Life at Ofqual

Working with data at Ofqual

Describe a typical day? 

One moment I might be writing code to verify data from Awarding Organisations. The next I could be looking at trends for our official GOV.UK reports. I also create and maintain interactive dashboards that show data on the qualifications system in England.  

I frequently exchange data with colleagues, which requires strong numerical skills, attention to detail, collaboration and a commitment to maintain best coding practices.

Tell me about a proud moment at Ofqual? 

Publishing my first official statistical report on GOV.UK about vocational and technical qualifications. Coming from a research background, reports took months to finish. Here, our team completed it in just four weeks which was incredibly rewarding. 

Why do you like working at Ofqual? 

The flexible working arrangements. Working part-time with 40% of my time on-site and the rest at home gives me a really good work-life balance.  

How have you developed your skills? 

I’m part of a cross-government data learning hub which provides courses that are tailored to data and analytics. What’s particularly great is that Ofqual’s culture encourages us to prioritise learning and development as part of our job. 

What’s the culture at Ofqual like? 

The structured working hours have made a significant difference to my life. Coming from a research background where hours were irregular, I appreciate the predictability of working regular hours. 

What advice would you give to someone applying to Ofqual?  

Don’t be afraid if you come from another background. I didn’t come from working in the education or assessment sector but had transferable skills.  

Work in data or research? Bring your unique skills to life with a new role at Ofqual. Look out for roles on Ofqual’s LinkedIn.