Even though many of our graduates will have progressed in their careers since completing a case study, they are still of interest to students who wish to gain an understanding of the world of work.

Head of History and Politics

Beyond my teaching role, I am Head of a department of five other staff, where I am responsible for the smooth running and the development of teaching and learning across the two subjects. Responsibilities include planning and running trips, maintaining a department budget, extra-curricular opportunities for the students through our Politics and History societies as well as my whole school responsibilities such as running a Model United Nations.

Everyday is completely different and I am constantly learning.

The work load can be tough can be tough at times, particularly when it comes to marking.

I wanted a career where I could enthuse people about History and Politics. I wanted to make a difference and education seemed like the ideal route. Despite it being a demanding career I cannot imaging doing anything else.

Communication skills are key in teaching, you must have a sense of humour and ultimately a real passion for the subject. My degree at Sheffield gave me the skills that I needed to be become a Head of Department at an outstanding school.

Immediately after completing my degree, I did a PGCE in secondary education and started teaching.

Ultimately, I see my career in teaching and will perhaps progress through the ranks at my current school. My hope is that when I retire that I can go back to university and study an MA then PhD in History.

Get as much experience as you can in schools and ask lots of questions to those relatively new to the profession. Remember that it is a tough job at times but it is incredibly rewarding.