From aviation to Occupational Psychology- a career match made in heaven
Hello everyone and welcome to the next instalment of the Pathways to Psychology blog.
Today we hear from Georgina Stokes CPsychol, Principal Consultant and Chartered Occupational Psychologist.
Georgina didn't start studying Psychology as her initial career, but it found her and changed her life forever. She shares her curiosity about people, organisations, behaviour, and a drive to ensure there were supportive systems and positive leadership opportunities abound. Her commitment to the field of Psychology has led to becoming a Chartered Psychologist, where her clinical skill and ethical practice is recognised and celebrated. We hope you will find reading about Georgina inspiring and invigorating.
Gerogina Stokes CPsychol
Principal Consultant Occupational Psychologist
Before I began studying Psychology, my world was aviation. I held a mix of operational roles across passenger airlines, cargo operations, and even a stint working with the United States Air Force. Psychology was something I’d always found interesting, but it was a background interest because my career was in aviation, and I wasn’t actively looking for anything else.
That changed unexpectedly.
At first, it was a curiosity about my own workplace that made me think about people at work in a way I hadn't done before. This led me to start researching a few things on Google, and as I did that I noticed adverts popping up for courses at the Open University. I'm not sure I knew much about the OU at the time, but I looked into the courses offered and I'd signed up for my first Psychology module before the end of that day, thinking it would just be a fun thing to do, and carried on from there.
I studied part-time for a BPS accredited Psychology BSc, over 4.5 years, alongside full-time work and frequent house moves (my husband is in the RAF (Royal Air Force), so moving became a regular part of life). During that time, I changed jobs three times as a consequence of the relocations, and so studying while working became my normal. It wasn’t always easy, but my growing passion for the subject, especially its potential to offer a flexible, meaningful career, kept me motivated. I wanted a role that I could shape around my life, one that wasn’t so reliant on living in a particular postcode, or near an airport.
Toward the end of my undergraduate degree, I began to explore where a Psychology career could take me. I was aware of the different routes, and considered Clinical, Forensic, and Educational, but Occupational Psychology caught my interest thanks to a particularly positive workplace I experienced towards the end of my degree. That company went to great efforts to really look after their people, and I noticed how differently it felt compared to past work environments. Around the same time, I was completing a research project for my final year module in Social Psychology, where I’d chosen to explore the effects of hot-desking and open-plan offices on productivity. My colleagues kindly took part in the study, and through that experience, I’d decided to pursue the Occupational Psychology route.
I realised that Occupational Psychology combined everything I was interested in: people, work, behaviour, systems. I briefly considered studying Positive Psychology and coaching, but ultimately chose the Occupational route because it offered a structured path to Chartered status. I still use some Positive Psychology approaches in my work today, and my role involves a lot of coaching, so I feel I’ve found a balance between the two.
After my undergraduate degree, I enrolled in an MSc in Occupational Psychology. During the summer break before the course officially started, I began working temporarily at a consultancy specialising in assessment and development centres. That short-term role taught me a lot in itself and was great experience, helping to build Virtual Assessment Centers (VACs), and supporting with the delivery of some in-person ACs. This quickly turned into a full-time job offer, and nearly a decade later, I still work at the same consultancy, although it has changed and grown a lot over that time, and so I’m fortunate that the nature of my work has diversified considerably too.
Over the years, my role has evolved as I’ve gained experience and completed the Qualification in Occupational Psychology (Stage 2). Today, I work primarily with a mix of Private, Public Sector and Charity organisations, and my work tends to focus on leadership: either supporting clients to assess would-be leaders for roles they’re hiring for, or in developing leaders who are already employed by our clients, for example, through one-to-one coaching, and designing and facilitating leadership development workshops. The work is varied, challenging, and deeply rewarding.
Looking back, one of the biggest challenges was accepting the uncertainty of the path ahead. Studying Psychology opens up so many exciting possibilities, but that does mean that you have to find your own way afterwards and be open to recognising the different career routes and opportunities that exist. Another challenge, but one I wouldn’t change, is the decision to become Chartered. It’s a huge amount of work, but developing and upholding high professional and ethical standards when working with people is never time wasted.
If you're considering a career in Occupational Psychology, I’d highly recommend it. The work is endlessly fascinating. It brings together science, people, and purpose in a way that the world of work needs now more than ever. Whether you're starting fresh or changing paths mid-career, there’s space for everyone, and your unique background or experiences might just be your greatest strength.
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