Interview with recent graduates currently in the workforce

This is one in a series of interviews with recent graduates 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 value your opinions on your undergraduate Physics and how well it prepared you for the workforce.

Please fill in the following table of personal details:

I’d now like to ask you a series of questions pertaining to your Physics undergraduate studies (Physics below may be read as `multidisciplinary’ if appropriate).

1. What features of your undergraduate Physics studies were of most help to your learning?

The lecturers adapted a practical approach to learning. Lots of labs, practical experiments and projects were very useful. This allowed me to apply my knowledge. Whole year projects provided the ability to experience real science/research teamwork.

2. How were you made aware of employment opportunities for Physics graduates in your undergraduate Physics studies?

Feedback from staff. Seminars from people in the workforce. Word of mouth. I was aware of available job opportunities by the time I graduated. There was no marketing material available for Physics careers.

3. What aspects of your Physics education have helped you most in your career?

Skills to be able to look at the basic perspective and work upwards. Skills to break things down to the fundamentals. Problem solving from a physics point of view.

4. Is it an advantage having done Physics? Do you think you have an advantage over graduates from other disciplines? How? Are there special knowledge and skills that Physics provides?

Yes. Currently in my role as a geophysicist and not being trained as a geologist but as a physicist, allows me to view things differently to geologists. Geologists tend to talk more in technical terms rather than laymen terms. I can view things and explain things in more basic terms and from a physics perspective. Physics has provided me with the skills to produce algorithms, programming language, mathematics, simplifying maths expressions for scientific use, application of first principles, presentation, reporting and communication skills.

Graduate attributes table

Please fill in the following table by ticking the box that represents the level to which a particular attribute was used or developed in your undergraduate Physics subjects.

Please say if there was another valuable attribute or further comments.

I found my physics degree very enjoyable. However, I used to wonder where it would lead and got the feeling that I was studying a ‘dying profession’. I suspect this is a social and cultural attitude. Employers want specialised skills and not broad based skills. There is not a lot of physics taught in years 8, 9 and 10 high school, therefore, not so many students are choosing to study this in years 11 and 12 and beyond. I have become aware that people don’t really understand what a physicist is. I believe that all students should be given some knowledge of physics.