UK Political Parties and Public Affairs

Every employer is different so there are no definitive lists here.  These are meant as a guide and should be considered in addition to fully exploring role requirements outlined in person specification, job description and advert for each role you consider applying for. 

• Ability to communicate with a range of audiences
• Adaptability for fast-changing situations
• Confidence to deal with senior politicians, media, lobbyists, constituents helpful but not necessary for every role
• Excellent oral and written communication skills including active listening to understand different perspectives
• Highly professional manner
• Proactive approach to work
• Resilience
• Tact and diplomacy.

In order to develop these skills, remember Career Zone also offers a range of Personal and Professional Development sessions which are available to book on Handshake and run at least once per term.  Please also read through the sections about Gaining Experience and Further Study and Professional Development to discover how you can develop your skills through experience and by gaining further knowledge or qualifications.   

All experiences ranging from volunteering, active involvement in clubs/societies can help you to develop relevant and transferable skills. You may wish to consider involvement in: 

Volunteering 

• Volunteer with a political party: variety of roles from data entry and data analysis to direct voter interaction through canvassing, to design of campaigning or fundraising material.
• Check w4mp | The site for everyone working for an MP for voluntary roles.
• Join the Youth section of a political party, these welcome new members and will arrange visits to party conferences, or to Westminster, provide training on areas like electoral strategy, digital campaigning, and arrange events to discuss policy or strategy.
• Join a campaign on a subject you care about, or start your own.
• For experience in public affairs see opportunities with the Chartered Institute of Public Relations Volunteering CIPR.
• The Public Affairs Register - Public Affairs Board from the Public Relations Communications Association (PRCA) PRCA Global |lists all members in accredited PR organisations. 

University of Exeter Employability Schemes 

• Career Zone Internship schemes: Internships can be extremely useful, so try and get relevant vacation work or placements
• The Exeter Award will help you stand out from the crowd and give you the confidence to shout about the experiences you've had at university
• The Global Leaders Experience is a unique opportunity to develop your intercultural skills as part of a short, outbound mobility experience. 

Speculative applications and where to find opportunities 

Undertaking relevant work experience will also allow you to develop new skills and gain a valuable insight into the sector. As jobs and opportunities are not always advertised, it can be useful to develop your networking skills and apply speculatively. Before visiting the sites below you may find it useful to read our Researching employers page. 

Finding part time work  

• Part time paid and unpaid roles for MPs listed here w4mp | The site for everyone working for an MP 
• The website https://www.adecco.co.uk/ posts temporary, permanent and part time vacancies in Government departments, http://www.charityjob.co.uk/ posts charity roles, useful for campaigning, and check sites such as | LinkedIn, Guardian’s jobs site Government jobs & Politics Jobs | Public Sector Jobs | Guardian Jobs.
• You could also have a look at Handshake, our vacancy database with employers who are targeting University of Exeter students
• The Masterclass Programme - Patchwork Foundation gives young people from underrepresented communities access to senior political and public figures
• Speaker’s Parliamentary programme Apply to the Speaker’s Parliamentary Placement Scheme - Patchwork Foundation provides paid internships in Westminster for people from diverse backgrounds
• Employers looking for part-time and casual staff attend events like Careers Fairs on campus. 

Competition can be strong, especially for entry-level positions. Use the following resources to find advertised vacancies and research employers.  

• Each political party’s own websites list current advertised vacancies, e.g. Work for the Liberal Democrats - Liberal Democrats
• Additionally, each political party has its own Association of Local Councillors which often have paid job roles or internships, e.g. Welcome to the AGC - The Association of Green Councillors
• For public affairs check PRCA Global | and Home CIPR
• Portals such as Graduate Careers For Bright Minds | Bright Network , Job Search | Indeed and Politician's assistant job profile | Prospects.ac.uk can be helpful. 

For general information about finding graduate opportunities, please visit our Graduate Jobs page. 

