Name: Hannah Davey
Year Started (Graduate Scheme): 2019
Current Position: Equality & Diversity Graduate Officer
Studied: English Literature MA at Cardiff University
Why did you apply for the scheme?
I’ve always been passionate about helping and serving the community, and when I saw the Graduate Scheme advertised I thought it would be a great way to give back to a community that I love and am proud to be a part of.
The advancement of equality and diversity in RCT and the wider world is very important to me, so when this job came up I knew I had to go for it. I felt that I would be able to bring ideas explored through my studies to the Council to develop the workplace and the wider community to be a more equal and fair place to live and work, and learn more about equality legislation in practice.
Highlights: Working in the Council as a graduate has given me opportunities to work on a wide range of projects across other teams. I’ve been able to take part in work helping members of the public renew their bus passes with the consultation team, attend our Disability Forum, and most recently constructed a reasonable adjustments agreement for Social Work students on placement within RCT Council. My position within the Equality and Diversity team has also allowed me to use my studies in English Literature to plan the Council’s first ever Black History Month event back in October, and work with the team to plan an International Women’s Day event that focussed on Welsh women earlier in March. I’ve also been able to join our Allies staff network, which means I can help promote equality throughout the Council and be a listening ear for those who may need it. As part of my role, I’ve also been able to support our other staff networks which has given me a greater understanding of how other people can experience the workplace.
As a graduate, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to develop professionally and personally. Not only have I been given the opportunity to work towards my Level 4 in Project Management, I’ve been able to attend several training sessions on making the Council a more disability confident employer, advising those facing discrimination in the workplace, and attracting and retaining disabled talent.
Recommendations to Applicants: Don’t get caught up in relating the competencies to what you think the job will be like or taking from purely professional experience – we want to see any opportunities you’ve had to demonstrate the skills that meet the criteria.
Before your interview, do as much research as you can - it’s always nice to show that you know what the department is doing. This will also help you relate the job description and your skills to questions that you’ll be asked on the day. Don’t be afraid to point out issues either! If you’ve been asked to evaluate the effectiveness of a service for a presentation, give both sides of the evaluation. This will give you an opportunity to show your ideas for improvement.