The National Assembly for Wales represents all the people of Wales and provides a democratically elected and accountable body responsible for the most important public services. It also has the power to make subordinate legislation to meet Welsh circumstances. Business is conducted bilingually in Welsh and English. It has two distinct areas, each with its own responsibilities. The Welsh Assembly Government covers economic development, health, education and other affairs.
The Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government, previously known as Scottish Executive, were established in 1999. The Scottish Government is based mainly in Edinburgh and Glasgow. It operates in a similar way to the UK government with certain legislative and policymaking responsibilities. It is responsible for most of the issues of day-to-day concern to the people of Scotland, including health, education and training, justice, rural affairs and transport, amongst many others.
The Scotland Office represents Scottish interests in those matters (such as defence and foreign affairs) still reserved to the UK Parliament by the Scotland Act and promotes the devolution settlement for Scotland.
The Northern Ireland Assembly was first created in 1998 under the Good Friday Agreements. It has been suspended on a number of occasions since then. The latest suspension came to an end in 2007. Since then, the Assembly has had devolved responsibility for most of the day-to-day matters of the people living in Northern Ireland. These include education, health, environment and culture and arts, amongst others.
The Northern Ireland Office is headed by a UK MP and currently has responsibility for Northern Ireland’s constitutional and security issues, in particular, law and order, and policing. It has a number of agencies tasked with executing these powers.
Local government is the collective term for local councils, sometimes referred to as local authorities. Local authorities work within the powers laid down under various acts of parliament. Their functions are far-reaching. Some are mandatory, which means that the authority must do what is required by law. Others are discretionary, allowing an authority to provide services if it wishes.
Local councils are made up of elected councillors (members) and council staff. Decisions are made by these elected members; council staff carry out the policies as well as briefing council committees on possible future policy. Councils either provide services directly to the public or arrange for others to do so.
The opportunities offered by central government are countless, as they need generalists and specialists in all areas. They classify their opportunities into three broad categories:
What’s it like working in this sector?
The public sector offers reasonably secure employment, a strong continuous professional development ethos and the knowledge that the work has a significant influence on the quality of people’s lives. The length of time it takes to get things approved can be frustrating, and changes in legislation or funding lead to unforeseen obstacles as well as new opportunities. Salary varies depending on type of public sector employer, role, level of experience, and location. Working hours tend to be well regulated and many local, regional and national government institutions operate flexi-time systems and offer generous holidays.
In 2008, almost three million people were employed by the local government and almost 2.5 million people by the central government. The public sector, including the NHS, is one of the largest employers in the UK, employing 19.5% of the UK workforce.
Opportunities to work for the national government exist in many places in the UK. Only 1 in 5 civil servants are based in London.
The Scottish Government, Welsh Assembly Government and Northern Ireland Office employ over 24,000 staff, mainly in Edinburgh, Glasgow; Cardiff; and Belfast.
Opportunities to work in local government exist everywhere within the 468 local authorities throughout the UK.
The following is a list of national, regional and local public sector & government employers who hire graduates. Many of them receive only a small number of graduate applications as they are less well known amongst candidates, although they are no less eligible to apply to.
National Public Sector & Government ServicesRegional Public Sector & Government Services
Local Public Sector & Government ServicesThe Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) has been central to the UK’s defence for almost 60 years, providing and maintaining the warheads for the country's nuclear deterrent.
The AWE is the UK's largest high-tech research, development and production facility and covers the whole lifecycle of nuclear warheads from initial concept and design, through component manufacture and assembly, to in-service support, decommissioning and disposal.
The Atomic Weapons Establishment ("AWE") provide and maintain the warheads for the country’s nuclear deterrent, Trident.
Trident is a submarine-launched, inter-continental ballistic nuclear missile weapons system, carried by Royal Navy Vanguard-class submarines. The role of AWE is to manufacture and sustain the warheads for the Trident system, ensuring optimum safety and performance, but also to maintain a capability to produce a successor system should the Government require one in the future.
The Atomic Weapons Establishment employs over 4,500 people. Employees range from highly specialist scientists, engineers and qualified business people, through to apprentices and graduate scheme trainees.
The AWE are recruit graduates who have or expect a good degree, HND, MSc or PhD. The AWE also actively promotes diversity in employment. The organisation welcome applications from women and men, regardless of disability, sexual orientation, racial or ethnic origin, or age.
Applications from women and ethnic minorities are particularly encouraged. Successful candidates will be selected solely on their ability to carry out the duties of the post. The normal contractual retirement age at AWE is 65. Because of the nature of the work associated with these posts, they are subject to special nationality rules and are open only to British citizens. All selected candidates will be required to undergo security clearance.
Graduates are mainly hired for one of four different types of role at AWE, Business, Science, Engineering or Assurance.
AWE's Business Support graduate scheme lasts for two years. AWE recruit graduates into HR, Finance, Corporate Communications, Business Strategy and Procurement, through the Business Support scheme.
