Edmund loves helping out at the heart of things

I wanted to work at the House of Commons because I have always had a keen interest in the Palace of Westminster, the procedures of Parliament, and the history behind it all.

My very first job was a paper round in my local village, when I was 13 years old. I loved the community interaction, and I did that job for two years before I stopped to focus on my GCSES. Then, I went onto college to do a Travel and Tourism BTEC.

This meant moving to a new area where I didn’t know anyone, so I started working in a local fish and chip shop to make friends. It was a great decision, as I made friends for life, and I continued to work here throughout the pandemic. Then, I saw an opening for an Administrator at a vaccination centre.

I felt it was my duty to help, and get as many people vaccinated as possible. Alongside, I carried on working at the fish and chip shop. A year later, I was casually looking to see what other jobs were on offer, and I saw the Visitor Assistant role. I was very interested, so I applied to see what the process was like, got the job and left the fish and chip shop.

I spent about a year doing the Visitor Assistant role, and I got to be part of some really cool things, such as a State Opening (the main ceremonial event in Parliament’s calendar), and escorting diplomats to and from Speaker’s House.

I was also helping our Events team with banqueting. And alongside I carried on working at a vaccination centre to give back to the community. But as the need for the centre died down, I was looking for a full-time role at Parliament. I got my next job here as the Catering Supervisor in the Terrace Cafeteria.

This was great fun, as I also got to work in the Members’ Tea Room. My aim was to try and give the best service possible for all customers. With a great team behind me, I feel we achieved this. I did this role for seven months before I saw the role as a Project Support Officer in the Project Delivery team.

I have always been fascinated with the logistics of how projects are run at the Palace. So I applied and was successful. I have been in this role for six months now, and my knowledge has expanded greatly, working alongside experts in the field who really strive for innovation.  

Working here does make me feel as if I am part of something important. I get to see the democratic process of parliament, and I get to see history take place in an amazing UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Edmund loves helping out at the heart of things. Together, we make Parliament happen.