Employers and Universities: Work with us?
Why study business?
Are you an ideas person? Motivated by money? Like to run a tight ship? Then business could be a great choice!
If you study business (or business studies), you won’t just learn what makes a great enterprise, you’ll find out about how companies relate to each other in the marketplace, how they’re affected by government policies – and more!
The great thing about business is – whatever career path you go down – you’ll pick up a whole host of skills employers really love.
‘Whether you’re an innovator or are planning a career in finance or management, business will skill you up, whatever career you want!’
What is business?
Business is the study of how companies are managed, how they operate and how they interact with customers – whether that’s the public or ordinary businesses – as well as their own staff or employees.
You’ll learn about key concepts such as marketing, finance, human resources and operations. Business studies also introduces you to entrepreneurship and how to create and develop (or ‘grow’, in corporate-speak) your own business.
It’s a popular subject for young people who want to enter the world of commerce – from sales to marketing – as well as fields such as government or even the legal professions. For example, there is a whole area of law – called ‘corporate law’ – devoted to how companies work.
Teachers, bring business careers into your classroom…
Our colourful guides and posters are a great way to make careers learning interactive while ticking off all eight Gatsby benchmarks!
- Gatsby Subject Guides – Explore how the skills and knowledge students develop in business lead to real jobs – packed with case study interviews! All subjects available – buy individually or as a set. Browse in our shop now.
- Subject Posters – From the future of jobs in business to top industries and key skills linked to your subject, choose the best careers poster to brighten up your classroom wall. All subjects available. Browse in our shop now.
What employability skills will I get?
Naturally, business helps you develop skills that are highly sought after by employers! These include:
- Budgeting – you’ll practise managing money through tasks like forecasting costs and setting financial plans.
- Commercial awareness – you’ll learn how businesses work and what affects their success, from competition to customer needs.
- Leadership – business studies helps you develop confidence in leading teams, setting goals and making decisions.
- Numeracy – you’ll use data, percentages and graphs to understand business performance and make informed choices.
- People skills – you’ll explore how to manage staff, deal with customers and work well with others to achieve shared goals.
These transferable skills will prepare you for a wide variety of careers across different industries.
What subjects does business go with?
Business goes well with other subjects that involve strategy, finance or human behaviour.
For example, if you’re considering a career in finance, marketing or the corporate world, you may want to consider taking business alongside subjects such as maths, to develop your numeracy skills, or psychology, which will help you understand what makes people tick.
If you’re more interested in a field such as accountancy, data, government or social policy, you could take a subject such as geography or sociology.
If you’re thinking about a legal career, considering pairing up business with a subject like English or history.
What degrees do I need business for?
You don’t necessarily need business to do any particular degree course. However, it will help if you’re interested in a related course such as business management, entrepreneurship, marketing or sales.
It will also help you onto courses such as accountancy and finance-related subjects, so long as you pair it with an A-level/equivalent like maths, which develops your academic skills.
Having business studies at A-level can also be a strong foundation for degrees in law, economics or even psychology, as business touches upon many aspects of human decision-making and social structures.
What apprenticeships is business useful for?
So many apprenticeship schemes are in the world of business and commerce, which means business studies is a great choice if you’re considering an apprenticeship.
A few relevant examples include:
- Business administrator – Keep an organisation running smoothly by handling tasks like planning, communication and office systems.
- Chartered manager – Lead teams, make strategic decisions and take responsibility for projects in a professional business setting.
- Corporate responsibility and sustainability practitioner – Help businesses meet their environmental and social goals while staying successful.
- HR support – Support staff recruitment, training and wellbeing, making sure the right people are in the right roles.
- Sustainability business specialist – Work on projects that balance profit with positive environmental and social impact.
What careers can business lead to?
Of course, business is a great choice if you want to work in an area such as commerce, finance or management, or in government and policy work.
It’s also a no-brainer if you’re full of ideas and want to start your own business, as it will provide you with the background knowledge and skills to run a company and understand the marketplace.
These are just a few examples, as business knowledge is highly transferable and applicable in almost every industry.
Some roles you might want to consider include:
Top five Career Zones to explore:
- Advertising, Marketing & Public Relations
- Banking & Finance
- Consultancy
- Entrepreneurship
- Retail & Merchandising