Whatever area you work in, AWE will support you to gain a professional qualification relevant to your field such as CIPD, ACCA, CIMA or CIM.
The AWE science programme is two years long. You will be placed into a particular department to apply and develop the knowledge and skills you’ve gained at university. The content of the programme varies greatly depending on the specific area you join, and it’s perfectly possible that you could end up doing a placement in one or more areas of the business.
AWE will also actively encourage you to study for a relevant Masters or PhD if it’s in line with the organisation's business needs, along with helping you to gain professional accreditations such as RSC and IOP.
The AWE engineering graduate programme lasts for two years, with a series of three to six month placements that will give you exposure to both practical and strategic projects. Graduates joining with a Bachelors degree will be offered support to take a Masters as well as receiving assistance to gain professional accreditations such as IMechE, IET, RSC, IoM3 or IChemE.
This programme also lasts for two years. Trainees will work in areas such as Health and Safety, Major Hazards Assessment Groups, the Criticality Safety Group, the Health Physics Skills Centre, Occupational Health Services and the Acceptance Review team. You will gain experience in both practical and strategic aspects of the job.
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The Audit Commission is a public corporation based in the United Kingdom that appoints auditors to all local authorities in England and health service bodies in England and Wales. Auditors appointed by the Commission are responsible for auditing local government in England, National Health Service Trusts and other local agencies, covering local government, health, housing, criminal justice and community safety.
Since 1 April 2005 the Commission’s functions in Wales have been the responsibility of the Auditor General for Wales.
The Audit Commission employ nearly 2,000 people working across England. The organisation's work spans four main areas: Audit, Assessment, Research and Data matching.
The "Fast Stream" is the accelerated development programme from the Civil Service for graduates. Those who join the Fast Stream are guaranteed a series of job placements designed to prepare them for senior managerial positions within the organisation. Fast Streamers move between projects and sections within their departments at intervals of between 12-18 months; unlike in other professions, there are no set dates for rotation but rotations take place when convenient. After completing two years in a department, you may be able to switch to another department as a Fast Streamer but this requires permission from your home department.
The Civil Service require a minimum of a 2:2 in any degree discipline from graduate applicants. Generally you must also be a UK or EU National. The Civil Service look for particular competencies from graduate applicants. Graduates must be: results oriented; decisive; good at relationship building; good at making an impact; professional and have flexible thinking.
Both the Foreign Office and the Department for International Development have said that they are looking for people who have got a lot more than the school to college to university standard background. The Department for International Development are looking for people with operational experience in particular. Experience living/working in a developing country, multiple language skills and specific international economic knowledge would be useful for applicants to have.
There is a comprehensive vetting procedure, which asks for details of every job you've had in the previous three years, every country that you've visited and any serious illness that you've had.
When deciding which department to apply to, think about which policy area interests you the most rather than the department of state itself. Some departments may sound more interesting or exciting than others, but it is most important for you to be happy about the policy area you will be working on, than anything else.
The Foreign Office, Ministry of Defence and the Treasury are all departments where overall strategy is generally quite consistent each year. If you look at some of the other departments at the Civil Service, you will find that several policy areas are still evolving. Working in these areas may be more exciting and stimulating, and can provide you with more scope to make decisions that directly effect policy.
Almost every candidate favours these departments when applying to the Civil Service. Many people do not get placed in these departments though, commonly because few people understand what working for them really entails or what skills these departments are looking for.
Getting into the Foreign Office and Department for International Development is even more competitive than just getting on the Fast Stream (where just one in one hundred applicants get the job) so it is very important for applicants to do their research. Applicants must also be highly skilled and have a very good academic record.
The process by which the Civil Service place graduates in departments is highly complicated. It is a hard process to manage, which is why candidates may not always end up in the department they have applied to.
Each year HR departments from the ministries submit the number of fast stream vacancies that they anticipate for the coming year, and inform the Cabinet Office. As and when these vacancies come through, the Cabinet Office try to match them up with applicants. The civil service is very varied: departments have different security rules, annual-leave allocations and training budgets.
Although applications are made to all departments, a Fast Streamer's home department treats him/her as their own resource. Moving across departments can be complicated and subject to vetoes by the head of department or line manager. It is particularly difficult when the offices are located in different cities.
Those recruited under the Graduate FastStream are referred to as "policy workers" and are overwhelmingly concentrated in London. Economists, operational researchers and statisticians are grouped as "analysts"; if the department has offices outside London, the analysts are likely to be concentrated there. This reflects the closer contact policy workers have with Ministers; the changeable nature of their work requires proximity to the government.
For the graduate fast stream, you can only defer under certain circustances: to take part in the Teach First programme, to complete a qualification or course, or due to specific extenuating personal reasons.
Gus O'Donnell, the current head of the civil service, has promoted the taking of secondments outside government to broaden the experience of staff. However, the public-sector cuts have made secondments difficult to obtain. You are not allowed to go on a secondment for the first two years of your job.
