Almost two months into the MPP course and with the first Policy Challenge workshop under their belt, our students are in the midst of two of the core modules, Foundations of Public Policy and Economics. But here at the Blavatnik School of Government we know that successful policymakers are not just great analysts and clever thinkers. They are also effective communicators and team players that can draw on vital skills such as negotiation, finance and budgeting, strategy and programme management.
That’s why the Professional Skills Programme, which runs throughout the year, is extremely useful to help develop those transferable skills that a career in public policy requires. How does this programme work? Initially, we hold a seminar to help students identify opportunities to develop their knowledge across disciplines and expand their networks: for example, both the Blavatnik School of Government and University of Oxford offer an incredible amount of talks, seminars, and lectures with top academics and organisations.
Our dedicated Careers team also sets up a series of individual meetings to help students think about the next steps in their career and seize all the opportunities offered by the Blavatnik School and the University of Oxford.
We also have a range of courses and workshops that we constantly update so that every year they are relevant and tailored to the specific needs of the class. Some workshops are aimed at discussing general skills – for example, while most of our students know how to write a good CV and cover letter, during our workshop they can review and debate with experts the best ways to make an application stand out for a job related to public policy.
Writing is also a key skill for policy analysts and policymakers – after all, they often have to communicate complex ideas through reports or an op-eds. Our writing skills workshop helps students assess their style, find their ‘voice’ and improve clarity and vigour in their writing and is run by Financial Times journalist John McDermott. He told us: “I'm enjoying teaching the students. I'm impressed by their confidence and thoughtfulness. Like the best writers, they read aggressively and ask provocative questions.”
There’s a lot more to the professional skills programme – for example, a course about presentation skills with Simon Bucknall (twice UK & Ireland Champion of Public Speaking) and sessions on group work, effective campaigning and speechwriting. Together with the core MPP teaching, this programme offers our students the skills and knowledge to be successful in their policy careers.
