careers in the
Public Sector
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Think about the most important things
that make our society run. The Public
Sector will have something to do with
almost all of them.
Working in the public sector, you’ll be
able to develop a career that has a real
impact on how the country is run.
2016
In association with:
THE CIVIL SERVICE
In the UK the major player in the public sector is the Civil Service, which is involved
in helping the government of the day implement its policies across many areas from
policing and health to transport and education. Although it serves the government of
the time, the Civil Service is politically independent.
As a job sector it offers a wide range of different careers and it currently includes 25
professions to choose from.
400,000 people work in the Civil Service across a wide variety of roles nationally and,
in some cases, internationally.
There is still the traditional university route into many of the professions, but for School
Leavers the Civil Service has a good apprenticeship option as an alternative and brilliant
route into a public sector career.
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Civil Service Fast Track Apprenticeship
More and more professions are creating structured apprenticeship
routes into their professions. As a route that offers people the chance
to earn while they learn, it is perfect for those who have a clear career
goal in mind.
The Civil Service Fast Track Apprenticeship is a two-year
programme offering a real alternative to university.
Through the scheme you’ll gain :
• Valuable real-life work experience
• A Level 4 Apprenticeship
• A springboard into a Civil Service career
Your role will involve real responsibility from day one. You’ll join at Executive Officer
grade and will earn a minimum salary of £19,000, wage increases dependent on
location and department.
It is a great opportunity for school
leavers and non-graduates.
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The apprenticeship covers five areas you
can work in :
Business :
Business roles are at the core of the work the Civil Service does and the business
apprenticeship scheme offers a wide variety of posts across the organisation.
You’ll be working within an exciting and fast-paced environment and have the
opportunity to develop valuable skills in organisation, planning and problemsolving. Teamwork and collaboration are essential in all business areas. Often
the role of a business apprentice is to support this collaboration and help bring
teams together. For example, you could be organising meetings or managing
communications. A significant number of the business apprentice roles are also
dynamic and customer-facing.
Commercial :
The commercial apprenticeship is an opportunity to develop the specialist skills
that are increasingly recognised by employers as the most valuable across all
sectors. These skills are especially important in the public sector – the government
spends £240 billion every year, which is a huge budget to be responsible for.
Commercial professionals work on some of the most challenging and interesting
projects in government. There’s an incredible range of experience available in
the different posts, from procuring prisons for the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) to
buying battleships in the Ministry of Defence (MoD). You’ll receive plenty of
support as you develop your abilities and build your professional networks.
Digital and Technology :
The cross-sector demand for skills in digital and technology have never been
greater and the Fast Track apprenticeship offers an excellent opportunity to earn
a good salary while you learn these valuable skills.
As government increasingly embraces new digital methods and platforms in
order to transform the services it provides to the public, there has never been
a more exciting time to get involved in technology within the Civil Service. The
skills you’ll learn on the scheme will set you up for a rewarding career either in
or outside the Civil Service.
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Finance :
The finance scheme is a structured, bespoke, Level 4 apprenticeship programme.
As a finance apprentice you’ll gain invaluable experience and skills and set
strong foundations for the rest of your career.
The programme also offers you a unique opportunity to make a difference, to
contribute to strong financial management within government and to help make
sure that we deliver value for money for the taxpayer.
Project Delivery :
The government is responsible for a diverse range of projects often on a very large
scale and of great complexity. Project delivery apprentices have an unrivalled
opportunity to learn the valuable skills and experience they’ll need to develop
excellent careers in project management.
You’ll be working with experienced project delivery professionals from day one
and have the opportunity to learn from their experience. You’ll work across a
range of roles gathering some core skills which may include project reporting,
project risk or project finance.
A Civil Service Fast Track Apprenticeship is a
great stepping stone into the public sector with
those who successfully complete it being offered
a permanent role in the Civil Service.
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Applications for the 2016 intake will be open
in March 2016.