Opportunities for secondment are advertised through internal e-mails and may be addressed only to Fast Streamers. The usual practice is for your home department to continue to pay you and manage rights at work.
Departments vary in terms of the training they provide or want you to follow. This really depends on the culture of your HR people. In some departments it is up to the individual fast streamer to make the business case for specific training (such as an MA) and to convince the department to fund this from their training allowance. Fast Streamers in some departments have training budgets of £3000 per year, whereas those in other departments may have no set budget and be expected to justify the need to go on any training.
The National School of Government is the civil service's internal training centre, which provides courses on working with ministers and the structure of government as well as on analytical skills for economists, operational researchers and statisticians. However, the NSG's future is uncertain given the scale of the public-sector spending cuts. Westminster Explained is an independent training provider used by civil servants, as they provide courses on the nature of government and on current departmental policies. Civil servants may attend short university courses and seminars of professional bodies on subjects relevant to their work.
Some departments offer specific training courses, such as "An Introduction to Parliament, Government and the Civil Service".
Working hours and environment varies hugely across departments. In some cases, Fast Streamers seldom have to stay late and have as many as 30 days of annual leave. In other cases, FastStreamers are given deadlines to meet on a daily basis and have as few as 23 days of annual leave. The most intense environment to work in is a minister's private office, in which working hours are very long and you may be disciplined robustly for any mistakes, as they have such important consequences. However, many FastStreamers who work in private office enjoy being at the heart of government and say that it's the reason why they chose to join the civil service. The pace of work tends to be slower in offices outside London.
All departments have 10.5 "privilege days". In addition to the 8 bank holidays, they receive a day off in lieu of the Queen's birthday, an extra day off in the Christmas period and a half-day for Maundy Thursday. In Scotland, St. Andrew's Day is also a privilege day. All departments have flexi-time and comprehensive pension programmes.
The application and interview process for Civil Service Fast Stream graduate jobs is as follows:
* Online application
* Numerical and Verbal reasoning on-line [[aptitude tests]]
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==Interview process==
The interview process for Civil Service Fast Stream graduate jobs is a three stage process:
* '''Computer based tests'''
** [[Aptitude tests]]
** [[E-tray exercise]]
** Email response exercise
* Stage two
{{Assistance_Required}}
* '''Assessment day'''
** [[Group exercise]]
** Written exercises
** [[general interview advice|Interview]] / [[competency based interview|competency interview]]
** Briefing exercise
:
===Stage one - Computer based tests===
There are three sections to the first stage of the Civil Service Fast Stream assessment process. There are no interviews at this stage.
* [[Numerical reasoning]] and [[verbal reasoning]] [[aptitude tests]]
* [[E-tray exercise]]
* Email response exercise
'''Aptitude tests'''
To confirm that you took the pre-assessment online tests, you will be asked to repeat the numerical and verbal reasoning tests that you have previously completed online.
{{Numerical Test Book}}
'''E-tray exercise'''
The Civil Service Fast Stream E-tray exercise lasts approximately one hour and is entirely computer based.
For the first fifteen minutes of this exercise you are given a set of documents to read. These documents may be about a new youth rehabilitation centre.
You will then have 45 minutes to answer approximately 25 emails, which will constantly appear in your in-box. You will be able to choose your response from a range of multiple choice answers, selecting which action out of four would be the most appropriate and which would be the least. Portions of this exercise may be quite ambiguous.
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'''Email response exercise'''
This last section will last an hour. You will be given two questions from a line manager and these will follow on from the [[E-tray exercise]].
The first question will ask you to prepare your line manager for an upcoming meeting with the potential questions they might face and also, how they could be answered.
The second question will ask you to think of imaginative and radical solutions to the problems associated with the E-tray proposal (i.e. the rehab centre).
:
Source: [http://www.whatwilltheyask.co.uk/Civil-service/civilservice2.htm]
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===Stage two===
'''Assistance Required!'''
:
===Stage three - Assessment day===
The third stage of the Civil Service Fast Stream interview process is a full day [[assessment day|assessment centre]].
:
'''Group exercise'''
The first exercise (although the order of events changes for different groups) was a [[group exercise]]. The group exercise starts with 30 minutes of preparation, during which you are told you represent a particular department of the Civil Service and given some literature regarding a fictional issue. Your task will be to represent your department's point of view, and make the case for it.
The actual exercise lasts approximately 45 minutes, and you have to make a decision on which factors you think are the most important and which of four projects will be the best solution to the problem. In the last 10 minutes your assessors will stop you and tell you that you have to present your case to a minister and think of responses to potential problems that may be raised over the selected solution.
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'''Written exercise'''
There are two written exercises during the [[assessment day]]. One is quite short and only lasts 30 minutes, in which you have to judge a situation and make comments upon it.
