Tanya Bhattacharyya
BSc Economics & International Development
Placement at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office
“During my year at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), I was working in the Global Economy Group, which is comprised five multidisciplinary teams. I worked with the Development Team, which provides political support for the Departments for International Development’s (DFID) work on poverty. It covers issues such as the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), food security, trade and health.
The large amounts of topics covered by the team allowed me to get involved in a huge range of work - everything from the MDG, Prime Minister’s Call to Action, a high-level event held at the UN; to the Swine Flu Crisis Unit during the recent H1N1 pandemic. In addition, I’ve taken forward the DFID/FCO newsletter as well as the UK’s International Pandemic Preparedness Strategy. My work on African Economics even took me on a fact-finding mission to South Africa, an experience I didn’t imagine having when I applied for the job back in University.
My year at the FCO was an excellent opportunity and gave me occasion to work with a wide variety of people and to gain practical experience, which in turn has offered me a clearer direction for my future educational and career plans. I would highly recommend anyone to take a placement year, it is not only a fantastic experience, it differentiates you from all the other graduates.”
