Interview with the employers of recent graduates

This is one in a series of interviews with employers that have recently (in the last 5 years) hired staff who have completed a 3 or 4 year or Honours level undergraduate degree with a Physics major or a Physics-based multidisciplinary major. We’d like to gauge your opinions on the value of an undergraduate Physics major as demonstrated by your employee(s).

Could you please provide the following information?

We would like you to think about physics graduates who have worked for you in the last few years. Please try to separate physics graduates early in their employment from those who have worked with you for some time. We would also like to concentrate on graduates with a basic (not postgraduate) degree with a Physics major.

Are there special knowledge, skills and approaches that these Physics graduates have?

High level of mathematics and technical skills.

Please comment on their ability to learn and adapt.

A post graduate student approached our department and asked if there was anything our organisation required. We came up with some ideas and he was asked to construct an instrument. The final product was brilliant.

How could Physics graduates be better? Do fresh graduates from other disciplines meet these expectations? Is it reasonable to expect university graduates to come with these attributes or are they better learnt/developed at work?

It would be good to see graduates with better developed interpersonal and management skills to enable them to relate in the workplace more effectively.

Why do you think we don’t see more students undertaking a Physics degree?

Scared off by the maths requirements/abilities. Although there are not many jobs available in pure physics roles there are many overlaps into other disciplines. Prospective students need to be made aware of the opportunities available from a career perspective.

After a couple of years of employment, are Physics graduates different from those from other disciplines? If yes, in what way?

Yes. They have better problem solving skills. More open minded. Theoretical background allows for more lateral thinking. They have a more individual approach..

Would you employ a Physics graduate in preference to those from other disciplines? If so why?

Comments included above.

Graduate attributes table

Please fill in the first four columns of the following table by ticking the box that represents the level to which your employee(s) with a Physics education demonstrated a particular attribute, as gauged at the start of their employment with you, i.e. the attributes they have.

Please say if there was another valuable attribute.

Physics graduates are very employable as they have acquired a broad knowledge and skill base.

Could you now please fill in the last column, this time indicating whether a particular attribute should be present to a greater or lesser extent at the start of their employment, or whether it is about what you require (OK)?