Education and communications

The education and communications sector attracts many physicists who want to pass on their enthusiasm to a new generation of scientists. If you feel that you have the enthusiasm and passion to stimulate young people's interest in science, then teaching could be a perfect choice. A postgraduate qualification in teaching, such as the postgraduate certificate of education (PGCE) in the UK, is the usual route into a teaching career, while the Institute of Physics offers a range of support and resources for practicing teachers.

Alternatively, you may wish to communicate your passion for physics to a wider audience. Science journalism, technical marketing and PR, and STM publishing are all possible career paths for you to investigate.

Case study: Curating the space–time continuum
Alison Boyle describes how working in a science museum offers plenty of variety and the chance to interact with great scientists – past and present.

Case study: Tools for learning
Some instruments in teaching laboratories may look old-fashioned, but those wooden boxes can hold surprisingly advanced equipment. George Herold describes his career designing experiments for undergraduate labs.

Case study: Make the switch to teaching
Becoming a physics teacher is not just an option for new graduates. Tom De Trafford explains how he traded in his career in finance for teaching.

Case study: Making outreach work
Lisa Jardine-Wright offers some advice on ensuring that physics outreach is more than just a "fun day out" for students, volunteers and academics.