Oliver Riley and Amelia Stewart have joined the ASI as gap-year employees. We asked them to introduce themselves:

Amelia:

My biggest concern about taking a gap year was that I wouldn't find I job I liked (or even find a job at all!) but from day one here, I knew I would enjoy myself. The Adam Smith Institute has also turned out to fulfil all of its seven brand values - cool, empirical, compassionate, heretical, educational, flexible and optimistic – so I can’t really imagine there being a better place to work.

I did French, English, Maths and Economics for A-level but not one of them prepared me for the intense level of ASI tweeting I have to do. They have, however, helped me understand (bits of) the amazing articles and blogs the ASI publishes everyday and now I have a few pieces of deep, obscure knowledge on things like solar power and NHS prescriptions. 

Everyone who works here is very intelligent and funny so it’s fascinating listening in on practically any conversation. Every evening I come home with stronger opinions about e-cigarettes and railways and the more I hear and read, the more I’m convinced the ASI’s approach is the way forward! 

I’ve written my first blog on women’s entrepreneurship in the Middle East but there’s more to come as I want to maximise my chances of winning the monthly blog raffle’s £20 Amazon voucher. After I finish here, I plan to go hiking in Nepal and to study French and Arabic at university. 

Oliver:

After a set of A level results above what I was expecting, the thought of taking a gap year before heading off to university became a serious consideration. When I discovered that I had secured the internship, I was certain that I would take a gap year. So far, I have been filled with confidence that my time here shall be well spent and that upon leaving I will be ready for the challenges that lie ahead. However, as the President of the Institute Madsen Pirie comically insists, the question to ask is not whether the interns will be ready for the world, but rather, whether the world will be ready for the interns.

Many skills have already been learned that transcend the generic pre university Gap Year spent in nightclubs and hostels. For instance, my editing and formatting abilities are wildly beyond what they once were and I now have changed and better educated opinions on issues all the way from the privatization of Network Rail, to biometric border systems!

I consider myself a fan of Winston Churchill, and so was pleased to see his face adorn the new five-pound note. Though I understand he had many indiscretions, his devotion to liberalism is one that I share.  I also harbour an interest in Education policy, and have written my first blog post on a voucher based education system.

It’s very exciting to be a part of the team of energetic and intelligent people here at the ASI, and I can’t wait learn and help even more.