The next written exercise lasts for approximately one and a half hours and involves a lot of reading material which includes peoples' views and statistics concerning a set of proposals. It is your job to weigh up the proposals and make a decision based on the information and stated goals. There is no right answer to this exercise. You are being assessed on how you make your case.
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'''Lunch'''
Candidates will have lunch (which is apparently rather tasty) and an opportunity to talk freely with other candidates and quite possibly Civil Service graduate employees currently on the Fast Track scheme.
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'''Interview'''
The interview lasts approximately 45 - 60 minutes and is of general interview format. It consists of the usual general interview questions and [[competency based questions]].
'''Competencies'''
Employees of the Civil Service must be able to analyse and evaluate huge amounts of information, in order to prepare documents such as briefs for ministers. They must have excellent [[communication]] skills, so that they may write drafts of government White Papers and excellent [[teamwork|teamworking]] skills because much of the work they do will be team based. It is also important that they exhibit [[leadership]] qualities, to allow them to make key decisions and persuade other people of their point of view
At interview, candidates must demonstrate that they fulfil these key [[competencies]] that the Civil Service require of their employees. These are generally: '''[[Teamwork]]''', '''[[Leadership]]''', being able to '''analyse''' information, being able to '''plan''' effectively, being able to '''compile information''' and draft documents, and '''[[Decision making]]'''.
Use examples from your academic, working and extracurricular experiences to answer any questions you may be asked. For example, talking about how you successfully argued on a topic for a debating society at a university competition shows evidence of [[teamwork]] and co-operation, [[leadership]] and persuasiveness, and that you have successfully understood, analysed and re-drafted information.
Examples of specific questions candidates have been asked in the past include:
* When have you worked under pressure?
* Give me an example of when you have worked under pressure?
* How did you cope with this pressure?
* How do you motivate yourself at work?
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'''Briefing exercise'''
The briefing exercise is the final part of the assessment day. This starts with candidates being given a list of three options of fictional solutions to a problem (which may involve new local/national transport schemes).
You are given very little information concerning the solutions and a list of criteria that the solutions should fill. You have to pick one of the solutions and then prepare a 5-10 minute [[presentation]] for 25 minutes.
In the final briefing you give the [[presentation]] and will then be asked questions regarding the merits of the scheme and how you would solve any problems that might arise. This is a thinking on your feet exercise. You cannot prepare for these questions.
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'''Self-assessment'''
Throughout the day you will have opportunities to fill out self-assessment sheets, which ask you to describe how well you feel you have done at each assessment stage. These are assessed. They're looking to see how well you identify your own development needs. Be honest and say what your shortcomings are and how you would go about addressing them.
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Source: [http://www.whatwilltheyask.co.uk/Civil-service/civilservice3.htm]
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For more information about '''graduate schemes''' offered by the '''[[civil service fast stream|Civil Service]]''' use the WikiJob [http://www.wikijob.co.uk/forum forums].
The Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) brings together functions from two former departments: Science and innovation responsibilities from the Department of Trade and Industry and skills and further and higher education from the Department for Education and Skills.
The Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) is an agency of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) and exists to supply impartial scientific and technical research and advice to the MOD and other government departments. The organisation's mission is to create benefits for the UK Forces and Government through the best use of science and technology, and the organisation's vision is to be the indispensable source of science and technology at the heart of Defence.
The Defence, Science and Technology Laboratory recruits approximately 150 graduates throughout the year.
Candidates should have a minimum of a 2:1 degree to apply.
Industrial Placements
Dstl offers a broad range of university students the opportunity to participate in industrial placement schemes. These placements exist across Dstl and can last up to 50 weeks. During these placements students are invited to networking and development events to expand their current skill set and learn about careers in Science.
Summer Placements
Dstl offers a number of holiday placements, mainly in the summer. These placements generally run for 2-3 months and provide students with an opportunity to gain some relevant work experience whilst earning a small income.
Year In Industry
Dstl participates in the Year in Industry Scheme.
Once you have submitted your online application, Dstl managers will sift the applications for suitable applicants for posts and select candidates for assessment.
If you are selected you will be given a tour of the work area when you come to the assessment. Dstl conduct competency based interviews which may also include an additional technical presentation and interview. Normally you will be informed of the result of the interview within two weeks of attending.
The Department for Transport (DfT) often recruits graduates and school leavers.
The Department for Transport creates the strategic framework for transport services, which are delivered through a wide range of public and private sector bodies.
The central Department consists of around 1,700 people working on transport policy, strategy and support services. Policy covers all types of transport - road, rail, air and sea - and services include finance, legal matters, communication, human resources and IT.
More visible to the public, are the DfT's six executive agencies that deliver an important range of services from conducting driving tests to coordinating search and rescue operations at sea. They are:The Financial Management Development Scheme is a government run cross-departmental finance based graduate scheme. Candidates may choose a preferred government department when they submit their application form. If they are successful at interview, it is likely candidates will be placed at the government department of preference.
