Careers in the Public Sector

Jenny Keaveney

Careers Advisory Service

WHO WANTS TO WORK IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR?

In the latest Times Top 100 Graduate Employers, 3 of the Top 10 “employers of choice for graduates” are in the public sector.

This year’s FT Graduate recruitment report showed a similar picture, with the top 3 recruiters all being public sector bodies.

Why?

WHAT IS THE PUBLIC SECTOR?

• Civil Service• Government agencies• Local authorities• NHS• Armed forces• Emergency services• Educational bodies• Intelligence services• Regulatory bodies

• Lots of initials! GCHQ ECGD DFID CPS FCO DEFRA DWP ONS ngdp

WHERE ARE THE JOBS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR?

• Central government 2,496,000 (including NHS, armed forces, Civil Service & executive agencies)

• Local Government 2,919,000 (including police forces and schools)

• Non-departmental public bodies 96,456 (e.g. the Arts Council, Student Loans Company, ESRC)

• Public corporations 343,000 (e.g. BBC, Royal Mail)

www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/pse0608.pdf

WHAT IS A CIVIL SERVANT?

? ?

WHAT IS A CIVIL SERVANT?

• The official definition is a person employed by the Crown, working in a non-political capacity for the elected government of the day

• Civil Service statistics make a distinction between people working for ministerial departments and those working for other public bodies and executive agencies – but the term “civil servant” is often used to include anybody working for central government

• Constitutionally, employees of Parliament and of bodies which report direct to Parliament, (e.g. the National Audit Office) are not civil servants

WHAT IS A CIVIL SERVANT?

• Tax inspector• Researcher• Actuary• Lawyer• Economist• Statistician• Press Officer• Intelligence Officer• … and more

• Female (53%)• From an ethnic

minority (8.6%)• Disabled (6.7%)• A part-time worker

(20%)• Based outside London

(17% of civil servants work in London: 71% work outside South-East England)

S/he may be a: and may also be:

www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/statistics/

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRADUATES IN THE CIVIL

SERVICE

• The Fast Stream • Junior Managers• Other specialist recruitment

WHAT IS THE FAST STREAM?

• The only centralised, all-graduate, recruitment scheme

• Recruits between 350 - 400 high-calibre graduates into a number of generalist and specialist functions working on Government policy in their departments

• Aims to develop the senior civil servants of the future

• Most vacancies based in London

THE FAST STREAM

• Home Civil Service• Diplomatic Service• Science &

Engineering*• Parliamentary Clerks • Technology in

Business

• Statisticians*• Economists*• GCHQ

Entry requirements:

-UK, EEA or Commonwealth citizen-2.2 minimum (most entrants have 2.1) in any subject except where marked*

WHAT DO FAST-STREAM TRAINEES ACTUALLY DO?

• Training is based on a series of 12-18 month postings

• Fast Streamers get early responsibility and have the opportunity of a wide range of jobs, often working directly with Ministers

• They implement government policy, ensure enquiries unearth the facts and brainstorm new policies and their consequences

• Recent examples of Fast Streamers’ work includes:

WHAT DO FAST-STREAM TRAINEES ACTUALLY DO?

• “I co-ordinated the tsunami relief effort for DFID. I pulled together the latest updates on the situation, attended press conferences and briefed ministers”

• “I devised and ran a major internal communications campaign, for which I consulted with and briefed staff at all levels including the Chairman and Chief Executive”

• “I’m working on ways in which agencies such as HMRC, Immigration and Special Branch can combine effectively to enhance security while facilitating legitimate trade”

For more profiles see http://www.faststream.gov.uk/index.asp?txtNavID=101

WHAT DO FAST-STREAM TRAINEES ACTUALLY DO?

• Whichever department you work for, you are also likely to be involved in:– Writing briefings, speeches and answers to

Parliamentary questions for ministers– Analysing the structure and management of

information systems– Project management– Co-ordinating activities and ensuring clear lines of

communications

–

For more about what to expect, see www.faststream.gov.uk/index.asp?txtNavID=100

Essential competencies• Results-oriented• Flexible thinker• Decisive• Able to build productive

relationships …• .. and to communicate

with impact• Open to learning and

improving

How to Apply• Closing date for entry in

Sept 2009 is 30th November 2008

• Self-assessment test • Online application form• E-tray exercise• One-day assessment

centre• www.faststream.gov.uk

CIVIL SERVICE MAINSTREAM POSTS

• Also known as Junior Managers, Executive Officers or Operational Entrants (Diplomatic Service only)

