Part of Parliament: Zsofia Kiss - Office Manager (Chamber and Committees Team)

During my second year of A Levels, it started to become clear that going to university may not be the best option for me. This was quite the rebellious plan at the time as I was the only one in my year who was seriously considering doing an apprenticeship, and it wasn’t encouraged by my college. The plan was all clear in my mind when I opened the dreadful envelope with my results and asked myself, “Is it really a good idea going to university?” Other young people might ask similar questions of themselves for a variety of reasons, for example: the anxiety of exams, student debt, disappointing A-level results or just simply have no idea what you want to do when you grow up.

For all the reasons above, I decided to choose an apprenticeship. You learn while you earn, which is difficult to turn down and when you get an offer from the Houses of Parliament for one of their apprenticeships, I didn’t think twice! There were various roles available each of which could lead to a promising career in the heart of politics – a subject I was interested in.

From October 2016, I was an apprentice for one year for the Petitions Committee, where I oversaw the team’s inbox which means I dealt with many emails about Donald Trump and Brexit, prepared papers for Committee meetings and supported the team with admin tasks. For two days a week I was also working in the Table Office, dealing with Parliamentary Questions and general queries about House business and the Order Paper, detailing what is happening in the House of Commons each day. Working for the Petitions Committee taught me about outreach and how to engage the public, and working in the Table Office taught me about the procedural rules of the House of Commons, essential knowledge if you want a career in Parliament. 

'I oversaw the Petition team's inbox which means I dealt with many emails about Donald Trump and Brexit' 

Starting my apprenticeship was a shock to the system. I was no longer spending every day with my old friends, I no longer had my trusted schedule of essays and classes and known faces, and I was diving into the world of politics. However, I settled in quickly as I found my place in the teams and they became like a second family to me, and I still keep in regular contact with them. While keeping up with my work, I completed weekly set assessments about the skills I was learning and applying throughout my work day. Sometimes these were straightforward – for example time management and organisation – but others, like public speaking and presentation, were initially terrifying. For me, this was rather a huge jump than a step. It took a lot of practicing, nerve and planning to succeed in giving engaging and informative presentations. My manager and tutor were very supportive and helped me step out of my comfort zone and make the most of the opportunities to present.

The effort and work paid off when, after finishing my apprenticeship, I was offered a permanent position in Parliament and was invited to give a speech during an event organised for National Apprenticeship Week. The Speaker was in attendance, as well as the Chair of the Education Committee, its entire staff and all current apprentices. The speech went exactly how I wished – thankfully all my jokes landed! Overall, it was a fulfilling and rewarding finish to my year and a great start to my career in Parliament.

I wish at the time of my results day I had the knowledge that you don’t have to have it all figured out or be an excellent student to build a career after school and be successful. Therefore, I’d encourage everyone to consider applying for an apprenticeship, particularly in the House of Commons.

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