Government departments involved in the scheme: DfT (Department for Transport), Home Office and DWP (Department for Work and Pensions), DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs), ECGD (Export Credits Guarantee Department), MoJ (Ministry of Justice), TSOL (Treasury Solicitor's Department), HMT (Her Majesty's Treasury), Foreign & Commonwealth Office, DCLG (Department of Communities and Local Government)
The Financial Management Development Scheme interview and assessment process is the same for whichever government department you apply for. The process is as follows:
If you online application si successful, you will be asked to complete three online aptitude tests.
This test puts you in real life situations and asks what you would do in these situations. Each question is multiple-choice, and will be followed by several options.
For example, questions may be similar to the following: "You are an event manager who is managing a huge corporate event. One of your client's staff is overseeing how the event is being run. During the event one of the staff working under you gets into a heated argument with the client's staff. What would you do?"
Questions will be followed by about seven or eight statements and possible actions. You have to decide which options you would decide on in such situations. The idea is to answer these questions honestly, avoiding the obviously incorrect actions, e.g. "Sack your staff in front of the client to make a statement that you value the clients".
This exercise is conducted in groups of five. Each candidate is asked to pretend to be from a different government department - the scenario involves the government giving a £70 million pound grant to one of the departments for a project, to deal with a specific problem caused by global warming.
You will have to argue a case for your department to get the funding and then decide between the group which department should get the grant based on certain criteria, e.g. economic benefits, social benefits, etc.
This exercise is challenging. The scenario involves two local Job Centres that need to be relocated because there is not enough space available in either of them, and they are both no longer able to conform to minimum health and safety standards.
You will have three options:
- Close down both centres and open one new larger centre;
- Open a third centre; or,
- Expand both existing Job Centres.
The main problem with this exercise is that 11 pages of information will be provided for you to read, and candidates must pick out the advantage and disadvantages from this material. This 11 page document includes numerical figures - some calculations will be necessary. There is only 30 minutes to complete the whole exercise.
At the end of the exercise you will have to present your findings to two assessors and recommend one option.
In this task, candidates will be given 16 pages of information, covering two companies who have been bought out by a third company. The purchasing company is looking to introduce new training software to train its staff on the services they provide. Four companies were tendering to provide the company with the training software. You role will be to analyse the four tenders and make a recommendation on which is the best option, based on certain criteria. Candidates will be given just one and a half hours to read and write this report.
This interview is fairly straight-forward. It is unlikely there will be any commercial awareness questions. Candidates will almost certainly be asked three competency based questions concerned with: teamwork, planning & organising and drive/motivation. It is also very likely you will be asked why you want to work in the public sector.
The role of the FSA is to regulate the UK financial services industry, delivering benefits to firms and consumers alike. The organisation's remit is broad and entails ensuring people throughout the country get a fair deal in their financial services to maintaining London's status as a world leading international financial centre.
The FSA's aim is to make a real, tangible difference to the world of finance - one where the interests of all concerned are protected and championed. The FSA work with firms ranging from banks, building societies and insurance companies to financial advisers, fund managers, mortgage brokers and insurance intermediaries. As a result, the FSA provides graduates with a relatively a unique insight into the entire financial services market.
Candidates should be expecting or have attained a 2.1 or above in any subject, hold a minimum of 300 UCAS tariff points (excluding General Studies) and have the unrestricted right to work in the UK.
Candidates also need strong commercial awareness, and developed teamwork and leadership skills.
The Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) is a key part of the UK's intelligence and security service. Along with MI5 and MI6, its role is to counter threats to British people and interests. It works in two main areas - signals intelligence and information assurance - to support organisations such as the Ministry of Defence, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and law enforcement agencies. It also advises and assists organisations whose computer systems are critical to national infrastructure, such as those in the water, power and telecommunications industries.
Some jobs require previous experience or technical qualifications, but many are open to graduates from a wide range of disciplines.
GCHQ accepts graduate job applications all year round.
Applicants must be British citizens and successful candidates will be subject to a security vetting process.
GCHQ expects to recruit up to 350 graduates each year.
The headquarters of GCHQ is in Cheltenham and is home to more than 5,000 staff. There is also a satellite ground station in Cornwall and a communications collection facility in Yorkshire.
Graduates joining GCHQ in 2009 will be paid between £24,500 and £27,500 depending on their skills, experience and qualifications.
The Government Actuary's Department (GAD) is both a government department and an actuarial consulting firm, operating along commercial lines.
There are actuaries in public sector roles in many countries, but nowhere else is there such a strong concentration of actuarial talent within a government department, and nowhere else does the Government Actuary advise on such a comprehensive range of topics.
The Government Actuary's Department provides an actuarial consultancy service to the public sector. Advice is provided in many fields where actuarial skills play an important part, including social security, employee pension arrangements and statistical studies. GAD also advise overseas insurance industry regulators.
