{"id":10480,"date":"2026-06-18T12:08:10","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T11:08:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/humanities-blog\/?p=10480"},"modified":"2026-06-22T14:52:47","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T13:52:47","slug":"my-journey-from-q-step-to-my-graduate-job-fred-smith","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.manchester.ac.uk\/humanities-blog\/2026\/06\/18\/my-journey-from-q-step-to-my-graduate-job-fred-smith\/","title":{"rendered":"My Journey from Q-Step to my Graduate Job- Fred Smith"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Hi, I\u2019m Fred Smith, a third-year BA Social Sciences Politics and Data Analytics (BASS) student at the University of Manchester. I am about to graduate, and have secured a role on a graduate scheme, which I do not think would have been possible without taking part in the Q-Step scheme at The University of Manchester.<\/p>\n

What made me study Politics and Data Analytics at Manchester<\/strong><\/p>\n

Coming to Manchester was an easy choice for me. I wanted to move to the North West to be closer to my cousins and other family members. As I explored different universities, Manchester stood out because of its strong reputation for employability. When I visited the campus, I also fell in love with the city and knew it was the right place for me.<\/p>\n

When it came to choosing what to study, I already had politics in mind because I found it interesting and saw it as a subject that could help me make a positive difference. However, I was hesitant about taking a single-honours degree. My experience of studying politics at A-level had focused heavily on the more negative aspects of international politics, and while I wanted to support people and communities, I also wanted to gain a broad set of transferable skills. My statistics teacher encouraged me to consider data analytics because of the growing number of opportunities in the field. After doing some research and seeing how organisations such as Lloyds were recruiting for data analyst roles, alongside my own enjoyment of statistics-based work, I was excited to discover that Manchester offered a joint-honours degree in Politics and Data Analytics.<\/p>\n

How studying Politics and Data Analytics has shaped my career aspirations<\/strong><\/p>\n

Studying a joint-honours degree has been extremely beneficial because it has allowed me to develop skills across two different fields. By speaking to academics and specialists from both departments, I learnt how politics and data analytics can work side by side in a professional setting. Developing my data literacy while analysing policy documents showed me how these skills can be applied to a wide range of roles across government and the wider data sector.<\/p>\n

We attended a lecture on Q-Step, a programme designed to help second-year students gain meaningful work experience with organisations they may aspire to join after graduation. During the session, we also learned that there may be opportunities to complete the programme abroad. It was only after taking part in Q-Step that I became more career-oriented, as it made me realise how rewarding work can be when it aligns with your interests.<\/p>\n

After completing the programme, I realised just how practical and career-focused our degrees at Manchester are. Much of what I was learning and being assessed on connected directly to the work I was doing during my Q-Step placement. It helped me understand which skills I needed to strengthen and where I should focus my efforts to improve my chances of securing a strong graduate role in the future.<\/p>\n

What I did during my Q-Step work experience<\/strong><\/p>\n

I completed my Q-Step placement at Manchester City Council, where I contributed to research into the rise in Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs) issued to students. There is currently significant pressure on SEND provision in the UK, and part of the work involved exploring the factors behind the increase in EHCPs. I researched why these numbers were rising and analysed data from across the UK to identify patterns that might help explain the trend. I found the experience extremely valuable because it allowed me to apply the skills I had developed on my course in a professional environment. It showed me how research and data analysis can be used to inform government policy. Shortly after I completed the research, the government announced new policies to support children in education with EHCPs, which made the experience feel especially relevant and meaningful. It was easy to stay motivated, because I could see how the work I was doing had the potential to make a positive difference.<\/p>\n

How Q-Step helped my career aspirations<\/strong><\/p>\n

Q-Step definitely helped me finalise my decision about my graduate job. When I spoke to Professor Jackie Carter, who runs the Q-Step programme, she supported my decision-making by helping me identify roles that combined my interests. Q-Step feels like much more than standard work experience. It offers a kind of tandem training by helping you prepare for interviews, develop professionally, and understand the realities of the workplace. The reflection and learning built into the programme also give you valuable opportunities to grow.<\/p>\n

What will you be doing after graduation?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I have secured a role as a Graduate Research Executive at Ipsos, within its Public Affairs team. In this role, I will contribute to research and consultations on public opinion to support policy development, including work involving surveys and wider research projects. I am really looking forward to this opportunity because it brings together both of my disciplines and allows me to contribute to work that can support people and communities. In the future, I would like to move into campaign management, and I see this role as an important step on that journey.<\/p>\n

Advice for future students<\/strong><\/p>\n

My advice to students applying to university would be to make the most of their first year and take every opportunity to get involved. That also means asking academics questions and exploring all the resources available, because the University offers a huge amount of support. Accessing that support early gives you a much better chance to benefit from it than waiting until your second or third year. The support at Manchester has been excellent, and although it is a large university, that has never made it feel less accessible. In my experience, even a small effort to seek support has brought a great deal in return. I would encourage students not to be shy and to make full use of everything available to them.<\/p>\n

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