Siobhán Carty was attracted to Ofgem’s Graduate Management Training Programme by its flexibility and the opportunity to work in different parts of the organisation – “Having worked for a year post university I was really keen to find a role which allowed me to gain breadth of experience”.
As a graduate of University College Dublin where Siobhán studied for an International BA in Economics and Politics and with an MA in Economics from the University of Ireland, Maynooth Siobhán was keen to put her economics skills into practice.
“My six month rotation in Offshore Transmission in the Networks division has allowed me to do this and I have gained an in-depth knowledge of how competitive principles can be applied to a monopoly regime. I have also had the opportunity to be involved in the drafting of consultation documents and have had a lot of exposure to industry, other government bodies and financial bodies which will be extremely valuable to me as I move around Ofgem.
I also spent six months in the Environmental Programmes team where I gained a good understanding of how Ofgem is helping the government to meet its environmental targets. As part of this rotation I also worked closely with DBERR (formerly DTI) on the renewables obligation.
My next three months will be spent in Brussels and I am really excited about this opportunity to work at the heart of Europe, supporting the team to create a common European framework for national regulators and learning about the energy environment in the other member states.
Since joining Ofgem I have been made to feel very welcome, starting with the induction I had with the other graduates on my first day. In fact one of the biggest benefits of the scheme is the range of training opportunities available – including training on getting the best from yourself, presentation skills and I.T. skills. I also had the opportunity to spend two weeks (one in January and one in September) at the Florence School of Regulation which is quite prestigious and gave me an understanding of some of the important issues across the energy markets from both a national and a European perspective. As part of my rotation in Networks I also attended training on how price controls work.
The other benefits are really good too – Ofgem’s offices are based in the heart of Westminster which is a very exciting place to be, there are shops and bars close by and a good social life in Ofgem. There is even a subsidised gym on the premises.
And looking to the future - Ofgem is very keen to support staff’s progression through the organisation and there is also the opportunity of secondments in the wider Civil Service to gain broader experience.”