Alumna Anne-Sophie shares her experiences of working in Parliament
Published on 17/04/23
In February former Stephen Perse student Anne-Sophie Faivre kindly returned to the school to give a talk to Year 12 and 13 Politics and Sociology students.
Anne-Sophie - who studied at Stephen Perse between 2009 and 2014 - has been working in Parliament for the last three years as an assistant to Members of Parliament, and most recently to Harriet Baldwin, a former minister and current Chair of the Treasury Select Committee.
Anne-Sophie revealed how her interest in politics had really been ignited by the EU Referendum in 2016 and how this enthusiasm led to her to seek work in Parliament. She was able to give some fascinating insights into how she obtained her position despite not having a specifically political background (her degree is in Economics) and into the varied work of a parliamentary assistant.
It was also interesting to hear Anne-Sophie talk about some of the behind-the-scenes stuff of politics and how politicians and their aides are often much less partisan when off stage than they might appear to the public as ‘talking to the other side’ is an essential part of the job.
Anne-Sophie also talked to the students about how they might find work as a parliamentary assistant and how the role can be used as a stepping stone to future aspirations. These do not necessarily have to involve becoming a politician as Anne-Sophie herself is seeking to move into a role more connected to her interests in economics and international development. Anne-Sophie was particularly keen to emphasise to the female students that they should not be deterred from pursuing career options in Parliament.
The students found Anne-Sophie’s talk to be very enjoyable and there was definite interest amongst them in looking further into parliamentary work as an alternative career path.