Nicola's career in the land of Frozen Planet

Nicola Awford OU alumna, works for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s Polar Regions Unit. Find out more about her job, how the OU has influenced her work and how her role relates to the current OU/BBC production of Frozen Planet.

Can you tell us what the Foreign and Commonwealth office do?
In one sentence, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, or FCO, promotes UK interests overseas. This includes supporting UK citizens and businesses around the world. We do a huge variety of work – from helping distressed British nationals overseas, to representing the UK at the Arctic Council.
 

What is your job and has it involved travel/work in other countries?
My current role is Desk Officer Antarctica in the Polar Regions Unit, but sadly I probably won’t get to visit!. This is a generalist position which involves helping administer the British Antarctic Territory and dealing with wider Antarctic issues. I previously worked in our Libya Crisis Unit, Policy Unit and Africa Directorate in London. I’ve been on short trips to Africa and China, and was also lucky enough to spend 18 months working overseas at our Embassy in Tallinn, Estonia.
 

What did you study with the Open University and how has this helped you with your career?
I did BA (Hons) Humanities including a mix of arts and business courses (AD317, AAZX300, A213 and B200). Studying with the OU requires self-discipline and commitment, both of which are very attractive to employers. The European studies and comparative religion courses provided a lot of factual knowledge which I’ve found useful. Studying such a wide range of subjects also prepared me well for the multi-skilled jobs I’ve had so far in the FCO. But most importantly I think the OU approaches subjects in quite an innovative way and that has rubbed off on the way I approach problems. Creative thinking is valued in the FCO and the OU is very good at teaching it.
 

You mentioned that you work remotely in Dublin as part of your job and the OU helped with this. Can you tell us more?
Yes, I spend about half of my time working out of our Embassy in Dublin as my partner is currently based in Ireland. I borrow a computer and redirect my phone line from London. Flexible working is encouraged in the FCO but it isn’t an automatic entitlement or right, so when I applied for the role in the Polar Regions Unit I also included a letter explaining how the job could be done remotely, at least some of the time. I used my Open University degree as an example of how I can work without close supervision. Fortunately my team were willing to give it a go, and the Embassy in Dublin has been very welcoming and accommodating too.
 

You recently featured a link to the BBC/OU production: Frozen Planet on the FCO website. Can you tell us more about the FCO links to the programme and your own interest in Frozen Planet?
Frozen Planet offers a rare insight into the stunning polar regions and we hope it inspires viewers to learn more about the UK’s interests and activities in the Arctic and Antarctic. The UK has a very long and impressive history of polar science and exploration, which continues today. You might know about the tragic outcome of Captain Scott’s ill-fated trip to the South Pole one hundred years ago, but did you know that he also recorded scientific data that is still used today? Measurements from Scott’s expedition helped British Antarctic Survey scientists discover the hole in the Ozone in the 1980s.

One of the more unusual ways we have collaborated with the Frozen Planet team is to produce a set of stamps for the British Antarctic Territory, which is administered by the Polar Regions Unit. I really hope they’re a success as we reinvest most of the revenue into projects to protect and promote the Territory!

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