What is intellectual property?
Intellectual property – or ‘IP’ – is anything that might be worth something, but where the valuable bit is more of an idea than a physical object. See our jargon buster.
A house is ‘property’, because there’s something physical there. The design for a house, on the other hand, is intellectual property because, even when it’s drawn out on blueprints, it’s the idea that’s valuable, not the paper it’s printed on. Read more…
Why work in ideas?
Careers in ideas offer rich rewards to people from all backgrounds and with a range of skills.
Salaries, even for school-leavers, start at around £18,000 and reach dizzying heights for top professionals. But the rewards are more than financial: these careers involve responsibility, they command respect, and they can take you all over the world.
They mix creativity with the practical application of imagination through science and engineering. They combine the detailed eye of a lawyer with an enterprising business brain. And they bring together opportunities in arts and media with solutions to global challenges.
Intellectual property is a current flowing under so much of modern society. That means working in IP puts you at the heart of important developments.
What careers are there in ideas?
From high-flying lawyers to super-efficient administrators, from innovative designers to international business people, there are many careers in ideas and intellectual property. Read more…
Take a closer look at just some of the roles, read case studies of people who do those jobs and search for openings and opportunities for jobs, work experience and internships.
Pathways, salary and rewards
There are career openings in intellectual property for everyone from school-leavers at 16 through to postgraduates with Masters or PhD-level qualifications. Read more…
At the more junior level, the opportunities are mostly in administrative roles. Given the level of qualifications needed (starting from a base level of GCSE-level Maths and English), these are varied and exciting roles, that soon come with plenty of responsibility and decent pay. For starters who demonstrate good organisational and business skills, there are promotion opportunities to a certain level.
The more senior roles though are for graduates and will require formal qualifications, usually in sciences, in engineering, in law, or even some combination of more than one of them. Many jobs will also involve on-the-job training to reach chartered status or a minimum licence to practice.
For more details, take a look at the descriptions of different roles here.
It is always worth trying to get work experience in the IP sector. That helps candidates test whether it is the right career, helps to develop their understanding of the industry and demonstrates their commitment. The supporters of the Careers in Ideas website have all committed to providing such opportunities and, for current openings, look here.
A career for anyone
The wide demands of careers in IP – legal, technical, scientific and administrative – mean there are opportunities for everyone, regardless of background, race, gender, sexuality or physical ability. Read more…
Case studies
All sorts of people find fulfilling careers in IP, from different backgrounds in different roles. The jobs are generally well paid and offer more than just money. There are challenges, excitements, recognition and responsibility.
Meet some of those people here and hear their stories…
