Even though many of our graduates will have progressed in their careers since completing a case study, they are still of interest to students who wish to gain an understanding of the world of work.

I work on the Switching Programme, which will revolutionise the way you switch your energy supplier by making the process faster and more reliable. When we go-live you will go from it taking 4-5 weeks to switch supplier to being able to switch by the end of the next working day!

My main responsibilities within the programme are procurement of key services and functions we need during the delivery phase over the next couple of years, as well as managing these contracts.

I am also responsible for managing the commercial aspects of our key delivery partners, and supporting them to ensure they are able to execute their responsibilities effectively.

I am also involved in updating and re-writing of energy sector Codes and Licences that are relevant to the Switching Programme. These are really important as they place legal obligations on organisations within the energy industry that govern how they should operate.

Firstly no day is ever the same here, which keeps things really interesting. A typical day can see me leading contractual negotiations and managing our suppliers' performance, through to stakeholder engagement across industry organisations on the latest positions of the various procurements the programme has on-going or reviewing and updating legal text of gas and electricity licences.

The best thing about my job is the people that I work with. They really make the difference. Not only do we all have similar motivations to want to help people and to make a difference, but they definitely make coming into work fun and enjoyable.

The most challenging parts of my job are dealing with and managing our stakeholders. It's also a lot of fun. What makes it challenging (and interesting) is that we make regulatory decisions in the best interests of consumers, but these are often not in the best interests of the energy companies! We frequently face challenge from them, and they try to influence our decisions, but we always need to keep the consumer at the forefront of our decision making.

This type of work appealed to me for two reasons:
1) Once the Switching Programme goes live it will benefit every single household and business in the country! Knowing that the work I do will have a positive impact on people is really important to me and helps me to get out of bed in the morning.

2) Working in the public sector we are ultimately spending tax payers money on the reforms to the energy market. So managing the commercial and contractual elements of this programme to ensure that we keep costs as low as possible for consumers and making sure that we get the best value for money is absolutely crucial. It's quite a challenge, but it's something that I relish.

These are the skills I use most frequently in my job: project management, commercial/procurement, negotiation techniques, stakeholder management, communication, policy making, document drafting and review, critical thinking, IT (MS Office and specialist software).

These are all useful skills, but the most valuable skill/attribute is a can-do attitude. This skill is valued by my team members when they need help, but also shows managers that you are flexible and are able to adapt to changing priorities (which happens all the time in the world of work).

2014 - current: Ofgem (various roles in project management and commercial/procurement)
2012 - 2014: Sustainability consultant at ZapCarbon
2011 - 2012: MSc Environmental Technology (Distinction) at Imperial College London
2010 - 2011: Park Ranger at St Nick's Nature reserve
2009 - 2010: Snowboarding Instructor in New Zealand & Canada

I would love to stay in the energy sector, it's a fascinating area to work in and is a great opportunity to make a real difference in the society we live in, both environmentally and socially. After all, we will always need energy!

I'd also be very open to living and working abroad. I don't really mind what it would be, but I do need a job that has a positive impact.

Firstly don't worry if you don't know exactly what you want to do now or when you finish university. I think the best advice I can give is to take your time and don't be pressured into to starting a particular career just because everyone else is. Take the time to find out what is really important to you and then work out what career opportunities there are for that type of work.

Once you've decided that then try to get as much practical experience as you can, be it formal placements or internships (as long as they are paid, I have a moral objection to unpaid internships). Talk to people who work in places you'd like to work, invite them for a coffee or see if they are going to a work-related event that you could also go to and talk to them. Don't be afraid that they might say no - you're in the same position as you were before you asked! Make the most of your professional and personal networks to find out what experience and qualifications you might need.

Finally I'd say don't worry about there being a perfect career path. It never works out the way you planned and that's ok. Be open to new experiences and opportunities; sometimes the best move is a sideways move. The most important thing is making sure it is interesting, and if you can see how a role is ultimately related to what you want to be doing, or would enable you to learn new skills and gain new experience that would be helpful, then go for it.