Category: Careers

Career Day 2024: Successful SPAIS alumni share insights

Posted on by Ffion Lindsay

Last month, SPAIS students heard from four accomplished alumni about their routes into business, government, NGOs and publishing. Here are some of the top takeaways from the discussion.

Career Days offer the chance to hear about the wealth and breadth of careers you can undertake with a degree in sociology, politics and international studies.

At our latest event, current students heard from established professionals working in areas related to their fields of study and learned the steps they can take to build their skills and employability.

Head of School Therese O’Toole and Senior Lecturer Raphaël Lefèvre were joined by:

  • Georgia Edwards (BSc Politics and International Relations, 2017) – Programme Coordinator at media NGO Witness and Non-Executive Director at The Bristol Cable
  • Joe Newell (MSc Society, Politics and Climate Change, 2023) – Policy Adviser at the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero
  • Luke Foster (MSc International Relations, 2023) – Parliamentary Researcher at the House of Commons and formerly the Director of the Bristol Social Science Review
  • Lour Nader (MSc Gender and International Relations, 2021) – CEO of Voice It Out, an equality diversity and inclusion coaching consultancy and formerly with United Nations Women

These are just some of the useful ideas and pieces of advice we discovered at Career Day 2024:

Your career path might be strategic rather than linear

Raphaël: In your LinkedIn profile, you state you’ve worked with at least ten organisations over the past seven or eight years. Do you agree that a career doesn’t need to be linear – it can also just be about following opportunities and passions and interests, wherever they might lead you?

‘[…]Trying to work out what I was interested in and how I could get there […] was also about balancing necessity with what I was passionate about.’

Georgia: I’ve had so many roles because I was always trying to work out what I was interested in and how I could get there. And it was also about balancing necessity with what I was passionate about.

When I finished uni, I was [offered a place] on a journalism course with The Bristol Cable, an investigative media co-op, and I realised I would had to get a job alongside to support myself.

I ended up working at Creative Youth Network as a receptionist, and from doing that I came into contact with so many organisations in the city.

I learned so much and it helped me get the job I did afterwards, working in a constituency office with a Bristol MP. So try to get those [necessary jobs] in something related to what you’re interested in – don’t think you have to go straight into your ideal job.

You can have a successful civil service career outside of London

Raphaël: You’re based in Bath but you travel back and forth to London for your role with the Department for Energy, Security and Net Zero – how does that work?

Joe: The Civil Service is very good about home hybrid working and I do two days a week in London from Bath, which is very doable.

There is a lot of work going on to distribute the Civil Service around the country […] and we have a new office opening up in Bristol soon so potentially opportunities there.

‘We want civil servants all across the UK, not just focused in London and the South.’

There’s also the Places to Grow Scheme which we have across the Civil Service, where if you are based in London, you can move across to a regional office.

They encourage this because we want civil servants all across the UK, not just focused in London and the South.

Your best start to a political career is through local volunteering

Raphaël: Your [career path seems to suggest] that to get into a career in politics, it’s best to start locally. Would you agree?

Luke: In my first year at Bristol I wanted to just go out and have fun, but when covid hit I realised I needed to focus and started volunteering. I got involved in campaigning for the Labour Party in Cornwall in 2017 and that’s what really got me the exposure and taught me how to speak to and engage with MPs.

‘If you do that volunteering someone might take notice of you and know that you would be great for the job.’

Starting locally – even at the level of volunteering for door-knocking – is a really good way to get your face out there and meet people but also make connections with people who could be future MPs.

It gives you a really good leg up in getting to know what makes everything tick and helps you understand your city and your constituency. Otherwise you’re not going to be able to help your MP get re-elected and you’re not going to do a very good job.

So much of getting a job with an MP is word-of-mouth – a lot of times these jobs aren’t advertised. If you do that volunteering someone might take notice of you and know that you would be great for the job.

Your degree could could open routes into business and entrepreneurship

Raphaël: As a lecturer, you moved to create your own coaching consultancy – how does one go into business and and what led you there?

Lour: After my Master’s, I went back to my career in teaching so that I could experiment with the business and still put food on the table.

I’ve since put the my two passions together – when I went back to the classroom I realised it isn’t the most diverse environment and I’ve since worked to make it more inclusive.

‘[…] Try to pursue the things you are interested in and your experiences will show you what you should be doing.’

My advice to students is that you’re not expected to know exactly what you want to do right now. When I was doing my degree, I thought I wanted to get a permanent job with UN Women or an agency. With more experience I realised I didn’t want to sit drafting policies – I want to be out doing something dynamic.

The only reason I know I’m passionate about equality in education is through experience. So try to pursue the things you are interested in and your experiences will show you what you should be doing.

Don’t fall for the trap of looking at what other people are achieving – maybe you’ll want to do a PhD at fifty, or start a business when you’re forty. Maybe you’ll want to work in a cafe for a couple of years until you work out what you want to do.

You are each on your own journey. Look to where you want to be and experiment with it.

