Ofcom - GradJobs Live! & PostGrad Study Live!

Company Profile

Ofcom is the independent regulator and competition authority for the UK communications industries. We regulate the TV, radio, fixed-line telecoms, mobile telecoms and postal sectors, plus the radio spectrum over which wireless devices operate. We are now seeking applications from graduates to join our coveted Graduate Scheme for 2018.

As a Graduate at Ofcom, you will join an exceptional training programme that will provide you with unique insight to the workings of the communications industries. Communications play a crucial role in the lives of UK citizens and consumers, and as the sector regulator Ofcom exists to make these markets work for everyone. The fast-paced nature of the markets we oversee means that this role is ever-changing.

Whatever your degree subject there are several pathways open to you which will enable you to maximise your skills within your preferred area. The Ofcom Graduate Scheme pathways that you can apply for include:

Generalist and Policy (London or Edinburgh)
Economist (London or Edinburgh)
Spectrum Engineer
Communications Technology
Corporate Finance
Financial Analyst

Our Graduates work on a wide range of projects during their time with Ofcom, the impact of which will have an effect upon everyone in the UK. You will move across different teams and projects, gaining knowledge and insight, developing your skills and finding your perfect specialism. Graduates have worked on projects as varied as television policy and content standards investigations to the upcoming launch of 5G mobile services, to research projects such as the recent “box set Britain” report.

Interested? To be considered, you must have, at a minimum, a 2:1 degree (or equivalent). Equally important is your enthusiasm to learn, capacity to pick up new skills quickly and desire to create a strong career for the future. A permanent role in the organisation is waiting for you at the end of the two year scheme.

More about Ofcom

OFCOM – CASE STUDY 2

Alex Ferrer

I joined Ofcom in September 2017 as an Economist after graduating from university. When I was looking for jobs, I wanted something where I can apply economics theories and skills that I have learnt from my degree. Also, I wanted it to be a rewarding and challenging job so I was specifically looking for organisations where I can make a positive impact in people’s lives and will be continuously learning new things. After stumbling upon this scheme and further research into Ofcom, I felt that it met all that I want for a job so I swiftly applied for it.

The recruitment process was the most enjoyable one I have been through. All the stages will make you realise if this job is a great match for you.

The first stage wasn’t a box standard CV and cover letter. It was an application, but not long and daunting. There were questions on competencies but most of it required some economic analysis and knowledge about the organisation. On the second stage, I was required to write an essay on price discrimination which sounds daunting, but I very much enjoyed it. I did not write it as an academic paper, I wrote it as a report and I was actually surprise that I got through this stage. If you are not particularly confident about your written communication skills, which I was not at the time, do not be put off by this stage. Just make sure that you are clear and concise. Then, I was in the final stage: the assessment centre.

It was a very challenging day but really good in a way because it reflected the type of tasks that you will face on the job. The day involved a drafting and presentation exercise; competency and technical (economics) interviews; and a discussion on the essay I submitted earlier. I was really concerned about the drafting and presentation tasks but the Ofcom staff were so friendly in the assessment centre. They calmed me down and made sure that I was performing at my best instead of panicking.

I only started in the scheme recently, but I was already given a lot of responsibilities. I definitely feel that my work is making an impact on the organisation and people’s lives. The best thing about this scheme so far is the large emphasis on development. Everyone (including senior staff) are keen to give us (the graduates) work that will stretch us but also would like us to attend trainings that are available. I am currently signed up to modelling and STATA courses. They also try to accommodate us to put into projects that we prefer and matches our interests.

On top of this, there are some quirky perks that I appreciate, such as the free tea and coffee. Additionally, there are space hoppers that are available as alternative to desk chairs, which improves your posture and it is just fun to sit on them.

OFCOM – CASE STUDY 1

Alice Glossop

I’m currently in my third rotation on the Generalist Pathway of the Ofcom Graduate Scheme. I’ve been in the organisation for just over a year and have worked across all of the industries we regulate in various ways.

I started the graduate scheme as a change in career. I worked as a radio broadcast producer for a few years after graduating from university with a degree in English Literature. I decided I wanted a change, but didn’t want to move totally away from broadcasting. I wasn’t looking for a graduate scheme, but I really liked the idea of getting to learn about other areas of the communication industry so decided to apply to Ofcom.

During the 18 months that I’ve been on the graduate scheme at Ofcom I have worked in Content Policy, the Market Research and Market Intelligence teams and Spectrum Policy. Within these roles I have worked across many of the sectors Ofcom regulates, from the BBC, media literacy research, broadband and Wi-Fi spectrum usage. Throughout these different experiences I have been actively involved in project management and policy discussions. There’s always an opportunity to ask questions because the whole point of the graduate scheme is that you’re getting an insight into different areas of the company while learning along the way.

The highlight of working at Ofcom so far for me has been project managing a piece of qualitative research on children’s media habits. The study interviews (as far as possible) the same children even year to get a sense of how the services they use are changing, what they’re watching, how they’re interacting with their peers and digital services and generally how changes in media are impacting their daily lives. It was really interesting watching the video footage back and picking out points to discuss with policy teams. I also delivered presentations about this research to my colleagues and found this really enjoyable and a great learning experience.

The main challenge of working on the Ofcom graduate scheme is that every six months you’re thrown in at the deep end all over again. This is also one of the things I enjoy most about the job though! It can be difficult to understand new industries, for instance Spectrum Policy was completely out of my comfort zone, and there is a learning process to go through every time you start with a new team. However, I find the way to overcome this is to talk to your new colleagues as much as possible. People will always take the time to answer your questions and not only does it help you understand the work better, it helps make you feel more involved with the team.

I really enjoy working for Ofcom because the areas we look at and regulate impact everyone’s lives every day. From downloading whatever series you’re binge-watching at the time, to how public service broadcaster’s present their news output – Ofcom is involved!