Tag: employment

  • 50 Years On: the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act

    50 Years On: the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act

    Safety poster, c.1979, courtesy British Safety Council, showing a judge pointing his finger at employers.
    Safety poster, c.1979, courtesy British Safety Council.

    Love it or hate it, you can’t escape it: the Health and Safety at Work Act has been an important part of UK working life (and wider) for 50 years.

    To mark its 50th anniversary, a day-long symposium was held in London on 25 November 2024: Health & Safety at Work Act – 50 years on: still fit for purpose?

    It was hosted by the Trade Union & Employment Forum of History & Policy, and brought together practitioners, trades unionists and academics – including the University of Portsmouth History team’s Dr Mike Esbester.  Mike’s research focuses on histories of safety, risk and accident prevention in modern Britain. Some of that has looked at the changing landscape of health and safety at work and beyond since 1960 – including the 1974 Health and Safety at Work Act. The change of law was much needed; in the 1960s and early 1970s, UK workplaces were still killing and injuring large number of people. Their impacts were felt beyond the factory walls, too, as workplace incidents affected more than ‘just’ employees.

    The principles underlying the Act had both radical and conservative elements. They extended the duty of care far beyond the boundaries of the workplace. At the same time, they modelled older ideas about who was able to prevent harm. Mike brought these tensions and contradictions out in his presentation to the symposium, which gave a long-term historical overview of the Act’s originals.  He’s explored some of these aspects in this piece for The Conversation. This piece, written for History & Policy at the 40th anniversary of the Act, is also still relevant today. All of this work draws upon Mike’s research, including the ‘Changing Legitimacy of Health and Safety at Work’ project, funded by the Institution of Occupational Safety & Health.

    The symposium brought together different approaches, from the historical to the present day, the philosophical to the practical. It wrestled with the question of how far the 1974 Act has kept pace with the world around it, and whether or not it might be time for a new means of approaching health and safety in the UK.

     

  • From History graduate to business co-founder

    From History graduate to business co-founder

    In this blog we celebrate the achievements of History graduate Callum Miller who is co-founder of ethy – a digital solutions company that allows consumers to make more responsible buying decisions, build confidence in sustainable brands, and help towards solving the climate change crisis. Callum was interviewed by our alumni engagement team about his journey from studying History at the University of Portsmouth to being co-founder of a purpose-led company, and the interview reveals how resourceful History graduates are, something also highlighted in recent studies by organisations such as the British Academy,

    To read Callum’s interview, ‘Restoring consumer confidence in sustainable brands’, follow this link. Well done, Callum. Great work!

  • A History degree can open many doors II: A student interviews UoP History graduates

    A History degree can open many doors II: A student interviews UoP History graduates

    In this blog Archie Godden, recent History with American Studies graduate from Portsmouth, discusses a project he undertook as part of the second year module, ‘Working with the Past’. Archie and some of his fellow students interviewed recent UoP History graduates and asked them about their careers since graduating, Archie found out that having a degree in the Arts and Humanities has been really beneficial to them, something also highlighted in recent studies by organisations such as the British Academy, which Archie also discusses here. The module ‘Working with the Past’ is coordinated by Dr Mike Esbester.

    A History degree offers the potential for a vast range of jobs, so whether or not you know what you want to do in the future, a degree in History is a great choice to make yourself highly employable. Not only does a Humanities degree grant you access to an extensive list of jobs and the flexibility to move between them, but also gives you the skills needed to be a highly employable individual. This employability is only expected to increase in the future, as current world issues will change the job market to demand new skills. Out of ten of the highest valued skills for the future, the University of Portsmouth’s History degree already offers nine, with the possibility of more in the future. Therefore, the course is extremely advantageous both now and in the future for making you more employable and granting access to a wide range of opportunities. We interviewed four previous students of the UoP History degree about their current careers to demonstrate just a few examples of what can be achieved.

    Firstly, we interviewed Cathryn, who works as an assistant to a Member of Parliament, working in his constituency office.  On a day to day basis, Cathryn processes things like casework; replying to queries, organising constituency events and meeting local organisations and schools to bridge the gap between the MP and the constituency. She explains that she didn’t know what she wanted to do whilst on the History course, and being an assistant to an MP was something she had never even considered before it came up. However, the skills she gained from studying a History degree allowed her to apply for and be granted the job. She also outlines the other pathways that were available to her, such as opportunities in law through taking a conversion course. She would recommend the History course for, “preparing you for the world of work with a broad spectrum of skills”, both supplying students with a range of choices of occupation and the appropriate skills to secure such jobs.

