Gordon Chesterman: Everyone needs a Plan B now
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Things have changed recently, with students reassessing the morality and ethics of their career choices. Applications to the public sector have soared and there has been a corresponding decline in interest in a few other sectors. Attendance of our careers event covering finance was down by 18 per cent, while the event for the property sector was down by 45 per cent. Enquiries about teaching and law have gone up 40 per cent and 10 per cent respectively. And our most popular event this year covered the not-for-profit sector, which is a first. So certainly there's been some adjustment.
As a careers service we've been busier than ever, with 2,100 coming through the doors in one week alone in October, up from the usual 1,700 for that period. We've been affected, not just by students worried about where to apply, but also students who had been given offers but are now seeing them withdrawn. That's happening mainly in law and the banking sector.
Many of the students here feel the recession gives them a good excuse to stumble back to mum and dad and say "Can I have another £10,000 please?". But it's nothing new – that a Cambridge degree doesn't guarantee you a job.
Our advice to the students is: don't panic, you're here to get a degree and the economy will improve; be creative and look at plan B; think about other ways of getting into your chosen career. And once you get in, hold on to your job tight.
Gordon Chesterman is director of the University of Cambridge's careers service
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments