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Working in another country is often an appealing prospect but how do jobs compare with similar jobs in this country? This section looks at four job types found in the UK and compares them to similar jobs in another European country.
It looks at qualifications required for the job, the duties involved, the personal qualities that an employer may be looking for and the kind of career opportunities that the job may lead to.
[Note: this information is subject to change, due to alterations in the career structures within other countries. For up-to-date information about individual careers abroad, contact your local Careers Service or JobCentre]
Nurse
| United Kingdom | Netherlands |
Qualifications
These are currently undergoing changes, and there is, therefore, a dual system operating.
Under the old system to enter a nursing course, you need five GCSEs, including Maths, English and a Science. A three-year training programme leads to an Advanced Diploma in Nursing. This involves approximately 50% course work and 50% practical work. After training you are classed as a qualified staff nurse but for the first six months you work with a 'mentor', who is a trained nurse with experience.
The new system is called Project 2000. This is a degree course often lasting four years. Under this training scheme, nursing students are college based and spend time on work placements gaining clinical experience. Some colleges ask for two 'A' levels and five GCSEs as entry qualifications. | .
To enter a nursing course students must have a general school certificate, HAVO (Hoger Algemeen Vootgezet Onderwijs). A four-year professional training programme leads to a degree in Nursing.
An intermediate vocational qualification, MBO (Middelbaar Beroepsonderwijs) or a higher vocational qualification, HBO (Hoger Beroepsonderwijs) in nursing also qualifies students to enter a degree course and the study time is adjusted accordingly. Vocational qualifications are equivalent to UK NVQs/SVQs or higher diplomas. |
Duties
Provide patient care that includes assessment, planning and practical nursing.
Distribute drugs.
Liaise and work with other professionals. | .
Develop and implement patient care plans.
Provide general nursing care such as taking temperatures and blood pressure, giving injections, cleaning and dressing wounds, draining wounds. |
Personal qualities
A sense of responsibility, good communication skills, ability to work under pressure. | .
Sociable, intelligent, diplomatic, good communication skills and able to work as part of a team. |
Career opportunities
There are opportunities to specialise in various medical fields and nurses are encouraged to become involved in extra training. This extra training does not necessarily lead to promotion. All jobs are graded and have to be applied for. A qualified staff nurse usually enters the profession on a Grade C or D. The grades offered for promotion vary between health services. All nursing staff have to undertake a fixed amount of in-service training to keep up to date with working practices. | .
Nurses can specialise in general nursing, psychiatric nursing, gynaecology or management. There are ten branches of registered nurses that have compulsory in-service training. Opportunities exist for promotion. |
Secretary
| United Kingdom | Denmark |
Qualifications
No formal qualifications are needed to enter secretarial work but most companies ask for Pitman shorthand skills and some experience of audio typing or word-processing. All of these skills can be obtained through school or college courses. Many secretaries obtain additional qualifications while working. These may include RSA Higher Diplomas in Administration and Secretarial Procedures, HDASP, NVQs/SVQs in Business or Administration Studies, or HNDs, Higher National Diplomas, in Business and Finance. | ..
No formal training is required but many secretaries have completed 1-3 years of basic secretarial training after leaving school. Many employers now expect secretaries to have Office Computing experience. |
Duties
These vary according to the type of office but should include:
- General office duties such as typing and filing
- Dealing with the mail
- Telephone queries
(personal secretaries have more responsibility than juniors) | .
Basic typing and shorthand.
General office duties such as answering the telephone, photocopying, filing.
Some businesses ask for accounting, purchasing and business organisation skills. |
Personal Qualities
Flexible, organised, shows initiative, reliable, good communication skills
computer literate | Neatness, accuracy, initiative and good language skills. |
Career Opportunities
This is dependant on the company and an individual's training and abilities. There are opportunities to specialise in specific areas such as medical or legal work and if you are multilingual there are many opportunities abroad. | There is no definite promotion structure. |
Hotel Manager
| United Kingdom | Ireland |
Qualifications
Hotel managers must have a relevant degree, a BTEC/SCOTVEC Higher National Diploma in Hotel Management or a Hotel Catering and Institutional Management Association (HCIMA) Diploma. Relevant experiences in financial management, marketing, staff management and most aspects of the hotel and catering trade are also considered vital qualifications. For entry onto a degree course you need two 'A' levels and five GCSEs. For entry onto a Diploma course you need one 'A' level and four GCSEs or the GNVQ equivalent. | .
Courses are offered at various colleges and range from two-year Certificate courses and three-year Diploma courses to four-year Degree courses in Hotel and Catering Management. Candidates need reasonable results in the School Leaving exam to enter the certificate and diploma courses and good results to enter the degree course. |
Duties
These vary according to the size of the hotel. In large hotels, there is a manager with overall responsibility plus several assistant managers in charge of catering, accommodation or other aspects of the trade. In smaller hotels, the manager is expected to oversee all aspects of the business with responsibility for money, staff and catering. | .
These vary according to the size of the hotel. Assistant managers help in the larger hotels. Generally duties include supervising and controlling the running of the hotel,
managing all hotel services and taking overall responsibility for materials and money. |
Personal Qualities
Well-organised, dynamic, financially adept, a good communicator, a leader, personable, good business sense. | .
Organised, a working knowledge of management, leadership qualities, financially competent, good at marketing the business. |
Career Opportunities
Promotion is usually based on experience as much as qualifications, although good qualifications are necessary. As this is a mature industry, there is stiff competition and few openings for the high level jobs. More opportunities exist for assistant managers or service managers within larger corporations. | .
There are few openings and the competition for promotion is strong.
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Sports Teacher
| United Kingdom | France |
Qualifications
All teachers must follow a course of training that gives them qualified teacher status (QTS). This can be a four-year B.Ed degree course, a BA or BSc degree course with a QTS element or a normal BA or BSc degree followed by a PGCE course (Post Graduate Certificate of Education). Teachers study general educational practices but can specialise in a particular subject or subjects such as physical education. To enter a teacher training course you need five GCSEs and two 'A' levels. | .
Student teachers follow a recognised teacher training programme but secondary teachers specialise in particular subjects. Candidates who hold a STAPS degree (sciences et techniques des activites physiques et sportives) can study for CAPEPS (PE certificate) as part of a teacher training programme. CAPEPS students should hold a first aid and life saving certificate. |
Duties
Planning lessons, teaching and evaluation.
Keeping records | .
Plan and teach appropriate lessons.
Run any sports associations within the school.
Organise training and competition events - these often take place on Wednesday afternoon when there are no formal class lessons. |
Personal Qualities
Motivated, in reasonable physical condition, a good communicator, organised, analytical, understanding, technical knowledge of training techniques and physical development. | .
Physically fit, good communication skills, knowledge of training techniques and physical development. |
Career Opportunities
All teachers must be involved in some form of in-service training. Experience and additional qualifications can assist promotion prospects. There is a career structure within teaching but this may take the teacher away from subject teaching into pastoral care or administration. | .
There are promotion opportunities within the teaching career structure. |
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