Pawan D.
About me
| Pawan D. | |
| Politics | |
| Conflict, Governance and Development | |
| Taught Postgraduate | |
| Halifax | |
| 2013 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Covid-19 Team Leader | |
| Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Government and civil service | |
| Large business (250+ employees) | |
| 2017 |
More about Pawan
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A day in the life of a Covid-19 Team Leader in the United Kingdom
I was involved in York Nightline, as a listening volunteer, social media manager, and later as a public face. Using the value of active listening is something that benefits me on a daily basis.
Briefly describe the organisation you work for
The FCDO is the UK Government department responsible for promoting the interests of British citizens, safeguarding the UK’s security, reducing poverty and tackling global challenges.
What do you do?
Oversee the delivery of the FCDO's parliamentary engagement, ministerial briefing and engagement, and correspondence handling for the UK's international response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Reflecting upon your past employment and education, what led you to your current career choice?
I always wanted to work in development, but in all honesty wasn't sure how to get there. After university I took a job at the local fire brigade, providing IT support - something I'd done before at school. That led to a job in their press office, managing social media, before a short stint in local authority press office. I saw the role appear on Civil Service Jobs alerts for a press officer role at then DFID... and 5 years on, here I am!
Is your current job sector different from what you thought you would enter when you graduated?
Yes, but that's also because of the huge changes to global affairs, power structures, and of course the pandemic.
Describe your most memorable day at work
Everything from the fun, meeting Angelica Bell out in Dominica to film for The One Show and show the impact of UK aid after Hurricanes Irma and Maria, big events including the Global Education Summit, and the extremely serious, including working on the UK response to chemical weapon attacks in Syria and Afghanistan crisis.
What extracurricular activities did you undertake at university and what transferable skills did you develop through these?
I was involved in York Nightline, as a listening volunteer, social media manager, and later as a public face. Using the value of active listening is something that benefits me on a daily basis.
What top tips do you have for York students preparing for today’s job market and life after graduation?
Try and start working and gain experience in something as soon as you can, even if it's not in exactly what you want to go into. You'll still be learning lots of vital skills to work in organisations.
What topics from students are you happy to answer questions on?
Joining government, working for the FCDO, or working in communications - my first jobs were all press and media related.
I can offer monthly mentoring for up to 6 months for those looking to work in development or foreign affairs.
Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?
I also did my undergraduate degree in Philosophy at York.
Next steps...
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