over 80% of employers in the regions pitch starting salaries for university leavers at this level, compared with a UK average of £25,000 which includes London.

The survey found that nearly two thirds of the regional employers polled have recruited a graduate over the last 12 months, with over 60% of graduates being offered permanent positions and 20% paid internships. A slightly smaller number are expecting to recruit a graduate over the next 12 months in permanent roles and both paid and unpaid internships.

Interestingly, a tiny percentage, (just 1.5% of those polled), believe that the graduate’s degree result is the most important factor when recruiting at graduate level. Instead, three quarters believe that a positive attitude and employability skills are the most important attributes. The opportunities for graduates are on the increase as employers recognise the business benefits of recruiting university leavers who can introduce new ideas and increase productivity.

EDUCATION IN KENT

Higher Education Institutions

As well as providing opportunities for further study and research, these will offer opportunities for teaching, administrative, library, laboratory and other staff – see www.kent.ac.uk/careers/workin/university.htm . Posts are likely to be advertised on the universities’ websites, in the local press or through www.jobs.ac.uk

Kent has several universities, including the University of Kent, Canterbury Christ Church University, the University of Greenwich and the University for the Creative Arts. They offer a variety of higher degrees, through taught courses or research, on a full-time or part-time basis. Christ Church and Greenwich also offer PGCE (teacher training) courses.

Associate Colleges of the University of Kent

These provide a variety of courses, including some vocational courses which may be of interest to graduates wishing to improve their practical work-related skills such as languages, office skills and computing. They may also offer employment opportunities as above.

Other Further Education Institutions:

Specialist institutions

Adult Education

Schools

A Postgraduate Certificate in Education is required to teach in State schools. This course is offered in Kent at Canterbury Christ Church University and the University of Greenwich. Applications should be made through the Graduate Teacher Training Registry

It is also possible to qualify as a teacher through a schools-based teacher training programme – those in and near Kent include:

 

Working as a classroom assistant or teaching assistant is a useful way of gaining experience of education before beginning a PGCE. Vacancies for these posts are advertised in local papers or on teaching recruitment websites. Kent County Council has a Teacher Recruitment website at www.kent-teach.com which also includes vacancies for support staff

Graduate Teacher Programmes This allows graduates to gain Qualified Teacher Status while working in a school and earning a salary. Subject areas include Modern Foreign Languages as well as English, Maths, Science and Design Technology.

For more details of the programme, see the TDA GTP page at http://bit.ly/9oAtYn

Kent schools offering GTPs often advertise through the KM Jobs website http://bit.ly/egAfGb 

You can also search under "GTP" in the "Post Types" on www.kent-teach.com

For more about GTP and teaching in general see our page on this at www.kent.ac.uk/careers/siteach.htm#Routes

Teachers in independent schools do not need to have a PGCE, although it is an advantage. Information on these schools can be obtained from The Independent Schools Council www.isc.co.uk

Language Schools

There are a number of these in Kent, although opportunities for teaching English as a foreign language are mostly seasonal. Some of the major schools are listed below: others can be found on our TEFL Links pages www.kent.ac.uk/careers/siteach.htm#TEFL. As well as offering English language courses for foreign students, the schools listed also offer initial TEFL qualifications for potential teachers.

PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYERS

Local Authorities

Local authorities - which may be County, District, City or Borough Councils – recruit graduates into a wide range of posts. Although not all of these will require a degree to enter, opportunities to progress within local authorities are usually good.

Career openings in any type of local authority may include Administration, Finance, Law, Management Services, Planning, Surveying and Engineering. Kent County Council and Medway Council have responsibility for Education, Libraries, Social Services and Consumer Protection, among others; the districts and boroughs for Housing and Environmental Health.