• Involved with applying government policies in practice

• Middle-management role• Opportunities to move into the Fast Stream• You don’t have to be a graduate - but 60-

70% of entrants are

CIVIL SERVICE MAINSTREAM POSTS

The work may involve:• Managing office budgets• Assessing visa applications in a British

embassy overseas• Dealing with day-to-day enquiries and

correspondence• Managing and training staff• Maintaining computer systems• Applying rules and procedures to individual

cases

MAINSTREAM RECRUITMENT

• No centralised recruitment - departments and agencies advertise their own vacancies as and when they arise

• Advertising may only be on a local basis …• … but keep an eye on the Civil Service

Recruitment Gateway http://careers.civil-service.gov.uk

• Recruitment is generally for posts to be filled immediately, so apply after or just before you graduate

LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• There are 467 local councils in the UK – plus over 11,000 town, parish and community councils

• Local councils spend over £70 billion a year• Local government employs over two million

people - one of the largest employers in the UK

• There are around 600 occupations and thousands of different job titles in local government

WHAT DO LOCAL AUTHORITIES DO?

• Education

• Environmental health

• Emergency services

• Highways

• Housing

• Leisure and tourism

• Social services

GETTING INTO LOCAL GOVERNMENT

• National graduate recruitment scheme (ngdp)

• Local graduate recruitment schemes (e.g. KCC)

• Graduate Talent Pool – online database of graduates interested in local government

• Direct application

National Graduate Recruitment Programme

• A two-year “Fast-Stream” style programme designed to develop future managers and leaders in local government

• General management training through a range of placements across a local authority, plus mentoring and study for a PG diploma

• Over 400 local authorities in England & Wales participate – you only need to make one application

• Recruiting up to 80 graduates next year• Requires 2.1 minimum • Closing date 12 January 2009• Starting salary £21122 (£25309 in London)

www.ngdp.co.uk

LOCAL GOVERNMENTGRADUATE SCHEMES IN KENT

• Ashford, Canterbury and Medway councils have all recruited through ngdp in the past

• Kent County Council runs its own Graduate Programme– Three streams: Management, Finance and Transport– Recruits in spring each year for an October start– Four six-month placements in different departments– Starting salary £22825 in 2008-9– www.kent.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers/jobs/kent-

graduate-programme/

LOCAL GOVERNMENTOTHER ROUTES IN

• Other local authorities recruiting outside the ngdp – check websites

• Graduate Talent Pool – register your details on an online database of graduates interested in local government www.lgcareers.com/graduates-and-students/graduate-recruitment-in-local-government/

• Finance – see www.cipfa.org.uk/tv • Direct application for advertised jobs

LOCAL GOVERNMENTUSEFUL WEBSITES

• www.lgcareers.com• www.LGjobs.com• www.Opportunities.co.uk• www.jobsgopublic.com• http://society.guardian.co.uk

NHS GRADUATE SCHEMES

• Four schemes:– General Management– Finance Management– Human Resources Management– Informatics Management

• 2.2 in any subject; UK or EEA residents• Closing date 28 November 2008• Starting salary approx. £21500• www.nhsleadtheway.co.uk

OTHER GRADUATE SCHEMES IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

• Audit Commission www.theartofnumbers.co.uk/v2/

• National Audit Office www.naograduates.org.uk

• Financial Services Authority www.fsagraduates.com

• Intelligence Services (MI5, MI6, etc) www.kent.ac.uk/careers/workin/intelligence.htm

• Armed Forces www.kent.ac.uk/careers/workin/armedforces.htm

OTHER EMPLOYERS IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR

• Emergency services

• Prison and probation services

• Housing associations

• Educational institutions

You might also want to look at

• Charities

• Trades unionswww.kent.ac.uk/careers/workin.htm

FINDING OUT MORE

• I Want to Work In … the Public Sector www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sitesgov.htm

• TARGET Jobs Public Service http://targetjobs.co.uk/publicservice

• Prospects Public Administration links www.prospects.ac.uk/links/adminpub

CAREERS AND RECRUITMENT FAIR

6 November 2008

Eliot Great Hall

2.00 – 5.00 pm

Employers attending include:

Civil Service Fast StreamNHS

www.kent.ac.uk/careers/fair.htm