A wide breadth of experience is offered, from assisting in the formulation of government policies which may affect millions of people to making recommendations on the terms of a financial settlement involving a single individual. While the department's main clients are government departments in the United Kingdom, advice is increasingly being given to governments and other organisations in other parts of the world.
The work includes investigations, analytical work and advice to clients on a wide variety of actuarial, financial and statistical subjects and involves frequent contact with clients, including other government departments and public bodies.
The work of the Government Actuary's Department is varied, and you will be given the opportunity to broaden your experience by working in different areas.
As a Trainee Actuary, you will work directly with fully qualified actuaries and acquire professional expertise by working on current assignments in the department while studying for professional examinations using a combination of correspondence courses, personal study, discussion classes and tutorials. You must be prepared to apply yourself to a demanding course of study over a period of several years. As a Trainee Actuary, you will be given substantial support with study leave, work experience, counselling and course and examination fees, to enable you to obtain your professional qualifications as quickly as possible.
The Government Legal Service (GLS) joins together around 1900 Government lawyers including, at any one time, around 50 trainee solicitors and pupil barristers. GLS lawyers work in some 30 Government organisations, from Departments of State like the Home Office to public bodies such as the OFT (Office of Fair Trading). Those organisationally separate areas of Government legal provision - the Crown Prosecution Service, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Office of the Parliamentary Counsel – maintain close links with the GLS. So do the legal teams supporting the Scottish Executive and the Northern Ireland Departments.
GLS legal teams can range in size from one lawyer in smaller regulatory bodies to more than 350 in larger organisations like the Treasury Solicitors’ Department. You’ll have opportunities to move from one team to another, broadening your experience in a way rarely possible in the private sector.
GLS legal teams welcome lawyers of all kinds – solicitors and barristers, newly qualified or experienced; litigators or advisers; drafters or commercial specialists.
The Government Statistical Service (GSS) produces statistics. the GSS is the largest employer of statisticians in Britain. The Government Statistical Service provides trusted, authoritative, relevant and timely statistics for the UK's Government, businesses and general population.
The Government Statistical Service hire trainees for 18 Government Departments including; Environment, Health, Treasury, Defence, Home Office, Trade, Education, Children, International Development, Transport, Communities, Welsh Assembly, Scottish Government.
HM Treasury is responsible for formulating and implementing the Government's financial and economic policy. Its aim is to raise the rate of sustainable growth, and achieve rising prosperity and a better quality of life with economic and employment opportunities for all.
Over 1,200 people work at the Treasury, so it is a relatively small government department and is located at ultra modern offices overlooking St. James' Park in London. HM Treasury also have offices in Norwich where some of the organisation's Corporate Services staff are based.
HMGCC (Her Majesty's Government Communications Centre)]] produces leading-edge communications equipment to support Her Majesty's Government's interests at home and abroad. HMGCC design, develop, manufacture and support unique practical solutions to the ever changing challenges our customers face.
HMGCC have opportunities for Electronics, Software, and Systems Engineers.
The Highways Agency is a government agency responsible for operating, maintaining and improving the strategic road network in England. The Highways Agency tries to tackle congestion, improve safety, inform travellers of relevant issues, increase reliability of transportation systems and reduce journey times.
The Highways Agency runs an annual Graduate Development Programme, consisting of three distinct graduate employment schemes: a leadership scheme, an accountancy scheme and an engineering scheme. All the schemes are placement-based.
Kent County Council (KCC) is the county council that governs the majority of the county of Kent in England. It comprises 12 district councils, and around 300 town and parish councils. The county council has 84 elected councillors. The Chief Executive and his team of chief officers are responsible for the day-to-day running of the council.
Over 30,000 people work for Kent County Council.
The Kent County Council Graduate Programme, offers several different employment streams: Management, Finance, Transport & Development and IT & Computing.
A minimum of a 2:1 degree grade in any discipline is required for all streams. The T&D Stream requires an Engineering, Geography or Transport Planning degree. The IT Stream requires a degree in an IT related subject.
The Kent Graduate Programme is a fast track, two year development programme. Graduates will be placed in a number of placements, during the programme.
The London Treasurers' Graduate Finance Scheme is a government run finance based cross-borough London council graduate scheme. It offers graduates the chance to work in finance within local government in London, at one of 17 London councils partaking in the scheme.
The scheme is a four year contract, providing a mix of operational and project work, aimed to coach graduates to become finance professionals, set for a management level position.
The scheme will support candidates through the Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy (CIPFA) Professional Qualification. CIPFA is the only chartered body in the world to specialise in public sector finance.
Trainees will contribute to the full ranges of accountancy and finance work within the Borough they are placed in and will undertake work placements and formal training to achieve membership of CIPFA (Chartered Institute of Public Finance & Accountancy). A structured programme will be provided for each trainee to ensure their work experience meets the needs of their formal studies.
Approximately 40 candidates are hired each year, across the 17 participating London councils.