For further information including eligibility requirements and updates on the next
application window please see:
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/civil-service-fast-track-apprenticeship.
click
Other routes
Civil Service Fast Stream for graduates
If you want to take the university route there is another Civil Service scheme that’s perfect
for after you graduate.Far from your average graduate scheme, the Fast Stream programme
offers talented and ambitious graduates an accelerated route to leadership within the Civil
Service. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to take on some of the biggest
social, economic, political and security challenges facing the UK today and the chance to
make a real difference in people’s lives.
More info
www.gov.uk/government/organisations/civil-service-fast-stream
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In association with:
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Former Ap
Former Apprentice Ayath Ullah talks
gives his perspective on life after the
Fast Track
How did you find the Fast Track Apprenticeship Programme ?
No two days are ever the same and every day brings with it a unique set of challenges.
This is a real alternative to a university education and I am constantly learning new things
every day. I resigned from a job in The City to join the scheme because I knew it was one
of the best on the market to develop myself form an early age and set a good foundation
for a fruitful career in the Civil Service. The Civil Service is a vibrant & dynamic place to
work and very few employers can match what it has to offer - both in terms of breadth and
depth.
How did you find studying alongside working and earning ?
It can be very difficult to manage the demands of a full time job and two qualifications
at the same time. The most important thing is to manage your time well, give it your best
shot and not be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
Do you think the apprenticeship was a genuine alternative to
university ?
As I’ve not been to university I’m unsure as to which route is best and so cannot compare.
University is not for everyone and nor is a job straight after A-levels. Either way it’s
important to choose what’s genuinely best for you.
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What are you doing now that you have completed the Fast
Track ?
Having completed the two year programme, I have now secured a new role on promotion
working as a Business Analyst. As part of my role I am responsible for creating two new
directorates within our department which will help us build on our customer centric
business strategy - where the citizen is placed the heart of all we do. I also develop
management information systems to monitor performance against monthly targets. As we
are changing the way we work and getting smaller I have been involved in how best to
shape the makeup of our workforce over the next Parliament and beyond.
What was your one key highlight from your apprenticeship ?
It can be very difficult to manage the demands of a full time job and two qualifications
at the same time. The most important thing is to manage your time well, give it your best
shot and not be afraid to ask for help when you need it.
There’s never been a better time to join the Civil Service - it’s going through some of the
most radical reforms to date, and you can be part of that process. It is an opportunity to
be of service & play your part in public life. For people who are eager to learn and serious
about building a career in the public sector there are always opportunities to shine and
develop yourself. You get the best of both worlds as you study for qualifications whilst still
doing a day job. Apprentices are very much a talent pipeline for government departments,
which means the investment made in you is a serious commitment to you from your
department. Each generation of ministers, leaders and employees will make their own
valuable contribution to the Civil Service before handing over the stewardship of our
critical national duty to the next generation – if you want to play your part in that then I
would highly recommend joining.
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Elyssia
Apprentice Elyssia Dunmore explains why
the Fast Track Apprenticeship is a genuine
alternative to university.
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Apprentice
What are the first words that come to mind when you hear the
word ‘apprenticeship’ ? A low wage ? Manual work ? Making tea ?
This is a common view - and one even I used to hold. But becoming a Fast Track
Apprentice in 2015 completely changed my opinions.
What is your apprenticeship like ?
I was placed in the Fraud and Error Service within the Department for Work and Pensions.
What really struck me from day one was how much responsibility I was given.
You enter the Civil Service as an Executive Officer (EO) - which is three grades up,
depending on the department. As well as the more traditional activities such as jobshadowing, you represent your team at meetings, deal with customers inside and outside
of your immediate department, and in some cases the work you do links directly back to
Parliament.
I’ve never been treated differently to any other employee due to being an apprentice. I’ve
been given the same opportunities to contribute to pieces of work as anybody else. The
only difference I found is that the management teams understand you have competing
priorities with your apprenticeship, and they’re often wiling to adapt your workload
accordingly.
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More use
Need more help with your careers choices? You can find a
wealth of help and opportunities at the following places :
civil service Fast Track Apprenticeships
We recruit the best and brightest individuals and provide them with
the skills, knowledge and experience they need for a successful
career in the Civil Service.
TheBigChoice.com
student & graduate jobs
TheBigChoice.com
TM
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part-time jobs and training on this youth careers portal.
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National Careers Service
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