Work, volunteering and career planning
-
- Student home
- Work, volunteering and career planning
- Exploring your options
- What do you actually do? podcast
What do you actually do? - a podcast from Careers and Placements
Have you ever wondered what a particular job actually involves? Our podcast series What do you actually do? aims to answer that question.
What do you do all day? What skills do you need? How did you get the job? What advice do you have for students?
Get the answers to these questions along with career inspiration, top tips and insider knowledge every other week during semesters when Kate Morris asks our guest, ‘What do you actually do?’
Each podcast is accompanied by a blog post with a full transcript of the episode and useful links to help with your research. You'll find the blog link for each episode in the podcast description.
Latest episode: The Civil Service Science and Engineering Fast Stream with James Halpin
Today's episode of What Do You Actually Do!? will look at the world of the Civil Service Fast Stream. Kate interviews James Halpin, who is currently on the Science and Engineering strand of the Fast Stream. They cover the variety of postings James has undertaken, the transferable skills that have helped him in his role and the future challenges for the Civil Service plus James's tips and advice for applying to the Fast Stream.
Listen as Kate gets to the bottom of what James’s job looks like.
James’s bio:
I'm part of the UK Civil Service Fast Stream graduate programme and I'm on the Science & Engineering scheme. I'm currently working at the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities and my past postings include the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and a secondment at the Newton Venture Program.
I hold a first-class integrated Masters degree in Chemistry from The University of York and I spent my masters year at the University of Helsinki as a year abroad working in a research lab. After University I worked for the charity Shelter for a year before joining the Fast Stream.
Subscribe now
Browse our previous episodes
Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts to see our latest episodes. Below we've organised our back catalogue into job sectors so you can find the episodes most relevant to you.
Advertising, marketing and PR
Climate Communications Consultant: Cass Hebron
Getting on a top grad scheme, with Lewis McDowell
Marketing in the museum, with Tasha McNaught
Running an advertising firm, with Luke D'Arcy
Client Account Management in Advertising with Izi Hutchinson
Want to know more? Read our job sector information on advertising, marketing and PR.
Charity and voluntary sector
A career in corporate social responsibility, with Daniel Arda
Making people's lives healthier, with Sam Thomas
Pursuing your passions in the charity sector, with Cat Schroeter
Working in international development
Want to know more? Read our job sector information on the charity and voluntary sector.
Creative industries
All roads lead to film-making, with Richard Knight
From lecture theatres to film sets, with Hannah Greig
Getting involved with theatre, with John Tomlinson
Historical consulting for video games, with Nicholas Gliserman
Want to know more? Read our job sector information about the creative industries.
Criminal justice
On the beat, with Ross Gehnich
Prison Officer (Unlocked Graduate scheme)
Want to know more? Read our job sector information about criminal justice.
Digital, IT and cyber security
Bringing social media into The Economist, with Adam Smith
Changing fast: working in agile project management, with Alison Critchley
Digital archaeologist and entrepreneur
Flirting with Algorithms, with Harpal Sahota
From TV to tech, with Vivien Chung
Historical consulting for video games, with Nicholas Gliserman
Starting a Startup, with Phil Daneshyar
Summer Internship: Make it yours! with Julia Hebron
Want to know more? Read our job sector information about digital, IT and cyber security.
Education
Being a project manager, with Laura Hallett
From lecture theatres to film sets, with Hannah Greig
How to train your teacher, with Sarah Dagnell
Lecturing is the tip of the iceberg, with J.T. Welsch
Managing a University, with Charlie Jeffery
University widening participation officer
Want to know more? Read our job sector information about:
Environment and energy
Finance, consultancy and business
Health, healthcare science and social work
Calling the Midwife, with Jessica Allason
English grad to junior doctor: Graduate medicine and beyond, with Ian Henderson
Exploring clinical science, with John Filby
I ❤ Compliance, with Kate Pyle
In and out the laboratory, with Stefan Sipika
Life as a social worker, with Bethany Pease
Making Medicine, with Tom Ronson
Want to know more? Read our job sector information about:
International development
Working in international development
Want to know more? Read our job sector information on international development.
Journalism and publishing
Bringing social media into The Economist, with Adam Smith
Climate Communications Consultant
A day in the life of a BBC journalist, with Lucy Vladev
Get into book publishing, with Helen Barton
Journalism researcher at the BBC
Writing for a living, with Lewis Lansford
Want to know more? Read our job sector information about journalism and publishing.
Law
Museums and heritage
Consultant in the heritage industry
Digital archaeologist and entrepreneur
Marketing in the museum, with Tasha McNaught
Senior Estate Manager - English Heritage
Talking census: a career in genealogy, with Christina Copland
Working in heritage: In the archive in lockdown
Human-centred design in the cultural sector with Alyson Webb
Want to know more? Read our job sector information about museums and heritage.
Politics and public affairs
Climate Communications Consultant
Making people's lives healthier, with Sam Thomas
Managing the economic growth of York, with Alex Dochery
Placement year in a political think tank, with Andrew Gloag
Want to know more? Read our job sector information about:
Recruitment and HR
Science and engineering
Start-ups and entrepreneurship
Starting a Startup, with Phil Daneshyar
How to make a portfolio career work
Life as a CEO: running Cafédirect
Want to know more? Find out about Enterprise support at York.
Working in research
From lecture theatres to film sets, with Hannah Greig
Journalism researcher at the BBC
Lecturing is the tip of the iceberg, with J.T. Welsch
Making Medicine, with Tom Ronson
Pollution is in the air, with Aiden Heeley-Hill
In and out the laboratory, with Stefan Sipika
Want to know more? Read our job sector information about working in research.
Internships, placements, grad schemes and special episodes
We've recorded episodes with York students who have completed internships through York Internships the and placements through the Placement Year Programme. We've also talked to graduates working on popular graduate schemes:
Internships
Student Internship Bureau special
Summer Internship: It's not easy being green, with Oscar Bentley
Summer Internship: Make it yours! with Julia Hebron
Placement Year
Placement year in a political think tank, with Andrew Gloag
Graduate schemes
Aldi Graduate Area Manager Programme
L'Oréal marketing programme: Getting on a top grad scheme, with Lewis McDowell
Unlocked Graduate scheme: Prison Officer
Special episodes
Graduating in a global pandemic, with Tom Banham
Imposter syndrome: how to deal with it in university, work and everyday life
What do you actually do if you're graduating in a global pandemic?!: 2022 edition
Related pages
- Explore your ideas - start here if you're struggling to work out what you want to do after you graduate.
- Job sector pages - overview of how to get into some of the most popular career areas.
- York Profiles and Mentors - find out what York graduates are doing, ask them questions and send mentoring requests.
- Talk to us - overview of our appointments if you need to talk to someone face-to-face.
Sitemap
Studying
- Enrolment
- Manage your studies
- Student visa holders
- Develop your skills
- Assessment and examination
- Graduation
- University card
Support and advice
