Portland is a great place to start a career. My undergraduate and postgraduate study focused on politics and policy, and while I knew I wanted to remain engaged in those areas, I was also aware that staying consumed in the worlds of Westminster and Whitehall could be a little limiting.
Portland offers so much because it lies at the intersection of a number of different sectors – politics, policy, business, and media. As a graduate, there is nothing more valuable than being allowed to ‘try out’ such a diverse array of work, and nowhere more exciting to do that than in an agency full of people with experience in those fields. For current affairs geeks like myself, being in a profession where there is a need to know what is politically significant or culturally relevant is very stimulating and makes you feel that what you’re doing is topical.
There are senior people at Portland who know how to operate the worlds of politics and traditional media, and their experience is extremely valuable for junior people in the company. Now that Facebook and Twitter have become as powerful and influential as news sources, younger and more junior colleagues also have knowledge to contribute due to their familiarity with these platforms.
Portland has created a working space where the best ideas are welcomed and can get through, no matter who has suggested them, and that is very enabling for those of us who are just starting out in our careers.
To read more about our Graduate Programme click here.