Charlie Fisher

Current Employer/Organisation Name

Teignbridge District Council

What have you been doing since leaving Exeter, and what are you doing now?

Since graduating in 2018 I have worked in Local Government. First as an Elections Officer at Teignbridge District Council, then as a Scrutiny Officer at Devon County Council before returning to Teignbridge as the Democratic Services Manager and Deputy Monitoring Officer.

Why did you choose this career? And what do you enjoy most about your work?

I didn’t think I would be doing this work at all – I initially started on a 4 month temporary contact but I never left. I enjoy working with Councillors, Officers and the Public to make changes, improve services and improve governance arrangements. 

What did you enjoy most about your programme and what was the biggest highlight?

Being located at the Penryn Campus, I liked it was a small cohort. It made the course more personable and you got to know everyone really well. The biggest highlight was the trip to New York!

What did you most enjoy about studying here?

The campus, the course and the people you meet. 

Why did you choose to study at Exeter?

It is nationally and internationally recognised as an excellent University, and growing up in Devon – why would I travel further when what I needed was on my doorstep.

What skills and experiences have been most useful for your career?

Researching, looking into the finer points of legislation, writing skills, presenting, public speaking 

What advice would you give to a current student who wishes to pursue your career?

Understand the legislation well, get to grips with good practice and network to find out even better practice!

What are your plans for the future?

Depends on Local Government re-organisation, but I hope to still have a job in a few years time!