How would you sum up your overall experience of the graduate programme?
My Ofcom experience has been great on the graduate programme. Although the network security pathway is on a project-based rotation rather than team rotation like other pathways, many of my projects involved various teams throughout the organisation. This allowed me to not only work alongside a wide range of individuals with different expertise but to also understand how each team works and how they work together to complete a project.
What’s the biggest accomplishment you’re proud of from your two years on the programme?
Although I was one of the most junior colleagues in the team at the time, I was given the opportunity to programme manage the consultation and publication of Ofcom’s guidance. This by far was one of my biggest accomplishments as this guidance outlines Ofcom’s approach to monitoring compliance under the new security legislation and is still being used to this date. The successful publication of this guidance involved collaboration between many teams and being able to be part of the group of people who have contributed to this is a big achievement.
What’s your current role and how did the graduate programme help you get there?
I’m currently a Senior Technology Advisor in the network security team where we play a key part in ensuring that there are strong and secure networks across the UK. Many of the workstreams that I’m currently involved in requires me to apply my technical knowledge and project management skills to ensure smooth running and completion of each project. As someone who has been on Ofcom’s graduate programme, I was able to learn and develop many of these skills I use today during that time. This was the result of the great learning and development opportunities that is available to graduates. This included technical training, soft skill training, speaker events, conferences and many more. Specifically, my team supported me as a graduate to complete an industry recognised cyber specific certification to develop and demonstrate my technical skills.
What are your top three tips for future candidates preparing to apply for the graduate programme?
Take your time. It may feel like a long application process to prepare for, but it will fly by quicker than you think. Being able to take your time and process each step of the application will give you a clearer idea of what you are aiming for.
Know the company you are applying to. This may seem obvious but sometimes a lot of candidates forget this. Keep an eye out on any news articles of the company. Have a look at the company’s values and see whether it matches with your values. By knowing company, it shows that you care and will give you a better idea whether you or the role is the right fit.
Check your technology. Many companies follow an agile way of working, which means many interviews may be held online. It is important to check that your device is working ahead of the interview to ensure you start on time but also to give you the peace of mind of not having to worry about another thing.
What’s next for you?
One of my passions is passing on my experience and knowledge to younger individuals who are looking to start their career in technical roles. I have been mentoring year 12-13 students in the past but will be starting my role as a mentor to university students in 2025!