Kent County Council www.kent.gov.uk 
Their vacancy pages are at www.kent.gov.uk/jobs_and_careers.aspx

For temporary posts (including vacation work) see Kent Top Temps www.kenttoptemps.co.uk 

Kent Libraries runs a scheme for volunteers

Local authorities in the county are:

Civil Service - local offices

These include offices of HM Revenue & Customs www.hmrc.gov.uk and Job Centre Plus www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk, which may have occasional vacancies for Administrative Assistants, Administrative Officers and Executive Officers. Immigration Officers are occasionally recruited for work at the Channel ports. Vacancies will be advertised in the local press or on websites such as Jobs Go Public www.jobsgopublic.com

HM Prison Service

There are prison establishments throughout Kent, including Canterbury, Maidstone, Rochester and Sheppey – see the Prison Service website www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk for contact details. Graduates may join a local establishment as a Prison Officer or join the Prison Leaders Scheme for potential governors. Although this is a national scheme, it does take into account your preference for a particular location. More details can be found at www.hmprisons.gov.uk/careersandjobs

Health Authorities

The NHS Management Training Scheme has an annual graduate intake, with a closing date normally in early December.
Graduates are recruited into General, Financial or Human Resources Management and may train in hospitals, primary care trusts or other NHS organisations. Location preferences are taken into account although flexibility is required. See www.nhsgraduates.co.uk  

The Kent and Medway Strategic Health Authority www.kentandmedway.nhs.uk is responsible for identifying local health needs and arranging for services to be provided. It monitors the performance of NHS trusts and implements national health programmes at local level.

NHS Trusts

NHS Trusts are self-governing hospitals or community health services. A number of those in Kent are listed below. They may occasionally recruit administrative personnel as well as medical and medical support staff. For vacancies, see www.jobs.nhs.uk

There are currently four types of NHS Trust: links to all local trusts can be found at www.kentandmedway.nhs.uk/welcome/nhs-organisations

Primary care trusts

Primary care trusts (PCTs) are responsible for ensuring that services such as doctors, dentists, pharmacists, opticians and other health services are provided in local communities. They may also organise services such as district nursing and community hospitals.

Hospital Trusts

These provide hospital treatment for medical and surgical conditions that cannot be treated at a local GPs surgery or clinic

Mental health and social care trusts

Along with mental health, these trusts also provide social care type assistance such as help for people with disabilities, addiction services, and help for people with eating disorders.

Ambulance Trusts

provide emergency paramedics and also some non-emergency patient transport. The South East Coast Ambulance Trust www.secamb.nhs.uk covers the Kent, Medway, Surrey and Sussex areas.

Other Emergency services

Tourism and Heritage Organisations

Although tourism is an important part of Kent’s economy, career opportunities are relatively limited. Many posts are seasonal and some (such as stewards at National Trust properties or guides at Canterbury Cathedral) purely voluntary.

Trains and Boats and Planes

 While transport services, especially the cross-Channel ferries and tunnel are vital to Kent’s economy, they offer few opportunities specifically for graduates. Recruitment takes place when vacancies arise and many opportunities are seasonal or part-time. Positions may be advertised in the local press or through recruitment agencies as well as on the companies’ websites listed here:

Other Employers - Large

Large companies in Kent include:

 

Other large national employers such as banks, chain stores and fast-food restaurants are, of course, well-represented in Kent by their local branches. They may not offer many opportunities for graduates seeking long-term careers in the area as most expect their graduate recruits to be fully mobile throughout the country. However, if you only wish to stay in Kent for a short period you may be able to express a preference for this area as your first posting. Recruitment is usually carried out centrally - check graduate directories such as Prospects www.prospects.ac.uk and other graduate vacancy sites www.kent.ac.uk/careers/graddirectories.htmfor vacancy and contact details.

A final reminder to check the Kentgrads database www.kent.ac.uk/careers/kentgrads.htm for details of potential employers of all types and sizes.

SMEs

Around 75% of jobs in Kent are with SMEs: small and medium-sized enterprises employing less than 200 people. These are obviously an important source of work for graduates hoping to find employment in Kent, but recruitment is often irregular and jobs may not be widely advertised. You should use all the vacancy sources mentioned here – local newspaper websites, the University of Kent vacancy database, Job Centres and recruitment agencies – as well as making speculative approaches direct to employers. The following information resources should be helpful:

Self-employment

Websites and publications advertising jobs in Kent

Local recruitment agencies and Job Centres

Jobs near Kent

Many Kent residents travel to work outside the county – the majority to London but a number to the neighbouring counties of Surrey and Sussex and some even to mainland Europe. If you are prepared to commute, the following sites may be helpful:

 

Last fully updated 2011