Torben David, Class of 2018

CAN YOU DESCRIBE YOUR ACADEMIC AND PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND?

After obtaining the Abitur (the German high school diploma), I left Berlin for London to pursue my interest in international politics and the European project in particular. During my BA in European Social and Political Studies, I followed courses in political science, law, history and Dutch alongside students from Europe and all over the world. It was during my final year at UCL that I developed an academic interest in digital policy and decided to make this subject the focus of my further studies.

When I was looking for suitable Master’s degrees, Sciences Po’s policy stream in Digital, New Technology and Public Policy at the School of Public Affairs immediately stood out. During my two years at Sciences Po I did not only learn a lot about the challenges Europe faces on the path to the digital transformation of its society and economy, but it was also thanks to the integrated practical semester that I found my first job at Germany’s digital industry association Bitkom in Brussels.

Since arriving in Brussels, my professional life has focused heavily on European digital policy, first through my job at Bitkom, later at Korean technology company Samsung and finally in my current role as digital policy advisor to the German Social Democrat MEP Tiemo Wölken.

WHAT WERE THE MAJOR STAGES IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL PROJECT?

My professional project began with a course at UCL on “Governing New and Emerging Technologies”. This course sparked my fascination with the challenge of adapting our social, economic and political rules to the new technological paradigm. Since then, I have dedicated my academic and professional development to understanding the dynamics of the digital transformation, with the objective of contributing to a successful transition in Europe.

>My studies at Sciences Po were a critical stepping-stone for my subsequent professional development. Notably, I learnt how to view the issue of digital transformation through the lens of various academic disciplines, including history, economics and law. In my first job at German digital industry association Bitkom, I was able to draw from this broad foundation and build on it. In this first professional station, I was able to apply and extend my knowledge and skills in the fast-paced public policy world and dive into a wide variety of digital policy issues, such as platform regulation, telecoms policy and digital sustainability.

After almost three years at Bitkom, I felt that I had exhausted my potential to grow there and accepted an offer to join the Brussels team of Korean technology giant Samsung. Joining one of the largest technology companies in the world was an exciting next step, and I thoroughly enjoyed discussing policy challenges such as the semiconductor shortage or digital identity regulation with business and engineering departments all over the world, developing solutions that we could bring to the table in Brussels. However, my stay at Samsung turned out short, since I was offered the opportunity to work as digital policy advisor for the German Social Democrat Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Tiemo Wölken. Leaving Samsung was not an easy choice, but I could not pass up the exciting challenge of directly supporting the work of an MEP like Tiemo, especially given my membership of the German social democratic party.

WHAT ARE THE MAIN FEATURES OF YOUR JOB TODAY AS DIGITAL POLICY ADVISOR TO MEP TIEMO WÖLKEN IN THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT?

As digital policy advisor, my role primarily consists in assisting my MEP’s work in this field. The needs of the day dictate my agenda. My work includes drafting briefings on policy files and in preparation for events or political negotiations, writing speeches, meeting stakeholders, developing amendments to legislation, helping to work out political compromises, and, of course, responding to lots of emails. The topics covered are also very broad, ranging from the regulation of digital platforms, AI and data to eHealth and sometimes even non-digital files, such as legislation on due diligence in supply chains. As a rule, the work as an MEP policy advisor depends entirely on the MEP. There is no clear-cut profile, and, as all jobs in politics, it requires a great deal of flexibility in terms of content and time.

WHAT HAVE BEEN THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF YOUR TRAINING AT THE SCHOOL OF PUBLIC AFFAIRS, AND MORE PARTICULARLY THE SPECIALITY DIGITAL, NEW TECHNOLOGY AND PUBLIC POLICY, TO THE POSITION YOU HOLD TODAY?

My studies at Sciences Po formed the foundation for my future professional development and equipped me with skills and knowledge that I still draw from almost every day at work. Through its broad, interdisciplinary curriculum, the policy stream in Digital, New Technology and Public Policy provided me with a holistic overview of the digital transformation of our society, which still helps me to put new developments in perspective - be it from an economic, legal, historic or public governance angle. Additionally, the very practice-oriented approach taken in most courses enabled me to transition smoothly from the academic world into professional work life. In the “real” world, nobody asks for long-winded, academic essays, but concise and well-drafted briefings will get you a long way. If you are looking for a practice-oriented Master’s degree to jumpstart your career, Sciences Po is a great place to start.

WOULD YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR A STUDENT OR FUTURE GRADUATE?

I would advise students and recent graduates to choose a job based on the work you will get to do, rather than the prestige of the employer or other external factors. Too many people focus on the reputation of their employer when picking jobs, or are fixated on working for a specific institution, no matter the cost to their personal development. I do not think that this approach will make for a good start to a career, and it certainly will not lead to a happy work life. If you are working at your dream employer, but your actual work is not engaging or simply not enjoyable, you will not be able to grow in the same way as someone who is genuinely thriving in their work environment - even if they may not want to stay with their employer forever.

Do not let yourself be pressured over picking your first job. Your first job does not need to be your dream job, but it should help you build the skills and expertise you need to get there. This is how I approached my professional development, and, at least for me, it has paid off. I am now in the exact position I aspired to be in back at university, doing the work I wanted to do, in the institutional setting I found the most inspiring - but it took me three years of professional growth in other jobs to get there.

If your first job is not your dream job, do not despair. Just set one foot in front of the next and do not hesitate to go for opportunities when they present themselves. Building a career is a marathon, not a sprint.