Your Master’s can help set you apart in the jobs market

Raphaël: How useful was your Master’s degree? Because you did a BSc Politics and International relations and then did your Master’s in International Relations – was that helpful?

Luke: It was useful in the sense that these jobs are so competitive, you need to have something that sets you apart. Generally everyone who is applying to these politics jobs has an undergraduate degree and other people applying might be older, have worked in an NGO or a charity and have real hard evidence of their experience.

‘[…] It’s a good use of your time to stay in Bristol and do a Master’s. I don’t think I would have got my second job without it.’

[So] if you don’t have experience in industry it’s a good use of your time to stay in Bristol and do a Master’s. I don’t think I would have got my second job without it – my volunteering and university experience is what I leant on. Coming from a place like Bristol worked well too, because there is such a strong international relations community here.

But everyone will have their own route into these things – some might find it better to do a lot of jobs and volunteering alongside their undergraduate degree instead. But for me, it worked. You get a good discount if you continue into a Master’s too.

You can gain valuable experience outside of unpaid internships

Student question: How would you recommend someone get experience [in their industry] without doing unpaid internships? Are there alternate ways to get experience?

Lour: That’s a good question. There are many free events you can attend that will give you exposure and get you to know people that have opportunities for collaboration.

UN Women did something called ‘Commission on Women’s Status’ and gathered in New York with all their representatives. That is expensive to attend! But I participated online – when they sent an email about the event, I replied asking if I could attend remotely.

‘[…] There is a lot you can do for free that will get you that little bit closer. You just have to search those opportunities out.’

I was able to talk to many people over the course of the event and realised that there are many organisations closer to me in Birmingham that are interested in getting support on EDI, and I went on to advise many of them [and gain experience that way].

So check your University’s events, check Eventbrite, sign up for emails – there is a lot you can do for free that will get you that little bit closer. You just have to search those opportunities out.

Please contact Dr Raphaël Lefèvre if you have any questions or feedback on Career Day.

‘It seemed like a natural fit’: How work placements benefit both students and businesses

Posted on by Ffion Lindsay

A photo of two badgers walking through woodland.The University’s applied research project programme connects innovative businesses with talented future researchers. Here’s how postgraduate student Ewan Shipley partnered with Map Impact to produce an insightful report on Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG).

In the School of Sociology, Politics and International Studies, skills development is woven throughout all our programmes to ensure students graduate with useful transferable skills.

Some courses take this a step further by embedding an applied research project with one of our partner organisations directly into the course.

Ewan’s course, MSc Society Politics and Climate Change, examines the sociological and political approaches to urgent environmental issues, investigating the root causes and consequences of climate crisis.

As providers of pioneeering environmental data services and reporting tools, Ewan felt that Map Impact‘s work aligned well with his interests and course requirements and chose them for his placement.

The outcome is an insightful study exploring local authorities’ response to England’s mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG).

The paper examines the extent to which the BNG is being implemented and outlines the response of local authorities across England to the new legislation, assessing whether they consider it an effective method of environmental protection through stakeholder interviews.

Organisations need reliable data to address nature-related targets, and studies such as this establish a baseline and help identify opportunities for improvement.

For businesses and organisations, student placements bring fresh thinking on the challenges they are facing, while connecting them to future talent and cutting-edge academic research on relevant subjects.

For Map Impact, the benefits are clear:

‘[We are] motivated by the chance to collaborate. As a startup based in Bristol, it seemed like a natural fit to work with a University of Bristol student to enhance our understanding of how recent biodiversity legislation is being perceived.

Ewan was equally motivated by the requirements of his MSc Applied Research Project and his personal interest in preserving our natural environment.

We believe this could be the beginning of an ongoing relationship with University of Bristol to support conservation and sustainability in the face of climate change.’

– Richard Flemmings, CEO

For students, placements provide real-world experiences so you can apply your discipline outside the classroom. You get the opportunity to apply and test your learning in a practical setting and see first-hand the impact you can make with your degree.

‘I chose Map Impact because I felt that their interest in responses to Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) was highly relevant, and given how new the legislation was, would allow me to explore an under researched issue.

[They] were thoroughly engaged throughout the project, especially during the participant recruitment phase, creating a friendly and supportive work environment.

I hope that our research provides stakeholders with the chance to reflect on their approaches to BNG whilst highlighting the importance of biodiversity enhancement under our current environmental crises.’

– Ewan Shipley, MSc student

Applied research projects represent a practical alternative to writing a traditional dissertation, helping our students build the skills, insight and contacts you need to thrive after graduation.

Find out more about what makes our MSc in Society, Politics and Climate Change so innovative:

Interested in hosting a student on a research placement in your organisation? Please get in contact with our Professional Liaison Team at fssl-pln@bristol.ac.uk

‘We learned to act like real diplomats’: SPAIS students attend Model NATO

Posted on by Ffion Lindsay

From left to right: Verity, Chinumezi and Dunya in the Foreign Office.Last month, students Verity, Chinumezi and Dunya represented the University of Bristol at a Model NATO event organised by the British International Studies Association (BISA).

