If affecting change in tangible, observable ways is something you want to do every day, then this scheme really does give you the opportunity to do that.
University: University of Manchester
Degree: Social Anthropology and Archaeology
Year of graduation:2019
Current Council: London Borough of Barnet
Current role: National Management Trainee in Adult Social Care
What first inspired you to apply to NGDP?
To be entirely honest, I came across the NGDP during a routine job hunt. I wasn't massively happy in the role I undertook coming straight out of university and was looking quite broadly at different roles. The NGDP stood out to me as I knew I wanted to eventually go into social policy research, analysis and advice, and the NGDP's trajectories seemed perfect for this.
How much did you know about the NGDP before you applied?
Before finding the application, I knew absolutely nothing about the scheme at all. There was a wealth of information about the scheme on the LGA's website, though, so I did manage to get a relatively comprehensive understanding of the scheme before and during my application.
What was the recruitment process like? What kind of support did you get along the way?
It was a thorough process, and whilst there were a number of stages, I think each stage made sense in terms of what they were testing and wanting to find out about you. Whilst the disruption and challenges of Covid to the process felt a bit scary sometimes, there was a lot of support available to us, and each activity we were tasked with was well explained too, so I never felt too lost.
I always felt quite aware that I could get in touch with the team by email if I needed any support, and I also found the NGDP BAME Network's Q&A session to be really useful in finding out about the experience through a BAME lens. They were all very helpful and kind, and offered their details for us to stay in touch for any additional advice and support too.
What would be your advice to people thinking about applying to NGDP?
If affecting change in tangible, observable ways is something you want to do every day, then this scheme really does give you the opportunity to do that.
My pragmatic advice in the application process is to really have a look into the NGDP's competencies and values, and try to think about times where you've embodied and developed those competencies: not only to help focus your efforts in the different stages of the process, but also to remind yourself that you're deserving and completely capable to take this opportunity, and make the most of it!