Graduate schemes and internships 

• Collection for internships.
• W4MP advertises internships and job vacancies working for MPs and across Westminster departments.
• The Speaker’s Parliamentary programme Apply to the Speaker’s Parliamentary Placement Scheme - Patchwork Foundation provides paid internships for people from diverse backgrounds to work in Westminster.
• The Houses of Parliament Graduate Development Programme is a 2-4 year scheme enabling you to work with politicians from across the political spectrum in either the House of Commons or House of Lords.
• The HM Treasury Graduate Scheme is a fast track route to policy roles in public affairs in the Treasury.
• Operation Black Vote (OBV) pairs participants – called parliamentary shadows - with members of the House of Commons and Lords. The scheme aims to increase the number of minority ethnic MPs in Parliament.
• Graduate Programme - UK Government Investments (UKGI) is a fast-track management one-year graduate trainee rotational scheme working across different government departments.
• APCO is a majority women owned global public affairs agency advising governments around the world About APCO with graduate programme and internships opportunities.
• Careers - Hanbury Strategy offers graduate roles and paid internships with a leading public affairs consultancy company.
• FGS Global - a consultancy built for the stakeholder economy is a leading public affairs communications consultancy company with a well-established graduate trainee programme.
• Portland Communications is a global advisory firm advising governments and leading brands around the world with graduate programmes and paid internships Careers - Portland.
• Search Handshake for internships. 

Placements  

If you are interested in finding out more about work placements, you can also access the Work Placements SharePoint via Single Sign-On. This resource covers all aspects of credit-bearing work experiences as part of your degree, including what a placement is, how to apply for them, and bespoke information for international students or those interested in working abroad.  

• Explore the Sandwich Student Scheme offered by the House of Commons.
• Apply to the Speaker’s Parliamentary Placement Scheme - Patchwork Foundation offering placements to students from a widening participation background.
• The Government Economic and Social Research (GESR) Team run a 12-month sandwich student placement scheme aimed at students interested in the Government Social Research (GSR) profession.
• Find out more about Industrial Placements with HMRC.
• The Government Operational Research Service (GORS) sandwich placement scheme is open to students who are looking to complete a year in industry during their degree course and interested in a career in government analysis.

Further sources of support 

If you are an international student, visit our international webpages for help finding opportunities both in the UK and globally. 

To find opportunities outside the UK use GoinGlobal.

For help with making speculative applications you may find it useful to read our Researching employers page. 

Some individuals decide to undertake further study to develop their skills and knowledge of the sector and related occupations. Not all roles or employers will require this, so it is important to research entry requirements and employer preferences before committing to additional training or qualifications. Use the sites below to research your further study options.  

• Use the Prospects website to search for postgraduate courses in fields such as politics, political communications, and PR. 
• FindAMasters.com and mastersavenue.com offer comprehensive databases of postgraduate Masters courses, featuring a wide range of Master’s degree programmes from universities in the UK and across the globe.
• Find further information about Choosing Postgraduate Study on the Career Zone website.
• For more information on continuing onto further study (taught programmes and research degrees) visit the Prospects website, or the Target Postgraduate site. 

Advice

If you are considering postgraduate or doctoral level study before entering your chosen sector, please visit our Postgraduate Study page for more information about choosing further study.

Information and links from professional bodies 

If you have studied a related degree, check if your course is accredited by one of the professional bodies. Being a member of a professional body is voluntary; however, it can be valuable for developing networks, continuing your professional development, and generally keeping up to date with what's happening in the sector.  

• The Political Studies Association aims to study and promote learning about democracy in action. It has an early careers network.
• The Hansard Society for Parliamentary Democracy tracks progress of Bills through the House of Commons and Lords, calls for evidence for submissions and hosts opinion pieces.
• PRCA Global | is the trade association for the PR and lobbying industry, having taken over the Association of Professional Political Consultants (APPC).
• Politicshome.com | Breaking politics and political news for Westminster and the UK – runs ‘The House’ magazine with news and opinion for the House of Commons and organises events online and in Parliament itself.
• The Unite Parliamentary Staff Branch (LE/427) is the trades union representing MPs and their staff.
• The Committee on Standards in Public Life - GOV.UK is an independent body advising  Government on arrangements for upholding ethical standards of conduct in public life in England. 
• The Institute for Government is a charity set up by David Sainsbury, with the aim of making government more effective and produces publications, hosts workshops and events.