From September to December 2022 Amelia, who is on the Politics and International Relations Pathway at the University of Nottingham, undertook a placement with the UK Government’s Open Innovation Team. The Open Innovation Team is a cross-government unit that works with experts to generate analysis and ideas for policy.

During the placement, Amelia worked on projects with several different government departments. She identified key elements of academic literature and synthesised them into a policy report, led interviews with experts, presented in client meetings, scoped a future project, and researched policy context for impact advice clinics.

The placement met all of Amelia’s professional, personal, and academic aims. She has commented on how the experience of working and networking with civil servants was invaluable, and how she developed her confidence in producing meaningful work outside of an academic context. Amelia particularly enjoyed using the skill set she has developed as a PhD candidate in a different context, and has seen an improvement in her writing and communication skills as a result.

Reflecting on the benefits of the placement, Amelia says:

“This placement has undoubtedly had a positive impact on my future career inside and outside academia. I have always been interested in policy, but working in that sphere has felt unattainable. This placement has allowed me to get a foot in the door, to see that I am good at the work, and to build confidence for future applications to the Civil Service. The placement was specific to producing research-informed recommendations for policy, so I also hope to use the skills and knowledge learnt in disseminating my own PhD findings, and hopefully seeing some impact from my research!"

In addition to hugely positive feedback from her supervisor, the host organisation has commented on how much they benefitted from Amelia’s skills, and how her critical thinking and knowledge have contributed to outputs.

The Open Innovation Team run a termly PhD placement programme. The placement is 3 months long (full-time) and can be completed in Westminster, virtually, or on a hybrid basis. Placement students receive comprehensive training and are invited to meaningfully contribute to ongoing projects. If you are interested in applying, keep an eye out on the Open Innovation Team website and twitter page for announcement of their annual application process.