“I’m creating opportunities for young people from all backgrounds.”

Going from an A level taster session in politics to a career in public affairs is quite a leap. What else happened?

Politics really came to life for me at sixth form. We had a visit from our local MP who mentioned that he offered work shadowing. I took up the offer and got to go to Westminster. When I was there, I got to meet Dianne Abbott MP, who is a political hero of mine. Being in that place and meeting those people persuaded me that there was something there for me. I started looking around at degree courses and found the one at Hull came with the opportunity of working for an MP as part of the degree. I was sold!

Did you know anyone else at Hull? What was the experience like?

I didn’t know a single other person on my first day, which was daunting. But it didn’t take long for me to find my place, because there were so many opportunities.

I didn’t join the student branch of a political party, because I wasn’t sure which party best represented or that I would want to represent. But I did join the Politics Society, where I found a lot of like-minded people. I became General Secretary and was responsible for securing guest speakers to come and address the Society and the wider student population. In that role, I was able to bring about changes to archaic ways of working, which really gave me a taste for how I could effect change and use my skills to make things better.

I worked as a student ambassador and, when we did our work placements in Westminster, I was the student rep at Westminster.

How did completing your degree put you on the path to career success?

Spending time at Westminster as part of my degree was critical. I learned so much about what other people do and heard about jobs I had never heard about before. I was in touch with a lot of public affairs and lobbying professionals.

Shortly after my stint in Westminster, I found out about an opportunity to work at Conservative Party HQ. It felt very exciting to be at the heart of things, where decisions were being made and policy determined. The person who gave me the opportunity was from Hull – there's something special about University of Hull alumni. We look out for one another. I knew I would be studying for my MSc in Public Affairs and Lobbying from the September, so I spent the summer gaining real-world policy experience.

What was next for you after your Masters?

I completed my Masters with a lot of skills and knowledge and a burning desire to create change, but I didn’t know what change I wanted to create. I decided the priority was to put my newly acquired skills into practice and gain some more detailed experience actually working in lobbying and public affairs.

I decided it would be practical to try both in-house and agency roles to understand what suited me better. I took a job with the British Toy and Hobby Association. I have to admit, I didn’t know what they did when I started, but I quickly discovered I liked working with member organisations and the variety of perspectives they include.

A real turning point for me was working at BCS, The Chartered Institute of IT. The innovative side of tech was very appealing and it quickly became a passion for me.

What is it about creating change that gets you out of bed every morning?

I’ve learned so much and been able to work on some really important projects, particularly around increasing opportunities for disadvantaged and minority groups. The tech industry isn’t famous for being particularly diverse, and I have worked on a series of projects to make the tech sector more representative of the people who use technology, creating opportunities for young people from all backgrounds and securing commitments from companies to prioritise diversity in their hiring and training.

At UKIE (UK Interactive Entertainment), I worked on a project that led to the first ever UK diversity census, which in turn, resulted in a diversity pledge for organisations to commit to improving diversity within their organisations. UKIE represents 2,000 games businesses who employ 73,000 people across the UK, so to have members signing the diversity pledge is really significant for the future of diversity in the gaming industry.

What is the best or most unexpected perk you have had since you started working?

For me, it has to be access to the Palace of Westminster. It’s not just a beautiful, old building that people travel the world with the dream of seeing, it’s the heart of power in the UK. Every day, thousands of people go to work there with the ambition of making life better for people across the country in one way or another. I find that really inspiring. Walking into that building just never gets old!

Away from Westminster, my working life has brought me into close contact with the arts, and I love that. Every year, I visit the V&A and the Tate Modern. I see plays at the National Theatre and multiple musicals it inspires me so much to see these people so dedicated to their craft. It makes me want to be even better at my job.

My interest in the arts led me to work with Creative Access. It’s a charity working to create opportunities for people from all backgrounds and help them secure placements in theatres, newspapers and other organisations they might not otherwise get a foot in the door of. I’ve used this as my opportunity to give back and have been a Co-Chair of the Creative Access steering group, learning about charity finance and understanding financial reporting. It has been very eye-opening.

Is an elected role in politics something that’s on your horizon?

People ask me that all the time! Being an MP would certainly give me the opportunity to effect real positive change, but at the moment, I’m really proud of and motivated by what I do. It would be a lot to give up.

What would be your message to anyone starting their time at the University of Hull now?

My personal mission is what drives me and gets me up in the morning. My current role is all about helping educational organisations.

Hull changed me as a person. I hadn’t interacted with so many people from so many backgrounds before I went to university. I learned a lot on my course, but I learned a lot more about people. What motivates them, the challenges they overcome, and how we can all make a difference simply by being surrounded by incredible people every day.

I still see friends I made at university. These connections are priceless and I wouldn’t have them if it wasn’t for my time at the University of Hull.