I applied to work here because I really wanted to be a part of helping keep people in the UK safe. And there’s no denying that’s what we do. I was a little worried that working for a government organisation would be more of an admin role – just writing and forwarding communications sort of thing - but I’ve happily been proved wrong. We’re actually a group of hard working, dynamic people and we’re just as much a part of making our country – and the world – a safe place.

Since working here, I realised that you really need to want to make a difference. It’s in everything we do. But you’ve also got to be adaptable and have a questioning mind with an interest in what’s going on in the world. It’s fascinating because I know I used to make a lot of assumptions but I don’t take anything for granted now. It can be quite enjoyable knowing the background behind what’s being reported… knowing the story behind the headlines. Also, because of all the training I’ve had since I joined, I’ve learnt the world does not stand still when it comes to technology. It’s a challenge to keep up with it all.

But overall, this has easily been the best job I’ve had for my career. I’ve not only been able to work on stuff that I’m really proud of, but I’ve also been given training to develop the softer skills I needed. So along with the technical and analytical training, I’m now a lot more confident in doing regular working things like giving presentations. Skills that I can take into any other organisation. It’s been amazing for my personal development.

Applying for my role was really straightforward. I was asked questions that were similar to previous interviews I’ve had. The only real difference was the vetting process, which took a few months and I had to give a lot of information. But I was more than happy to do it because it was all completely relevant to working here and I knew that the security team here would treat it with strict confidence.