    Next, we interviewed Chloe, who works as the Records Manager and Policy Officer for the Falklands Islands government. Chloe supports the management of all government records; adding records to the database and writing new guidance policies completely from scratch. Additionally, she designs storage facilities for holding records and develops the government’s electronic records and much more on a daily basis. The History course, “enhanced a variety of skills”, that allow her to complete such a broad range of tasks. The opportunities provided by the university, as well as local experience in Portsmouth, provided Chloe with the skill set and experience to excel in her field. She remarks that a History degree makes graduates well-rounded and that just among her cohort, students went into vastly different jobs, such as an administrator in the Houses of Parliament, a History teacher and herself, an archivist.

    Melissa works on the NHS Graduate Scheme and, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, worked as Project Manager at a vaccination centre. On a daily basis, she ensured that health and safety checks were undertaken, contracts were completed as well as making sure the vaccine was ordered properly. She explains that during her course she had no idea what career to go into. However, a University Careers Fair revealed an opportunity in the NHS, demonstrating that History could lead her to a more analytical role which better suited her. “History opens so many doors” and provided her a lifeline to get into the position she is in today, despite not initially applying for the course. Originally, she wanted to do a Sports Science degree. However, she describes how a History degree got her into a better position as she began to lose interest in the sport side. Chloe’s advice to students would be to, “look for any and all opportunities and when they come, just take them”, as History can lead to any kind of job route, even those you don’t expect or may be unaware of, as in her case.

    Finally, we interviewed Rebecca, a curator at the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth. Every day, Rebecca is involved in both the care and management of the collection, ensuring it is catalogued correctly, checking for pests, and interpreting it for visitors through means such as galleries and research visits. After graduating, Rebecca also completed a Master’s degree in Museum Studies, which is needed (or an equivalent qualification) to get into the role and is an example of another option for students who want to remain in education after their initial course. Rebecca explains how she had a very clear idea that this was the profession to which she aspired. Nonetheless, the History course provided a wide variety of careers opportunities. She recommends gaining as much experience as possible, which can help in both finding a career path you may enjoy, as well as aiding with standing out in future applications to jobs. Additionally, she reveals that with the changes the global pandemic has made to careers worldwide, the adaptability and skills that came with the course have aided in transferring to a new way of working.

    Overall, the interviewees prove that there are an extremely wide range of careers available to anyone who studies a History degree; from museum curator to working in the NHS Graduate Scheme. A report by The British Academy suggests that in the future a growing, “range of sectors across the economy”, will need people with Humanities degrees. History provides much needed skills for employment, as well as greater flexibility and choice of work. In the future, this will only grow more as the impact of the pandemic sees, “local economies growing their creative industries employment twice as fast as other sectors”. History is an excellent subject to take regardless whether you have a clear career choice in mind or not, due to the wealth of opportunities it throws open, and Portsmouth is a great place to do it!

    Bibliography:

    “Qualified for the Future”, The British Academy, https://www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/documents/1888/Qualified-for-the-Future-Quantifying-demand-for-arts-humanities-social-science-skills.pdf

    Reidy, Tess. “Arts graduates are flexible’: why humanities degrees are making a comeback”. The Guardian.https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/feb/16/why-humanities-degrees-are-making-a-comeback. Last accessed 30/03/2021.

     

  • A History degree can open many doors: A student interviews UoP History graduates

    A History degree can open many doors: A student interviews UoP History graduates

    In this blog Amber Braddick, recent History with American Studies graduate from Portsmouth, discusses a project she undertook as part of the second year module, ‘Working with the Past’. Amber and some of her fellow students interviewed recent UoP History graduates and asked them about their careers since graduating, Amber found out that having a degree in the Arts and Humanities has been really beneficial to them, something also highlighted in recent studies by organisations such as the British Academy, which Amber also discusses here. The module ‘Working with the Past’ is coordinated by Dr Mike Esbester.

    There has been a strong government emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) subjects in recent years. What does this mean to the Arts, Humanities and Social Science (AHSS) graduates? Are they less valuable to employers in the ever-changing world of work? The short answer is no, this is definitely not the case, and there is an abundance of statistical evidence proving this. An AHSS degree equips students with many skills that have been identified by the World Economic Forum as key skills employers look for when hiring staff, for example effective communication skills, critical thinking skills and problem solving skills. As the diagram below demonstrates, all of these highly valued skills are developed in AHSS degrees, including history. Whether it is by critically analysing a source, collaborating in group projects or writing a dissertation; students gain these skills, often without even realising it, while also building up experience and confidence in them throughout their degree.

