Welsh Government Early Careers: Jamie

I began my journey with the Welsh Government as a casual employee in May 2008, moving to a full-time Team Support role in March 2009. My first job was with the Tir Gofal team in Penrhyndeudraeth. Motivated by an interest in public service, I found the opportunity with Welsh Government aligned perfectly with my career aspirations.

Over the years, I have held various roles, starting in Rural Payments Wales and later moving to Information, Library and Archive Services. There, I focused on identifying Welsh Government records for permanent preservation at The National Archives and piloting the digital record transfer process. Currently, I am responsible for identifying records relevant to the COVID-19 inquiry and working with external lawyers and consultants.

I enjoy the high-profile, diverse nature of my work and the opportunities it provides to build relationships both within and outside the organisation. Despite being based in Caernarfon and having a team spread across Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, and Aberystwyth, modern technology makes collaboration straightforward and maintaining social connections easy.

Before joining, I imagined the Civil Service to be quite straight laced, not very diverse and not much opportunity to be creative. However, my experience has been the complete opposite. You soon realise that the organisation is made up of people from all sorts of backgrounds and walks of life. As part of PRISM, our LGBTQ+ staff network, I feel encouraged to bring my authentic self to work, and the visibility of LGBTQ+ Senior Civil Servants and Ministers fosters an inclusive culture from the top down.

What I love most about working for the Welsh Government is its flexibility and the emphasis on personal development. It is incredibly rewarding to contribute to public services that benefit the people of Wales. My advice to potential applicants is simple: don’t hesitate to apply and seek help if needed!