Taghreed A.
About me
| Taghreed A. | |
| English and Related Literature | |
| English Literature | |
| Undergraduate | |
| Alcuin | |
| 2018 | |
| Pakistan |
My employment
| Policy Adviser | |
| Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Energy | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Government and civil service | |
| Large business (250+ employees) | |
| 2021 |
More about Taghreed
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A day in the life of a Policy Adviser in the United Kingdom
I knew I wanted to help bring about change that would positively impact people's lives.
Briefly describe the organisation you work for
Ministerial department focussed on building a stronger, greener future by tackling climate changes unleashing innovation and making the UK a great place to work and do business.
What do you do?
Policy adviser helping improve business support in local areas.
Reflecting upon your past employment and education, what led you to your current career choice?
I have always been interested in politics and public service. After university I briefly worked at a Teach First school before I realised that behaviour management was not my strong suit. I knew I wanted to help bring about change that would positively impact people's lives. My mum encouraged me to apply for the civil service. I created an account and set up job alerts on the Civil Service job website. I have been a civil servant for almost three years now.
Is your current job sector different from what you thought you would enter when you graduated?
No
Describe your most memorable day at work
My most memorable day at work was in a previous role as a ministerial diary manager. DfT was hosting an international maritime virtual summit on crew changes. As delegates joined the call they wanted to test the audio and picture quality and I was the only one available to help. Very surreal moment of being at my kitchen table on a live stream with foreign governments across the world.
Are there any challenges associated with your job?
Having to master a large volume of complex information at pace and then use it to make recommendations.
What’s your work environment and culture like?
Good work-life balance. People are very friendly.
What extracurricular activities did you undertake at university and what transferable skills did you develop through these?
Archery, The Lemon Press. Transferrable skills: sticking to a routine, working long hours, being creative.
What would you like to do next with your career?
Change of location from London to the North.
What top tips do you have for York students preparing for today’s job market and life after graduation?
Apply, apply, apply! Don't be disheartened by rejection, to some extent it's a numbers game so keep applying.
What topics from students are you happy to answer questions on?
Civil service, applications, interviews, misc.
Next steps...
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