Andrew

Employer: GCHQ
Qualifications: BA politics and French, University of Southampton

8.30 am

I arrive at the heart of UK Signals Intelligence – GCHQ’s Cheltenham office. I’ve always been interested in current affairs and through my course I came to realise how important the work of the intelligence services is to the infrastructure of the country.

Although I can’t go into detail about my role, as an intelligence analyst I have responsibility for a number of targets. My day involves assessing material, analysing it and passing it on to my clients. On a long-term project, I’ll analyse different sources of information, looking for patterns so I can build up a picture that will be useful to others. A short-term task might involve evaluating material to see if it contains intelligence and producing a report if it does.

11.30 am

I attend a training session on some recent government legislation. There is a comprehensive training programme when you join the organisation and you quickly develop an in-depth understanding of the intelligence environment.

1.00 pm

I head to the staff restaurant with some colleagues. After lunch, I respond to an e-mail related to a recent international conference, which I attended as a representative of my team.

3.00 pm

I return to the analysis I started this morning. I worked in financial services for two years after university and, although I enjoyed the world of business, I craved more from my job. I’ve now had the opportunity to work on topics that have featured in current affairs. One of the highlights is knowing that intelligence produced from my work has been used at the highest levels of government.

5.30 pm

I usually leave work at a reasonable hour. The days can be long if the work necessitates it, but flexitime means I can take time off later.