Civil Service Fast-stream

1. Civil Service Fast-stream What to expect & How to apply

2. The Civil Service • The Civil Service serves the Government of the day, developing and implementing policy, and delivering services to the public • Politically neutral and remains unchanged when the Government changes • Around 490,000 civil servants working around the UK and abroad in over 100 departments and agencies • Working for the Civil Service means you are shaping how the country is run, and affecting the lives of everyone in the UK

3. The Civil Service Faststream • Accelerated training and development programme for those with the potential to become future leaders of the Civil Service • Sequence of postings (12-18mths), usually in one department, to develop skills and experience • Typically spend 2-4 years on Faststream • Leave when promoted to Team Leader level • Ranked in the top 5 of the Times Top 100 Graduate Employers

4. Faststream schemes • Graduate Fast Stream • Central Departments (vast majority) • European Fast Stream • Houses of Parliament • Science and Engineering • Diplomatic Service • Also specialist schemes for Economists, Statisticians, HR and Technology in Business • Can apply to more than one scheme at once

5. Faststream advantages • Challenging work • Immediate responsibility and autonomy • Close contact with senior civil servants • Often work with Ministers • Management of people and resources • Fast-paced responsive work • Broad range of experience • Valuable network of contacts • Excellent training anddevelopment

6. What will you be doing? • Your Faststream career will be unique, depending on your interests, skills and experience, your department, and world events… • Three main types of posts: • Developing policy (policy delivery) • Delivering public services (operational delivery) • Corporate operations (finance, HR, Press…) • Tasks will change rapidly – must be adaptable • Some examples…

7. Ramin Hassan Department for Work and Pensions • Two years of policy work, currently working as an Advisory Services Manager at Cambridge Jobcentre Plus. • Manages around 30 staff delivering front-line services and administrative support. • Time is the main challenge for operations managers; balancing short term needs, against measures to improve longer term performance “Since joining the Civil Service, in August 2007, I have helped prepare Ministers and senior officials for appearances before Parliament, represented the UK at the UN on labour issues and now manage a large number of public-facing staff. The Fast Stream provides many such privileged opportunities in close succession, alongside generous training allowances.”

8. Charlene Woolley HMRC • First placement in Customs & International Directorate - helped to implement the recommendations of the Cabinet Office report 'Security in a Global Hub' • Currently working on facilitating the transfer of staff, assets and budgets to UKBA. "I have watched key legislation relating to the project being debated in Lords. I have contributed to inter-departmental agreements, and had the opportunity to discuss changes with affected operational staff. I also regularly participate in director-level meetings".

9. Ayesha Ali Department for Transport • Economic appraisal of major rail projects • Impact assessments of EU related policies • Constant engagement with colleagues from policy and others from the rail industry. “Transport policy is an every day decision for people. This makes my work challenging but very rewarding when I see my ideas translate into everyday living”.

10. Development • Development focused on your needs • 15+ days of training per year – both to gain skills for the job and to gain wider personal skills • Opportunity for a mentor from Senior Civil Service • Opportunity for secondments to other Departments and Civil Service organisations, and externally, to gain wider experience • You need to continually learn and improve

11. Benefits • Competitive starting salary of £25,000 – £27,000, and choice of generous pension • 25+ days holiday and 10.5 public holidays (2.5 extra) • Supportive environment – flexible working, job shares, career breaks • Opportunity for regional and international jobs • Real benefits are the work itself • Each department determines detailed terms and conditions for its Faststreamers

12. Career • Civil Service is a professional and rewarding long-term career choice • Fast Stream develops you for the Senior Civil Service • Core competencies: • analysis and use of evidence • financial management • people management • project and programme management • Promotion on performance and competence – so need drive to gain breadth and depth of skills and experience

13. Application, selection & eligibility • Need a 2:2 degree in any discipline for general scheme, other scheme requirements may vary • Majority of jobs open to European Economic Area and Commonwealth citizens; some UK national only jobs • Assessors have no background on candidates – committed to improving diversity, no discrimination

14. Application and selection • Starts in September with online verbal and numerical reasoning self-assessment • Half day e-tray exercise • One day assessment centre (group exercise, policy exercises, and interview) • Merit based assessment of: • drive for results • learning and improving • decision-making • constructive thinking • building productive relationships • communicating with impact • Process may vary for other schemes

15. Next steps • Need to be able to give examples as evidence of competency at assessment centre • Seek to gain wider experience before applying • internships and temporary jobs, other activities • Information on main stream recruitment and other Civil Service graduate schemes at www.civilservice.gov.uk • More information on the Fast Stream at www.civilservice.gov.uk/faststream

16. Any questions? Thank you