From OEs Andrei Sandu and Darshan Patel comes an inspiring account showing the power of the guidance that our alumni community can give current pupils who are thinking about their futures.
Their joint story starts at the 2018 Careers Convention, where Andrei (OE 2007–2014) was representing the Civil Service and Darshan was a Year 12 student uncertain about his future. It ends with Andrei and Darshan (OE 2012–2019) unexpectedly working together at the Cabinet Office!
Andrei left QE in 2014 to study Economics at Durham, joining the Civil Service as an economist after graduating. “Only a handful of others on my course considered it as a career option – indeed I found out about the Civil Service ‘by accident’ through a friend.”
After very positive experiences in his first year, including being entrusted to advise a Minister at a meeting of the Council of the EU in Brussels, he has been doing what he can to raise awareness of jobs in the Civil Service.
“Through my career, I’ve enjoyed working in roles where I can use insights from economics and data to influence policy development on a range of interesting issues, including trade negotiations and international industrial policy. I now head up a team of economists in the Cabinet Office.
“I’ve taken part in QE’s Careers Convention each year because I think it benefits the students and the Civil Service in general – I never expected it to benefit me personally!”
Darshan takes up the story. “I was in the first year of Sixth Form, not really thinking about my career and what I wanted to do. All I knew was that I enjoyed Economics and its real-world applications.
“When I met Andrei at his stall, he told me that he was an economist at the Civil Service. I had no idea what either of those terms meant, but I quickly realised that this was exactly what I was looking for; a way to use what I was learning in the classroom to have a genuine positive impact on people and the economy. Following that conversation, I was sure that I would study Economics at university and apply to the Civil Service upon graduation.”
A first degree followed – also at Durham – and then a Master’s in Economics at Queen Mary University of London.
“Fast forward to 2024, I successfully applied for a job at the Cabinet Office, and I was amazed to find out that Andrei was the head of the team I was joining. I am really enjoying my work, and I feel like I am having an impact every single day. I would highly recommend a career in the Civil Service to any Economics student that wants the same – but whatever career path you’re thinking about, follow your passions, reach out to people and learn about all that’s available to you!”
For his part, Andrei concludes: “I wasn’t involved in the recruitment process for Darshan, so was amazed to find out we’d reconnected in this way, and he’s been an asset to the team ever since.”