Model NATO events allow students all around the world to experience a simulation of a NATO summit, providing valuable experience of debate and negotiation and insight into careers in diplomacy, government and non-governmental organisations.

BISA’s annual flagship event brings together up to 31 UK universities and provides a unique active learning opportunity for those who take part. On 3 March of this year, three SPAIS students travelled to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London to take part.

Here’s how Verity and Chinumezi found the experience. Photos provided by Dunya.

Can you tell us how you got involved in Model NATO?

Verity: I’m a Politics and International Relations undergraduate student in my final year, and I responded to an email that was sent out to all students across the School.

I was keen to take part as I’d heard of Model UN before but never had the opportunity to be involved in something like this.

Chinumezi: I got involved firstly because of my course – I’m doing a Master’s in International Relations. I thought it would be a great way to experience how debate actually happens at NATO.

How did the hypothetical scenario work?

A grand, ornate ceiling and chandeliers over a long table of student representatives.
The event took place in the opulent Foreign Office Building.

Verity: In our initial meeting, they gave us an outline of what would happen leading up to the event and then they sent out an initial crisis scenario, which described what we’d be dealing with on the day. Our crisis was an earthquake in Turkey.

They also sent out the official NATO handbook, with all the rules of how you vote in these situations, as well as info on the formal ways of doing things in the debate, which was interesting.

Chinumezi: We found out ahead of time that we would be representing Hungary, so to prepare we researched the country and their foreign policy.

I read all about their culture and their prime ministers and anything else we might need to know. I wanted to know at least a bit about the country that we were going to represent!

Verity: Closer to the time, they sent another briefing and then the evening before the event they sent a crisis update, outlining how many casualties there were and how severely it was impacting each country.

We didn’t have any wi-fi on the day, so you had to think on your feet. It made it feel more like a real-life scenario.

What was it actually like on the day?

Verity: I don’t know about everyone else, but I found it a bit nerve-wracking! But throughout the event I got more involved and relaxed into it.

From left to right: Verity, Dunya and Chinumezi smiling in the Foreign Office building.
From L-R: Verity, Dunya and Chinumezi represented Hungary in the mock debate.

We were split into different rooms during the day. Chinumezi was in the Atlantic Committee, and Dunya and I were in the Military Committee.

We got to express our preference but, as none of us had done anything like this before, we were happy to sit in any role.

Chinumezi: It was my first time ever going to such an event, especially in a place like the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and I was a bit nervous too. But I picked things up quickly and everything went smoothly after that.

I was placed in the committee where we were actually making decisions and deciding how to approach the crisis. Hungary played the role of a supporting country, so when the need arose we just raised our hands in support.

So that was a good country to start with, as we weren’t so directly involved.

Verity: It was an interesting one to get because Hungary had been quite contentious in the real NATO in the lead up to the event.

They had previously blocked Sweden from joining for a couple of years and then, a day or two beforehand, reversed their position and showed support for them to join. So we had to consider how that might affect our event too.

Was there a competitive angle to the event?

Chinumezi: In the memo they sent us ahead of time, they informed us it wasn’t going to be a competition.

Dunya and Chinumezi smiling at the camera as they hold up their passes for the event.
Dunya and Chinumezi show their guest passes at the FCDO.

Even during the call we had with the organizers they reiterated that there’s no first position, no second position – just a learning opportunity.

The focus should be on building our networks for the future and gaining experience of what it would be like to join different organisations.

The organisers also taught us how to formally deliberate in environments like that. Before we started, we were taught how to answer questions the right way.

You have to observe the rules to be heard – when you want to speak, you notify the moderator first. We learned how to act like real diplomats.

Do you feel you gained something from taking part?

Verity: It was super interesting and a great way of seeing if you’d be a good fit as a diplomat because you wouldn’t normally get an opportunity to try that out.

And actually, the thing that I liked most was helping to write the press release at the end of the session. Getting the chance to recognise what I enjoy and where I thrive is very useful when it comes to considering future career steps.

I liked that it was also presented as a networking experience. I got talking to quite a few people and even some of those I didn’t properly speak to have since added me on LinkedIn. Even some of the teachers and facilitators who were there.

I found it rewarding to talk to people who work in this area, as I’ve never moved in those kinds of circles before.

Would you recommend Model NATO to other SPAIS students?

A view of the crowd in a reception area of the Foreign Office Building.
Students from 31 universities took part in the Model NATO event.

Chinumezi: Yes definitely, this was a great opportunity that should be open to all students. It really helped me enhance myself for potential careers ahead of me.

If you decide to take part, make sure you research and prepare properly. Try to be confident, but obviously follow the rules and comport yourself like a real diplomat from the start.

Verity: Absolutely. I would recommend going in with an open mind – don’t be too afraid to say something silly or ask questions.

And be sure to reach out to your professors for advice. I have a professor who has worked in the UN and I wish I’d gone to him beforehand to ask questions.

I’d love to do something like this again, but I think it was probably my last opportunity in education. Maybe I’ll just have to go into the real thing!

If you are interested in taking part in a future Model NATO event, please contact Dr Raphael Lefevre.