    Source: Qualified for the future, The British Academy

    Recently, as part of the ‘Working With the Past’ module, several history students, including myself, interviewed a small pool of graduates from University of Portsmouth (UoP).  We talked about the careers they explored after university and how they developed skills on the History degree programme that made them more employable. Chloe, currently the records manager and policy maker for the Falkland Islands government, highlighted skills in communication, time and project management as well as teamwork and confidence as attributes gained from her History degree which are essential to her current career and used daily. In the interview, Chloe said that she feels that all these skills would still be necessary even if she pursued another career not in the heritage sector, due to their versatility. Overall, the skills learnt in the History degree are fundamental in her job as well as being the foundation in which she has built upon in her Master’s course and continues to use whilst studying for a PhD. (Ed. read Chloe’s blog about her experiences here)

    Another interviewee, Melissa, is undertaking the NHS Graduate Scheme and worked as the project manager for the Epsom Downs Racecourse Covid Vaccination Centre. Although this career does not specifically relate to a degree in History, Melissa explained how the research and analytical skills gained are crucial for her job.  Also whilst in university, Melissa acquired excellent communication skills and had the beneficial experience of working with a range of different people. This was extremely helpful as Melissa has to communicate with many types of people daily, even up to an executive level. Out of 1600 people who applied for the graduate scheme, only 210 were offered a place, demonstrating how vital the skills learned on an AHSS course are. It was also interesting during the interview to hear Melissa explain that she applied to university to do a sports science degree but unfortunately did not obtain the grades required and was offered a place on the History course instead. ‘This was quite a lifeline,’ she told us, as ‘history opens so many doors,’ and does not restrict you to one specific career, while also teaching you many key skills you can ‘take forward into any kind of career’.

    Source: Qualified for the future, The British Academy

    A second graduate whose History degree prepared her for an unrelated career was CW, the assistant to a Member of Parliament (MP). CW found that doing presentations for the degree course gave her the necessary presentational skills essential for the MP assistant role.  They also developed her confidence in talking to lots of different individuals and groups, as she meets with small businesses, charities and visits local schools to ‘bridge the gap between the MP and the constituency when he [the MP] is in Westminster’. Other key skills CW highlights are the analytical and writing skills which are a large focus of a History degree. When applying for her current job, CW was asked to submit examples of written pieces of work and she discusses how her dissertation was perfect to show that she could ‘research, analyse and write to a good standard.’

    The last person we interviewed was RD, who is a curator at the National Museum of the Royal Navy here in Portsmouth. Again, RD emphasizes how the research and analytical skills gained in her History degree helps daily when ‘interrogat[ing] sources’ and ‘bring[ing] together an exhibition.’

    As is demonstrated in the previous few paragraphs, many key skills arose in every interview, for example writing and analytical skills and working with a variety of people. These skills also appear in the top 10 skills for 2025 list, shown below. In fact, most of the skills on the list are taught on a History degree, with the exception of ‘technology design and programming.’ Not only is History a ‘fantastic degree in its own right’ but it also teaches students the key skills needed for employability and a fruitful career. This is explored further on the UoP twitter page!

    Source: The Future of Jobs Report 2020

    In many newspapers and in some government policies, it is indicated that STEM subjects ‘are the only path to career success,’ however Tom Lyscom, a senior Policy Adviser at the British Academy voices once again that the skills of an AHSS degree ‘help drive economic growth and play [an] essential part of wider society.’ In the ten fastest growing sectors of the UK’s economy, eight sectors employ more graduates from AHSS subjects than any other disciplines. This demonstrates that graduates from AHSS subjects are just as vital to the economy as STEM subjects and that the skills taught are as diverse as our economy.

    To conclude, the variety of skills developed on an AHSS degree are advantageous in increasing employability and most of the skills that the University of Portsmouth’s History degree course develops appear on the top 10 skills of tomorrow. These skills are not only transferable to many different career paths and incredibly beneficial on a CV but they also ‘really develops you as a whole person’ and enhance your understanding of other people’s world views. The misconception that STEM subjects are more important that AHSS subjects is not reflected in the British Academy’s ‘Qualified for the future’ report that shares statistics suggesting the gap between employability is ‘negligible’ and Manuel Souto-Otero, a professor in Social Sciences at Cardiff University reveals that degrees in AHSS subjects are still ‘really popular … actually booming’. Whether you have a clear idea of what you want to do in the future and it requires a History degree, or if you’re still trying to decide, AHSS degrees leave doors open to many different opportunities and the flexibility for career changes, as well as developing many important skills that will get you far in whatever profession you choose.

     

    Bibliography:

    Primary Sources: 

    Interview with Chloe, 17th March 2021.

    Interview with RD, 18th March 2021.

    Interview with CW, 16th March 2021.

    Interview with Melissa, 15th March 2021.

    Secondary Sources:

    Lyscom, Tom. “Being objective about subjects – Showing the value of Politics and other AHSS disciplines.” Political Studies Association. Being Objective About Subjects – Showing the Value of Politics and Other AHSS Disciplines | The Political Studies Association (PSA). Last accessed 31/03/2021.

