Arthur Corazza

Class of 2019, MSc European Studies (Research)

Arthur works at the European Commission on delivering a fair European Green Deal.

I moved to London with some work experience, but with no sense of predestination and no career masterplan. I arrived, first and foremost, just with curiosity and a desire for purpose.
arthurcorazza
Arthur Corazza

It is crystal clear that policy action and leadership are needed for a societal transition towards a future that is livable, just, and safe for all. In my daily work at the European Commission as a permanent official, I get to be a part of this mission: delivering public policies for the European Green Deal to promote a socially fair transition, while also helping tackle emerging challenges such as volatile energy prices and the global race to net-zero. Looking back, my time at LSE four years ago truly was a game-changer on the path to this role.

It was the LSE’s pursuit of interdisciplinarity, together with its rigor and growth mindset, that made me pick it for a Master’s degree. Without a doubt, it delivered. I moved to London from my hometown of Vienna with some work experience, but with no sense of predestination and no career masterplan. I arrived, first and foremost, just with curiosity and a desire for purpose. Thankfully at LSE I was allowed to mix and match coursework at the European Institute, the Department of Social Policy, and the Department of Methodology, while learning as part of a small, dynamic cohort in European Studies Research and a buzzing student community. Combined with the mentoring culture and tailored skills training, this environment put me on a steep learning curve from week one.

The LSE is a great launching pad if you wish to work for the EU institutions. In London, in the year leading up to Brexit and with Fridays for Future filling the streets, one could feel a sense of urgency. One professor brought this reality into our office hour, asking me: “If you were a Member of the European Parliament, what would you do now?” Exchanges like these stimulated me immensely, be it for further debates with fellow students or on the commute, cycling past a double-decker on Tower Bridge. They nudged me to link political economy and data analysis, not least in my thesis on democracy at work, ultimately sending me off with a prize for best overall performance. With its hands-on approach and resources, LSE empowers and gets out your best as a boot camp for what’s to come.

Upon joining the Commission in Brussels, I first contributed to a legislative initiative for adequate minimum wages in the EU as a trainee at the Directorate-General (DG) for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (EMPL). A key steppingstone, however, was the Commission’s then-new Junior Professionals Programme (JPP): which included job rotations, additional projects, and further mentoring and training. The JPP allowed me to support DG Climate Action and DG European Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations for six months each.

Back at DG EMPL since July 2021 and after passing the EU concours, my work as an Analyst involves co-drafting legislation and policy guidance, steering research and analysis, preparing speeches and briefings, and exchanging with the EU Member States, social partners and stakeholders. Through this, I get to apply skills acquired at LSE, always with a view to tackling issues that matter.

In case of interest, further information about the JPP is available here. For questions or advice, you are welcome to reach out on LinkedIn or Twitter.