Bevan

Project: Corporate Policy

I started to think about a career in the public sector while I was doing A-level Politics and again while at university. My graduation also coincided with the launch of the ngdp – so I think it was meant to be! I wanted a career in local government because I thought that my education and time at university could be used for the public good, rather than just personal gain. Graduates are a unique resource who can multi-task effectively, work quickly and often see things from another perspective. And local government needs more of them.

ngdp offered a programme specifically for local government – one that offered a qualification. That it was one of the newer schemes, allowing participants the chance to shape its format and content, was also attractive. For me, the fact that you can pick and choose placements is a massive bonus. It meant being able to influence the local policy agenda and make changes you could see. You wouldn’t get this in central government.

Now I’m here, I really enjoy the diversity of specialisms in the public sector, not to mention the healthy work/life balance, which is taken seriously. For instance, I have a very young son and, when I’ve needed time off, my employer’s been very understanding, as they were during my partner’s pregnancy.

In my current job as a Corporate Policy Officer, the access I’ve had to senior managers has allowed me to develop relationships right across the authority. I’ve taken the lead on developing Newham’s climate change plan, re-drafted the council’s IT strategy – not to mention supported the Newham 2012 unit on some of their race equality impact assessments. I’m mainly desk-based, though during my time on the ngdp I had placements at Healthier Communities, Parks & Open Spaces, and in the waste management service – all of which involved being away from the office for at least some of the day.

I’ve found it important that I manage my time well, as I tend to look after several portfolios at once. Information management skills are vital for briefings, and work in general, as you need to be able to filter out the irrelevant information. You need to be able to communicate verbally with a range of people – colleagues, senior managers, elected members and the public. This is also true of written communication: while your manager may prefer verbal updates, an elected member will always want a one-page briefing. Your skills will also help you devise presentations that people don’t mind sitting through.

ngdp’s reputation has grown steadily, which I think reflects a wider demand for graduates who want to work in local government. To anyone thinking about it, I’d say that this is a sector where they can make a big impact relatively early on, as well as greatly enhance their cross-sector employability in the long term. That’s really valuable when you consider just how many authorities there are, and how many professions there are within each of them - legal services, human resources, policy development, sport and recreation, project management…the list goes on.