Careers in the Public Sector Jenny Keaveney Careers Advisory Service

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

WHO WANTS TO WORK IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR? Lots of graduates! In the latest Times Top 100 Graduate Employers, four of the Top 10 “employers of choice for graduates” are in the public sector. Why?

HOW MANY PEOPLE WORK IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR? 21% of the working population of the UK (20% of Canterbury) Total public sector employment was million in the second quarter of 2011, a decrease of 111,000 (1.8%) compared with the previous quarter. Employment in central government decreased by 47,000 Employment in local government decreased by 57,000.

THE CUTS A net fall in public sector employment of 290,000 between December 2009 and June 2011 (PWC) Local government has suffered the most, with 145,000 job losses out of 240,000 The largest job losses have been in south-west and north-east England Central government lost 66,000 jobs while a further 29,000 went in public bodies such as the BBC and the Post Office In Kent, Medway, Maidstone and Canterbury are likely to be hit hardest by job losses from cuts in public sector spending.

PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYERS* ARE STILL RECRUITING! THE GOOD NEWS * well, at least some of them Civil Service Fast Stream – recruiting now! HMRC graduate programme – recruiting now! NOMS (Prison Service) – recruiting now! Financial Services Authority – recruiting now! Transport for London – recruiting now! National Audit Office – recruiting now! NHS – recruiting now! Government Finance Professionals – closes today!

WHAT IS THE FAST STREAM? “A Talent Management programme for graduates who have the potential to become the future leaders of the Civil Service” The only centralised, all-graduate, recruitment scheme Recruits approximately 500 high-calibre graduates into a number of generalist and specialist functions working on Government policy in their departments Most vacancies based in London Starting salary £25-27K

THE FAST STREAM Graduate Fast Stream (Central Government departments, the Diplomatic Service, Houses of Parliament, Science and Engineering) Analytical Fast Stream (economists, social researchers, operational researchers and statisticians) Technology in Business Fast Stream Human Resources Fast Stream European Fast Stream Northern Ireland Fast Stream Entry requirements: -UK, EEA or Commonwealth citizen (some posts more restrictive) -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 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 manage a small team working on the FCO aspects of the UK’s Afghanistan communications strategy - delivering public information and outreach activities to help explain to people what the UK is doing to support the Afghan government” “I led on the production of homelessness statistics, which involved working with a wide range of stakeholders and included paying visits to homeless shelters. ” “I might be doing financial forecasting one day and explaining helmet safety measures to hairy bikers the next” “It’s my job to promote electric cars. We negotiated a £250m spending package to encourage consumers to buy the increasingly practical (and fast) range of electric cars that are coming onto the market” For more profiles see

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 –Gaining operational and corporate services experience, including front-line roles

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 2012 is 30th November 2011 (the Analytical Fast Stream has already closed – may reopen in Feb.) Self-assessment test Online application form E-tray exercise One-day assessment centre gov.uk/How-do-I-apply/

LOCAL GOVERNMENT There are 433 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 almost 1,700,000 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) 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 Between local authorities in England & Wales participate – you only need to make one application Requires 2.1 minimum Closing date 16th January 2012 Starting salary £22958 (plus London weighting)

LOCAL GOVERNMENT GRADUATE SCHEMES IN KENT Ashford, Canterbury and Medway councils have all recruited through ngdp in the past Kent County Council runs its own Graduate Programme –Four streams: Management, IT/Computing, Finance and Transport

LOCAL GOVERNMENT KCC GRADUATE SCHEMES –Management, Finance, Highways –Recruits in spring each year for an October start –Receives approx. 500 applications a year –Four six-month placements in different departments. Project work giving experience of operational work, policy writing, project management, budget management and line management –Starting salary approx. £23000 in 2011 –Can register your interest for 2012 now at kent_graduate_programme.aspx

LOCAL GOVERNMENT OTHER ROUTES IN Other local authorities recruiting outside the ngdp – check websites Finance – see Direct application for advertised jobs

LOCAL GOVERNMENT USEFUL WEBSITES and-politics

NHS GRADUATE SCHEMES Four schemes: –General Management –Finance Management –Human Resources Management –Health Informatics Management 2.2 in any subject Opens 31/10/ closing date was 06/01/2011 last year Starting salary approx. £

National Offender Management Services Prison Leaders programme Over this programme, you'll progress from Prison Officer into a middle management governor-grade role as an Operational Manager. Here you'll head up an entire area of a prison, such as Residence, where you'll take on responsibilities that include preventing suicide and self- harm and managing all the prisoners' living facilities. When you have completed your programme, usually after two to three years, you can apply for a managerial post. Closing date – 28 November

Financial Services Authority Graduate Development Programme (placements in areas such as conduct, risk, policy, enforcement and financial crime) Management Accountancy programme Economics Development Programme Risk Specialist 2.1 in any subject Closing date 9 December 2011 Starting salary £ “golden hello”

Transport for London Project & General Management Technical Engineering Corporate (Finance, Procurement, Information Management 2.1 in any subject Closing dates vary – 3 January 2012 for Corporate and Project Management

National Audit Office An independent body – not part of the Civil Service Audits over 475 accounts across government departments and a wide range of other public sector bodies Publishes around 60 Value for Money reports a year for Parliament. Recent reports include: –Spending reduction in the Foreign & Commonwealth Office –The BBC's management of the costs of producing continuing drama –House of Commons Members’ Resource Accounts –Financial Management in local authority maintained schools –Transforming NHS ambulance services –Regulating Network Rail’s efficiency

National Audit Office Offers a Graduate Training Scheme leading to qualification as a chartered accountant Open to graduates in any subject with 2.1 and 300 UCAS points (or equivalent) Must be a UK, Commonwealth, EEA or Swiss national Closing date 31 January

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 unions

FINDING OUT MORE I Want to Work In … the Public Sector TARGET Jobs Public Service Prospects Public Administration links sector.htm

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