My first plan for my career is very much a short term plan that I hope to only to be doing for a year or two, after that the next plan is to hopefully work at AWE. AWE stands for Atomic Weapons Establishment and is where I did a summer’s placement between the first year and second year of university which was probably my ideal job. I managed to gain the experience as my dad works there currently. While I was only there for a short time, I really enjoyed the experience even if it involved 5:30 am starts every day, and no access to my phone, a truly difficult issue for any millennial.

It showed me that photography jobs are often in places you wouldn’t expect. Due to the high level of security of the place, they have to have an in-house photography center as outside photographers won’t have the right security clearance. Even after getting a back round check, my security clearance still wasn’t enough so while I couldn’t do anything highly secret I was able to photograph events, even getting my work in the business’ magazine and learn in a professional environment.
I hope that my experience will allow me to work there again, if not get more experience with them. The dream would be to work there throughout my twenties and thirties. One of the main reasons the job is so appealing, amongst other reasons like being part of a great team and having access to an amazing kit, is job stability. I love the idea that I could be able to do photography and not worry when the next event was coming as I would be at work nine to five, Monday to Friday with great pay.
It was such an unusual place to work, being greeted every morning by soldiers with guns definitely took some getting used to, and having to be escorted by a member of staff everywhere I went due to my lowest security level. AWE is located in Aldermaston, between Reading and Basingstoke, and a reason I don’t want to apply to AWE straight away is that I don’t feel ready to leave Bath just yet. I consider myself quite career driven, and I want to be proud of what I do, but I have come to realize that a great career is good but I want to make sure the life I am living is better, that my job enriches my life or at least allows me to do what I want with my life so I am not a slave to my job, and for now that means staying in Bath with my partner being able to afford to go to the cinema every now and then. In the end, I want to be happy. And happy does include being able to afford rent and staying in Bath a little longer, and then return when I am older.

ROBYN COUCHER

ROBYN COUCHER

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