    “Qualified for the future.” The British Academy. Qualified-for-the-Future-Quantifying-demand-for-arts-humanities-social-science-skills.pdf. Last accessed 31/03/2021.

    Reidy, Tess. “Arts graduates are flexible’: why humanities degrees are making a comeback.” The Guardian. ‘Arts graduates are flexible’: why humanities degrees are making a comeback | Postgraduates | The Guardian. Last accessed 31/03/2021.

    “Success through STEM.” The Department of Education. STEM Strategy-Success through STEM (economy-ni.gov.uk). Last accessed 31/03/2021.

    “The Future of Jobs Report.” World Economic Forum. Infographics – The Future of Jobs Report 2020 | World Economic Forum (weforum.org). Last accessed 31/03/2021.

    University of Portsmouth Twitter page. Univ. Ports History on Twitter: “What’s that you say? History … no use in the job market? Errmmm, well, no. 9 of the top 10 on this @wef ‘skills of tomorrow’ list are EXACTLY WHAT WE DO WITH OUR STUDENTS! History at Portsmouth: in the present, looking back, ready for the future! https://t.co/dTobbijWwJ” / Twitter. Last accessed 31/03/2021.

  • Life after Graduation

    Life after Graduation

    One of our recent graduates tells us how the skills he gained studying at Portsmouth, and the volunteer experience he gained while studying, helped him secure an exciting job in the heritage sector.  For security reasons, he has not been named.

    Having graduated in the summer of 2019 and with a firm understanding that it was now time to get back into the world of work, the task was on to find a job, one that both stimulated me and used the great many skills learned through the three years at Portsmouth. Upon entering university I knew that my one objective was to better myself in both educational values and the world of work. Having worked in the retail sector for 10 years prior to going to Uni I was fully aware that I did not want a career in this industry.  However, with a passion for working with people, the desire to work in Public History was one I knew I would like to take.

    During year two at Portsmouth I had undertaken a one-term course in Public History, this lead by Dr Mel Basset and with the assistance from the National Museum of the Royal Navy Library gave me a stronger understanding of both heritage and public history as a whole. Public History as defined by the US based National Council of Public History “is to promote the utility to the masses by use of historical professionalism”.[1] This being said, history should be available to all and the display of it in museums, public buildings and historical houses was a key framework to the course undertaken in Year 2. This, coupled with a continued volunteerism at the NMRN, along with my retail experience, has lead me to want to work further in this field. Discussion with various tutors, both retired and active members of staff, allowed me to explore the idea of a Master’s in Heritage Management, with a goal of allowing the knowledge gained through both my undergraduate course and proposed MA to develop a career within this sector. It however became clear that despite adequate funding for the course, maintenance would not be financially viable.

    This leads to graduation and beyond, with the prospect of returning to the retail sector it was time to start looking for a job. Having worked in the industry now for 13 years, returning during the holidays, I had built up vast experience. This experience was supported and made the better by the fact that up until the year prior to deciding to go to Uni I had been a supervisor. With a CV full of various volunteer options, work as a Uni Ambassador and my retail career, a job in the public facing sector of Public History awaited. Applying as soon as I had gained my grades in early July opportunities were both varied and sometimes out of reach.

    Many jobs in this industry require further study to the BA or vast amounts of volunteer experience. Or, as in my case, to have a relative understanding of the world of work. About late August I was invited to interview at Windsor Castle, after which I was given and accepted a role in the Visitor Services dept as a Warden. This role is one that both encompasses my BA and my many years of working with the public. Ultimately as a custodian to the varied and vast collection on display at Windsor, a Warden’s role is to advise, impart knowledge and maintain the security of a site that is both a working Royal palace and a 900 year old castle. The skills that I learnt through my time at Uni and my working career have allowed me to excel in this role.  The way in which the role allows me to learn from Wardens and historians on a daily basis is of great benefit. The role is not one that I would like to be in until the end of my working life, it is however one that will be a stepping stone into the career in the Public History sector. If I do not get to go down the route of Heritage Management this will be ok, the skills I am able to learn through my role will impart on me just as the skills learnt before and during Uni.

    As a stepping stone my degree from Portsmouth, with its wide ranging courses, lecturers and Tutorship gave me a wider understanding of the roles that would be available to me once a graduate. There must always be discussion throughout your time at Uni of what you are going to do next, even if it is just a loose plan to have an understanding is better than nothing at all. The role that I now hold could have been obtained without a degree, however with the knowledge gained at Portsmouth allows for wider understanding of the historical perspective of both Windsor and Public History as a whole.

    [1]Barbara J. Howe,  “Reflections on an Idea: NCPH’s First Decade”, The Public Historian, Vol. 11, no. 3 (Summer 1989): 69–85