Five rewarding careers you may not have thought of

If you are just about to graduate, or already have your degree, you will be looking for a rewarding career. For many people this means looking for a career path that brings pride and satisfaction and is not just dictated by financial reward.

There are several careers that can give you the pride in your work that you are looking for. Many of these careers are centred on helping others. Here are five of the most popular of these careers to give you inspiration.

Carer

There are some people who simply love to care for others. If this applies to you then having a career as a carer may be a good option. It’s one of the most satisfying careers there is. As Beverley from Helping Hands said about her job as a live-in carer;

“I am driven and motivated by knowing that I can wake up each day knowing that I will be helping someone in need.”

Of course, you do not actually need any qualifications to apply for a job as a carer, although qualifications in health and social care can be a big help in a caring career. As a graduate, you may be able to start by undertaking a career in hands-on caring and progress to a management role. This means that you can still be responsible for the care and security of people in the community.

Probation officer

Working as a probation officer means that you can have a positive impact on the lives of people who are in a difficult situation. The individuals that you work with will often have been newly released into the community after a prison sentence, or may be undertaking community service. If you decide on a career as a probation officer, your job will be to help these people with their rehabilitation. It’s a demanding role but also very satisfying.

There are many training opportunities when it comes to becoming a probation officer. You can start on your career straight away and you then have the opportunity to study for postgraduate qualifications such as a Graduate Diploma in Community Justice or a Level 5 Diploma In Probation Practice.

Police

Working as a police officer carries a high level of responsibility. If you choose this career you will be responsible for helping to protect members of the community and ensure that criminals are brought to justice.

It’s an interesting and varied career that brings great job satisfaction and good financial reward. Anyone who wants to work for the police can attempt to enter the force in one of three ways, by applying directly, completing a college course or gaining an apprenticeship. If you already have a degree you might decide that applying directly is the best option.

Once you are working for the police you may want to study for postgraduate qualifications in areas such as international policing or police leadership, in order to give yourself the best opportunity for career progression.

Fire Safety Officer

If you have good attention to detail and like to follow the rules, working as a fire safety officer may be a good choice of career for you. You get to follow and enforce regulations in order to protect people by helping them to remain in a safe environment.

Working in this role means that you are responsible for ensuring fire safety in a business, organisation or even a neighbourhood. There are opportunities to work as a fire safety officer in both the private and public sector.

If you decide to embark on this career, you will need to undergo industry-specific training. There are also post graduate qualifications that you can study for such as the Fire Investigation MSc and the Emergency Management and Resilience Msc.

Psychologist

Working as a psychologist gives you the opportunity to help people in a hands-on way. You can do this by assisting people in overcoming physical difficulties, by helping them with mental health issues or by assisting them and dealing with behavioural difficulties. There are roles available in many different environments, such as hospitals, prisons and educational establishments. Some psychologists choose to set up in private practice, so this is also an option.

In order to embark on a career as a psychologist, you will need a psychology degree. There are also postgraduate courses that you can take. The course you choose will depend on which area of psychology you decided to concentrate on.

These careers all provide you with the opportunity to put your degree to use helping others. This means that you can get a real sense of achievement and satisfaction.