Joe, Graduate Project Officer

During my time with the Suffolk Local Government graduate scheme, I worked in both the Suffolk County Council HR and Recruitment team and Babergh Mid Suffolk Public Realm team. I had the opportunity to work on different projects with various impacts on the lives of Suffolk Residents.

The highlights of the scheme for me, were some of the projects that I was able to work on that had an impact on the communities we serve, for example I delivered multiple play parks across the Sudbury area. This was a great achievement for me, and it was amazing to see the direct impact of the changes we were implementing on the community. Other activities such as assisting Suffolk County Council on their Suffolk Day stall and participating in the graduate volunteering days were also great highlights, as our cohort were able to work together and collaborate in a different type of environment.

My main take from the graduate scheme was my own progression towards personal goals. When starting the graduate scheme, I wanted to develop my project management skills, communication skills and confidence presenting and communicating at a strategic level. I have had the opportunity to communicate with directors and leaders within both councils which has been a great opportunity when working on strategically important projects.

My advice for future cohorts is to take all the opportunities that are presented to you and go search for those that are not. If you want to work with another team for the day, or want to see how someone in your team works, how their workday looks, ask to shadow them or work for them for the day. Not only will this help with your understanding of the council, it also opens pathways to other job opportunities across the council in the future.