Richade Fahas, Class of 2021

CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND? 

After a literary baccalaureate in Castelnau-Le-Lez, near Montpellier, I studied at the Sciences Po Undergraduate College because I had the ambition to be of use to the common good, and I knew that I would find the means to professionalise my desire for commitment. 

At the Sciences Po Undergraduate College, my time was divided between classes at Sciences Po and a history degree at the Sorbonne as part of the Sciences Po-Paris 4 dual programme. I wanted to keep my foot in the humanities after the baccalaureate because I think that they nourish reflection and improve the implementation of a project. 

I then spent my third year of study in Washington D.C. where I had the opportunity to do an internship at the French Embassy of the United States. I loved this experience which allowed me to discover a unique organisation from the inside. What impressed me the most was that an embassy is rich in very different backgrounds: diplomats of course, but also cultural, economic, legal and military experts. I particularly liked being an intermediary between the actors on the ground and the central administration. I know I want to stay in this position in my career. If you have the opportunity, do an internship in an embassy, it's a unique experience and you learn a lot of skills. 

When I returned from my year abroad, my plan was clear: to commit myself to the service of the State, which serves the public, by becoming a senior civil servant. To do this, I had to prepare for the administrative exams, therefore the Master in Public Policy, Public Administration policy stream, at the School of Public Affairs was an obvious choice. 

I graduated last June, and I am leaving with a head full of technical skills that enabled me to pass the entrance competition for ENA (now known as the National Institute of Public Service, INSP). I will be able to use this expertise in the delivery of public policy. I believe that a senior civil servant must master the art of implementation and for this the Master’s degree at the School of Public Affairs is excellent. 

WHAT WERE THE MAIN STAGES IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL PATH? 

I think there were primarily three stages:

The first was a personal step. Like many students, I come from a family where studying at Sciences Po or passing the ENA exams was not even in the realm of possibility at the beginning. My mother was born in a poor, run-down neighbourhood in Marseille and my parents always saw studies as an opportunity to emancipate themselves from their social environment. I know the impact of public policies on people's daily lives, and it is also through them that I discovered public affairs. 

I cannot talk about the development of my professional path without mentioning the Public Policy Incubator at the School of Public Affairs. I believe that this was a major moment, as I learned with my team about the methods of implementing public policies and public innovation in the service of citizens. It was from this incubator, that what before was simply a student project became an entrepreneurial adventure. 

As surprising as it may seem, it was the creation of the start-up Public+ that enabled me to be considered an asset to the senior civil service of tomorrow. Public+ is a digital platform that facilitates the work of public servants by simplifying the management of appointments, video-conferencing and continuous training. We have also sought to help citizens to better orient themselves in their administrative dealings. Managing teams, building partnerships, convincing administrations and listening to expectations are key skills that I look forward to putting into practice in my first missions after graduating from ENA. 

HOW DID THE CREATION OF PUBLIC+ AND YOUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE PREPARATION OF ADMINISTRATIVE COMPETITIONS GO DURING YOUR MASTER 2? 

I won't hide the fact that this year has been very tiring and demanding. I think I would never have been able to carry out these two projects without the team at Public+, to whom I am truly grateful. 

Three of us took the ENA exams, and we all passed. I wouldn't go so far as to advise creating a company in the same year as preparing for the entrance exams, but I believe that Public+ enabled us to concentrate on the fundamentals of the company during a year when there was a risk of spreading ourselves too thin. 

In addition, Sciences Po really allows us to link personal projects and exam preparations during the last semester, which is normally devoted to an internship, which also helped us a lot. 

Finally, I really believe that Public+ helped us to have an original perspective on certain issues for our essays on public law, public finance or social issues. It gave us the reflex of practicality and implementation in our essays.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE TO GIVE A STUDENT OR A FUTURE YOUNG GRADUATE?

I really like this quote from René Char: "Impose your luck, clutch your happiness and go towards your risk. By watching you, they will get used to it".

Without hesitation, my advice would be to be fearless in your professional life. It's easier said than done - it's true - and that's why it needs to be said over and over again. 

Don't limit yourself in your projects. Sciences Po is the " anti-destiny " if you know how to take advantage of all the opportunities. For example, if you don't have a network, as was my case when I arrived at Sciences Po, ask your professors and Sciences Po Careers, who will be invaluable in finding an internship, correcting an extra essay or guiding you to find the place where your thirst for engagement will best flourish in the professional world. 

>learn more

• The Public Administration policy stream at the School of Public Affairs
• Public+
• The Public Policy Incubator of the School of Public Affairs
• The preparation for the French administrative competitions of the School of Public Affairs (in French)

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