When I was interviewed for my current job in public policy, I was asked how my degree had prepared me for the role.

It made me really think about my academic journey and how my degree had given me credibility as someone who can learn quickly and think about the bigger picture. History enriches your mind and understanding of the world in a way that really helps a career in government or policy.

I’d arrived in Cambridge from Bradford with fairly limited social experience, having never moved school or really stepped outside my comfort zone.

Cambridge taught me how to engage with a huge variety of people, and how to speak my thoughts out loud in a way that's articulate and persuasive. It’s such a key skill in all workplaces.

I come from a family of healthcare professionals so it felt a brave step for me as a 16-year old to choose French and History.

Everyone was like, what are you going to do afterwards? And I didn't really know. I just had this mindset of "keep doing what you enjoy, get good at it, and it will take you places". My parents were really supportive but had high expectations of me and so, if I was going to study what I loved, I needed to look for the best courses at the best universities. My heart was set on Cambridge

Cambridge University Islamic Society did an amazing job of breaking down any misconceptions I had.

They ran an access event in Manchester when I was in Year 12. It helped me so much. I met students who had these vibrant academic and social lives – and I knew that I needed to be part of this. The society connected me with a student mentor who gave me advice which really transformed my application.

When you apply to Cambridge, you choose a College.

This is where you'll eat, sleep, make friends, play sport and have some of your teaching. I chose mine meticulously! I was probably a bit over the top if I’m honest. I made beautiful charts listing all their different attributes and Jesus College felt right for me: I liked the location, the sports grounds, the accommodation.

Was I nervous about fitting in? Not really. I was curious.

Growing up, most of the students in my Bradford school were of Pakistani or Bangladeshi heritage like me, and I was very comfortable and used to being surrounded by a similar demographic to myself. So it was an eye-opening experience to meet people at Cambridge from such a range of different backgrounds. While there was a thriving Muslim community at Cambridge that I took great comfort in, I also enjoyed and learnt so much from the diversity of thoughts, experiences and values that surrounded me.

The academic side was exciting, but definitely a challenge!

I found it overwhelming at first. I’d thrived in school with structured exam styles, marking schemes and formulaic ways of writing essays, and suddenly there was a level of academic freedom I hadn’t experienced before – I was encouraged to develop my own writing style, my own perspectives, and to pursue what interested me.

Cambridge’s small-group teaching style helped me.

My supervisors gave feedback rather than a mark, so I always felt I was working to read, write and argue better, not working to get a higher grade. It was so valuable to be able to talk through my thoughts aloud, and to get very thoughtful, specific feedback on each essay I wrote.

It's a really tough job market at the moment so I used Cambridge’s Career Service to get more information about the options available to me.

An advisor helped me think about what I was good at, the skills I’d built throughout my degree, and how to help my CV stand out.

If you seek out opportunities, you’ll find them everywhere in Cambridge.

I got involved in societies, organising fundraising, helping with access and outreach, and playing netball. When I came to put together my CV it was so full.

After my year abroad, I got an internship at a management consultancy company, which then offered me a job as an analyst.

It wasn’t a career I could see myself doing in the long term, but it was a great starting place. I learned how to use data, talk to clients and manage multiple projects.

Helping companies identify skills gaps and learning about complex job architectures gave me experience and knowledge that enabled me to pivot into my current job.

I work as a Policy Officer at Enginuity, a charity focused on closing skills gaps in the UK workforce. Engineering and Manufacturing sectors are facing specific skills challenges because of transformational changes with the advent of AI and the push to Net Zero. It’s a fascinating space that plays into my passion for education and opportunity for all, as well as giving me new interests and areas of expertise. We connect government with employers and educators to make sure industries have people with the right skills at the right time, and to ensure young people have full access to careers they can thrive in. It’s a mission I can really get behind.

I’d never have expected when I chose French and History that I’d be working in public policy today.

I'm learning about government lobbying, advocacy, legislation and how Parliament works. These are skills that are going to really help me in my career.

Cambridge was fundamental to broadening my horizons.

I had inspirational people all around me. My degree taught me how to think deeply and question everything. It taught me the value of hard work and encouraged me never to be complacent. I feel it’s given me such a strong foundation in my confidence and skills, which will hopefully enable me to do something great with my career.

If I could speak to my 16-year-old self, I'd reassure her that it's good to follow your dreams, and that you don’t need to have it all figured out just yet.

And someone's got to get in. Why not you?