A Career in Politics - careers information right here!
From the crisis in Ukraine, the pandemic, hospital waiting lists to policing, education and transport, these are all aspects of political decision making at local, regional, national and international level.
If you have a passion for current affairs, you care about outcomes for people, then politics might be for you. You don’t have to become a politician – you might be interested in journalism, communications, lobbying or being an analyst.
4 key points to help you investigate a career in politics! 1. Get work experience – shadow a politician, volunteer with a non-government organisation. You’ll be tasked with admin, support, research, publicity, casework, liaising with pressure groups, drafting amendments for reports and briefings.
2. A degree is the usual route but there are more apprenticeship opportunities available to school leavers now (check out www.parliament.uk). Degrees are preferable in economics, history, philosophy, politics, international relations, public admin and social policy, political science.
3. Get involved with your university’s politics and/or debating society/students union. Keep up to date with current affairs and sign up for politicians’ newsletters, join a political party.
4. Be well organised, have excellent communication skills, be confident and highly professional, have good ITskills, have careful attention to detail, be resilient and efficient as well as being diplomatic.
Employers include politicians, political parties, government, local government, trade unions, civil service, pr consultants.
A day in the life of Ben Bradley MP
For more details about political careers take a look at these websites:
Written by Elaine Latchford at Jampacked Careers 2022.