Candidates should either have, or expect to obtain, a degree in any subject, as long as it is a minimum grade of 2:2. Candidates should also have GCSE Maths and English or equivalent (Grade C or above), strong numeric, writing, oral and presentation skills, a high degree of computer literacy and good time management skills.
The interview process is generally completed by Easter each year and start dates will be between May and August, depending on candidates' availability.
The telephone interview will explore some of the information you provided in your application form and the behaviours and personal attributes which have been identified as essential for successful job performance.
Successful candidates will then be invited to attend a half day assessment centre in London to be held during February.
The assessment centre will comprise a number of exercises designed to assess the skills required and will provide you with an opportunity to find out more about the scheme.
Final interviews with the participating London Boroughs will be held in March, after which offers of employment will be made to successful candidates in early April.
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 (Military Intelligence, Section 5) is the United Kingdom's counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of the intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS or MI6), GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) and the Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS). All come under the direction of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC).
Its remit includes the protection of British parliamentary democracy and economic interests, counter-terrorism and counter-espionage within the UK. While mainly concerned with internal security, it does have an overseas role in support of its mission.
Conversely, to ensure that the Home Secretary is responsible for intelligence operations within the UK, the Service may act on behalf of SIS and GCHQ even if the operation is outside its own functions (SIS and GCHQ report to the Foreign Secretary).
The service has had a national headquarters at Thames House on Millbank in London since 1995, drawing together personnel from a number of locations into a single HQ facility. Thames House is shared with the Northern Ireland Office and is also home to the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, a subordinate organisation to the Security Service.
It has been alleged that the Service has regional facilities with one claimed to be in Glasgow.
MI5 employs 2,200 people from its base at Thames House on Millbank in London, although there are plans to expand numbers to 3,000 or more by 2010.
MI5 employs approximately 60 graduates each year as "Desk Officers". Each year approximately 10,000 people apply for graduate jobs at MI5.
MI5 are looking for graduates with a minimum of a 2:1 honours degree and at least one year's work experience, although the organisation may consider applicants without a degree who have the skills and wider life experience to undertake the work.
Starting salaries for graduates at MI5 are approximately £25,000 plus benefits.
Graduate jobs are based in London, although some overseas work may be required.
The graduate recruitment process at MI5 is rigorous, from the qualifying test to the final-round selection board. Discretion is essential and would-be applicants are warned not to discuss their career plans with anyone other than their immediate family. It can take nine months between first applying and receiving a job offer.
The Application process varies both in time-scale and dependant on the role applied for, but generally it follows the form of
The Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), colloquially known as MI6 is the United Kingdom's external intelligence agency, part of the country's intelligence community. Under the direction of the Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC), it works alongside the MI5 (Security Service), GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters) and the Defence Intelligence Staff (DIS).
Since 1995, the Secret Intelligence Service has had its headquarters at Vauxhall Cross on the South Bank of the Thames.
The SIS employs over 2,000 people.
MI6, which has been operating for nearly 100 years, now states it recruits openly. like other employers, and that it no longer relies on recruiting top level Oxbridge candidates via recommendations from University tutors. However, it is likely that traditional Oxbridge recruiting does still take place.
The SIS is increasingly looking to recruit more women, people from ethnic minority backgrounds and people of various sexual preferences. About 36 per cent of 2008 recruits were women and just under 10 per cent were of ethnic minority origin. The SIS must recruit from various sectors of society because the organisation's charter states its employees must reflect the structure of the population of the UK.
Graduate jobs at the Secret Intelligence Service include:
Opportunities are also now opening up for MI6 personnel to be given secondments to other areas of Whitehall, such as the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre, which is run by MI5 (Security Service).
The SIS do not look for specific degree subjects, although there are certain synergies between some degree subjects and some roles (languages and IT for example).
The SIS look for people with an enquiring mind, good judgement, an adaptable approach and a talent for collaborative working. You must be 21 (or 21 within the next six months) to apply.
Graduates of black or Asian minority origin are actively recruited by MI6, who must recruit employees from a range of ethnic backgrounds that reflects that of the overall make-up of the general population of the UK.
SIS headquarters, since 1995, is at 85, Vauxhall Cross, along the Albert Embankment in Vauxhall on the banks of the River Thames by Vauxhall Bridge, London.
The building design was reviewed to incorporate the necessary protection for Britain's foreign intelligence gathering agency. This includes overall increased security, extensive computer suites, technical areas, bomb blast protection, emergency back-up systems and protection against electronic eavesdropping.
The National Health Service (NHS) employs over 1.3 million people and is responsible for an annual budget of over £100 billion.
If you have or are expecting a minimum of a 2:2 degree, you can apply for the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme.
Graduates can choose to work in Finance, HR, General or Informatics Management at various locations all over the UK.
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The Application process involves an online application form and 4 four tests such as numerical and verbal reasoning tests. The next stage is a face-to-face interview. The Final stage is the assessment centre held in Warwick.
