Linda G. Akpinar
Current Employer/Organisation Name
UNICEF Switzerland and Liechtenstein
What have you been doing since leaving Exeter, and what are you doing now?
I graduated from Exeter in 2020 with a BA in History and International Relations. After that I continued to study and did my Masters in Human Rights and Politics at LSE which I finished in 2021. February 2022 I landed my first job as an intern at a strategic consultancy in Brussels where I stayed for one year before moving back home and starting an internship at UNICEF. When my Internship at UNICEF finished they decided to keep me on so I’ve been working as a Specialist for the Child Friendly Cities initiatives ever since.
Why did you choose this career? And what do you enjoy most about your work?
After my masters my main goal was primarily to find a job and start somewhere. After what felt like 100 rejections I got a job in a strategic consultancy in Brussels. Consultancy was never the dream but it gave me a solid foundation of key skills that I need to this day. When my contract came to an end there I tried my luck again and applied for internships, this time succeeding in finding one in the human rights sector (UNICEF). Human rights organisation are often very international and diverse in its tasks. Depending what country you work in, the problems that are faced and need to be dealt with can be completely different. I also get to meet people from other Natcoms, go to international conference, hold webinars or round tables and was able to publish a publication on children rights in the digital space. As a CFCI Specialist I also travel around Switzerland and Liechtenstein and help municipalities in their process of becoming more child friendly or hold presentations on the importance of the implementation of children rights on the communal level.
Please tell us if you were a member of any societies, groups or sports clubs?
I was a memeber of quite a lot of societies in my first year but toned it down a bit for my second (and third, but Corona hit so I kind of had to). So in my second and third year I was a member of Debating Society, which always had really interesting talks they hosted and was just a fun society to be part of.
What did you enjoy most about your programme and what was the biggest highlight?
The people in my programme were absolutely amazing and I am still in touch with quite a few of them! The biggest highlight for me was the course “International Human Rights” in my third year at Exeter as it basically inspired me to go on and study Human Rights and Politics in my Masters!
What did you most enjoy about studying here?
Again, meeting the people that have become my close friends now. Obviously, I also loved the fact that Exeter had a real Campus and that many lived on Campus during the first year. It made it feel like its a little student town I mean it literally has a cinema, a pub, a cafe shop, a merch shop and a gym on campus (probably even more but it’s been a while since I last visited). This is something we normally don’t have in Switzerland.
Why did you choose to study at Exeter?
The Visit Day convinced me, getting to know the course a bit more and how people live in Exeter.
What skills and experiences have been most useful for your career?
Research, writing and presentation skills. There has obviously also been some information I knew on world politics and history that helped me in my career but it’s hard to pin-point all of them.
What advice would you give to a current student who wishes to pursue your career?
That’s a hard one. Often getting a job has a lot to do with luck; are they looking for someone with your academic background, do you have the experience they need, have you worked in the organisation before, how soon would they need you to start, etc. However, to give some advice: apply to that job, even if there is one bullet pointed skill that you do not have. Skills can always be learned.
What are your plans for the future?
Not sure but I would like to continue working for human rights organisations if I can.
