Seven years on from her degree, University of Worcester graduate Natasha Bateman is travelling the country in her dream job.

Natasha, from Martley, is a producer and presenter with BBC Digital Current Affairs, a role that sees her telling people’s stories from all over the UK.

“They’re basically stories about people that can shape people’s perceptions or make people think about something,” said the 29-year-old, who graduated in 2010 with a degree in drama. “I try and find relatable people that reflect everyday life. It depends where the story is, but I have been all over the UK meeting people with interesting stories to tell.

“Sometimes I think the average person’s story doesn’t get told enough.  We try and do current affairs, but through a character that’s relatable.”

The stories are filmed for the BBC’s social media channels, such as Facebook and Instagram

Natasha’s route to what she describes as her “dream” role began even before university when she was working at a local commercial radio station in Worcester.

She combined her lectures and studies around working on the radio’s breakfast show, getting up at 4.30am but still making it to lectures for 9.30am.

“I wanted to get my degree, but get work experience at the same time so that I left university with not just a degree but work experience in the line of work I wanted to go into,” she said.

“The head of the department was brilliant in letting me be flexible with fitting in my radio commitments and academic work.”

Studying drama, she said, gave her new skills, adding: “I also loved the fact that the university was so friendly.  I think the friends, the people at university and the community that goes with it is the best thing.”

Natasha was offered a job with BBC Hereford and Worcester radio station in her third year, but while working there asked if she could shadow at BBC WM in Birmingham.

“I sat in for a while.  Someone was sick and they said ‘could you cover?’  I got shifts from there and I went on to produce programmes,” said Natasha.

From there, she worked for the One Show in Manchester, producing current affairs films. Two years later she moved back to Birmingham to produce a breakfast show, then began her current role this February.