WIREDGOV

Blog posted by: Saajidah Makda, Communications Manager, Department for Work and Pensions, 10 October 2025.

Saajidah reflects on her two-week placement at the Environment Agency which she was connected to through Switch. The placement gave her hands-on experience in a different MCOM discipline.

Why I chose to take part in Switch

I applied for Switch because I wanted to step out of my comfort zone. My communications background is mostly internal communications, and I was keen to build experience in external comms, especially media. Switch gave me a supported way to try this, without the formality of a recruitment process, and the chance to see if it was an area I’d like to explore further in my career.

How Switch helped accelerate my career

For me, Switch was about confidence and growth. It helped me to develop skills in my Professional Development Plan, which I hadn’t had the chance to explore until this placement. Switch gave me that opportunity.

Over two weeks at the Environment Agency, I got to do a huge variety of work. I drafted press releases, handled journalist enquiries, and wrote media bids. I helped prepare and brief spokespeople for interviews. I supported a regional drought campaign, filming with a flood warden, gathering material for social media, and seeing how content moves from the field to the public.

I sat in on local and regional Cuts meetings and learned about how operational staff work with comms teams. I saw how emergency incidents are managed from a communications perspective, and how senior leaders take decisions under pressure. I even got to meet local partners and see first-hand how the Environment Agency works with stakeholders on the ground.

It was fast-paced, but that was the best way to learn. It pushed me to try new things and gave me a much clearer understanding of how external communications works at a regional level. I came away more confident about my skills, my network, and the career paths open to me. 

Key knowledge I gained from my placement

One of the most valuable lessons was how transferable comms skills are. The writing skills I rely on in internal comms helped me shape stories for local media. I also saw how language and tone shift according to the audience.

Another key takeaway was the value of networks. Working in a smaller office meant I could build relationships quickly with area directors and operational staff. That access gave me insights I’d never have had in a bigger, more siloed environment.

I’ve also been able to take fresh ideas and practical knowledge back into my role in DWP. The experience of handling media bids and writing press releases has already sharpened my drafting skills and given me the confidence to put myself forward for more varied work.

Finally, I gained real exposure to senior leadership. Understanding how a Director of Communications makes high-level decisions was eye-opening. It helped to see the considerations taken and compare them to how we make decisions in our department.

Advice for people wanting to participate in Switch

My advice is simple: say yes and throw yourself in. It helped to ease the nerves by reading up on GCS Advance modules related to the discipline to give a bit of background but mostly Switch is about learning by doing, not about being perfect from day one. Be curious, ask questions, and if you can, spend some time in person with your host team. Doing this allowed me to tailor my experience to what I wanted to gain from the programme once I had built an understanding of what the role was. Being in the office helped me pick things up quickly and see how people worked day to day.

What 3 words would you use to describe your experience on Switch?

Engaging, immersive and empowering!