Career development and part-time workSussex postgraduates have access to a comprehensive career development service. A wide range of resources and events are on offer to help you plan your future career, however firm or uncertain your aims may be. Skills developmentFor many of our graduate students, a postgraduate degree at Sussex is another step towards a long-anticipated career in academia, or in the private, public or voluntary sectors. The schools aim to give their students a head start in the competitive world of academic research by providing a range of skill-building activities. Several schools run research skills courses that you can take as part of your Masters programme, and organise specially targeted career workshops in collaboration with the University’s Career Development and Employment Centre (CDEC). As a result of this support, Sussex students achieve a high level of academic and professional expertise and this is evident in the positions recent postgraduates have obtained. These include: American Express, Business Analyst; AstraZeneca, Principal Research Chemist; BBC World Service, Producer; DeHavilland Information Services, Senior Direct News Correspondent; Earthwatch, Environmental Partnerships Manager; Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Desk Officer; Institute for Animal Health, Research Scientist; IBM Laboratories, Software Engineer; Maritime Coastguard Agency, Parliamentary Coordinator; Metropolitan Police, Intelligence Analyst; Mullard Space Science Laboratory, Research Fellow; Scottish Executive Education Department, Policy Officer; Sussex Archaeological Society, Education Assistant; The British Film Institute, Marketing Assistant; UNICEF Cambodia, Education Advisor. Career Development and Employment Centre (CDEC)CDEC complements the academic training at Sussex. Our team of career professionals can help you to identify specific career aims and to develop the career-planning strategies you will need to achieve them. CDEC eventsWe organise a programme of skills workshops designed to help with career planning and making effective applications. We also run career-planning sessions specific to your school. CDEC also organises talks by Sussex graduates who are established in their careers. Recent topics have included journalism, life science careers, and international development. Recruiting employers also visit CDEC to give presentations and to interview: the BBC, the Overseas Development Institute, Procter & Gamble, Logica and the Civil Service have all been recent visitors to the campus. Each autumn term CDEC organises a ‘GradFair’ and a ‘LawFair’. These events are attended by employers with graduate and postgraduate vacancies. CDEC resourcesOur career development advisors are available for both drop-in discussions and for longer careers consultations. Our large open-access information centre includes type-of-work information, reference books and takeaway publications. Careers information is now widely web based; the CDEC website is an extensive resource. All types of vacancies are advertised in CDEC and on our website including graduate opportunities, work experience and vacation placements. Part-time workLearning to live on what is often a tight budget, while making the most of university life, is one of the challenges of postgraduate study. CDEC recognises the importance of part-time work and aims to advertise a broad range of opportunities. Many positions are within the University itself, including administrative posts that are often targeted specifically at postgraduates. Students can access a wide range of part-time and temporary positions in the information centre or via the CDEC website. We also offer guidance and support with employment issues. 
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Kelly’s perspective
![[photo of Kelly]](/Units/publications/pgrad2008/perspective/photo/career_development.jpg "Kelly's perspective") ‘The resource I found the most invaluable at the University was the Career Development and Employment Centre. I came to Sussex thinking I knew exactly the career path I wanted to pursue, but I found it increasingly difficult to find the right openings. It was a real breath of fresh air to find careers advisors who were always so willing to listen and were genuinely knowledgeable in my subject area, with years of experience advising the many students at Sussex who are interested in the same professional area. They were able to check my CV and frankly discuss my options, allowing me to consider alternatives I would never have identified on my own. This has led me to a job working in the House of Commons, a role I wouldn’t have contemplated without the help of CDEC.’ Kelly Barber |
| Contact details and term dates | ||
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For pre-application enquiries:Student Recruitment Services |
For post-application enquiries:Postgraduate Admissions |
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Teaching term dates 2008-2009 | ||
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Autumn term |
Spring term |
Summer term |
| Postgraduate students will normally be registered from 1 October 2008 to 30 September 2009 | ||