The National Audit Office (NAO) is a government organisation that audits the financial statements of all government departments and agencies, and many other public bodies.
If you are invited to attend an Interview or Assessment Centre, reasonable travel expenses and overnight expenses – if required – will be reimbursed. The interviews and assessments are held in London, so if you know that you’ll require overnight accommodation, the NAO suggests that you check with them first to make certain that your expenses will be covered. They also request that you inform them in writing in advance if you need to arrange special accommodations to attend an Interview or sit any tests. The NAO will make reasonable effort to ensure that the interviews and tests are accessible to all qualified applicants.
Part of the National Audit Office online application is a series of questions regarding your previous experience. Your responses to these questions will play a large part in determining if you will be invited for an interview and assessment centre.
You will be asked to provide examples of experience that you have had to show that you have the skills and competencies that the NAO is looking for. Your application will be seen more favourably if you are able to give a wide range of experiences rather than drawing all of your examples from one single period of work experience.
When you’re presenting examples in your NAO audit recruitment application, you should use clear, understandable language rather than technical jargon. Explain your examples concisely and simply. The first level of NAO application reviewers will reject any applications that they cannot clearly understand.
Once you’ve applied, you’ll hear back from the NAO, but be patient. It may take a bit of time, but the Office says that they do eventually respond to everyone who applies. If you are not invited for an Interview or to the assessment centre, you are welcome to re-apply during the next recruitment campaign.
Maths Test
Candidates should expect a Maths test. You will be given one hour to complete 30 questions no more difficult than GCSE level maths. The National Audit Office send each candidate a "revision guide" with practice questions in advance of the interview itself.
Interview
This interview is with a member of the National Udit Office's HR team. Candidates should expect questions such as:Candidates should also expect competency based questions involving key competencies such as motivation, persuasion and communication. This interview is relatively informal and lasts approximately 30 - 40 minutes.
Candidates will usually be offered a graduate job within seven days of group selection. Immediately unsuccessful candidates may be put on the organisation's reserve list, which means they may still be offered a position, if the National Audit Office do not find any more suitable candidates.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is based in Newport, Wales.
The interview and assessment process is as follows:
You will be given a test in statistics.The test will be fairly simplistic and will be split into two papers; one that focuses mainly on questionnaire design and another that is based on fairly simple multiple choice statistics questions.
In the past, candidates have been asked about an advertising campaign for a building society. Candidates have had to read a lot of information and then collectively come up with a plan that details the costs, etc, of this operation.
You will be given 20 minutes to prepare a talk from a table of data on holiday statistics. Your assessors will be interested to see how you: absorb the information available to you; identify critical points, and then; show that you can stand up and present information clearly.
The Office of Government Commerce (OGC) is an independent office of HM Treasury, established to help Government deliver best value from its spending. The Office of Government Commerce works with central Government departments and other public sector organisations to ensure the achievement of six key goals: Delivery of value for money from third party spend; Delivery of projects to time, quality and cost, realising benefits; Getting the best from the Government's £30bn estate; Improving the sustainability of the Government estate and operations, including reducing carbon emissions by 12.5% by 2010-11, through stronger performance management and guidance; Helping achieve delivery of further Government policy goals, including innovation, equality, and support for small and medium enterprises (SMEs); And driving forward the improvement of central Government capability in procurement, project and programme management, and estates management through the development of people skills, processes and tools.
Now see: Graduate Procurement Graduate Scheme (the graduate scheme of the Office of Government Commerce).
The Graduate Procurement Service is part of the Office of Government Commerce.
The Government Procurement Graduate Scheme (GPGS) is a procurement entry scheme set up and managed by the Government Procurement Service (GPS) in Office of Government Commerce (OGC). GPGS is a key part of the GPS strategy to ensure the availability of top-class procurement professionals for government. The scheme takes trainees through a two-year accelerated learning and development programme, including a variety of placements in procurement roles in their home department and in other departments and agencies.
There are two main elements of the scheme - formal training and exposure to different types of work experience. In the first year the trainees study for the Certificate of Competence in Purchasing and Supply while working on a variety of different projects in their home Department. In the second year the trainees study for the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply Graduate Diploma while going one or more external placements in other Departments, agencies, NDPBs or private sector organisations as deemed appropriate by their home Department. OGC GPS funds all the formal training. Once the trainees have finished the two-year scheme a further year's work experience will entitle holders to qualify for full membership of CIPS.
The trainees have a support network including a mentor in their home department, who acts as a guide and helps with their career development. The second year of the scheme has also seen the introduction of a buddy for each new scheme member.
Now in its second year the scheme has allocated ten trainees to the following Departments: Cabinet Office, Department for Children, Schools & Families, Department for Transport, Department for Work & Pensions, Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Highways Agency, NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency, Ministry of Justice (and National Offender Management Service).
Somerset County Council is divided in to four directorates: Children and Young People, Community, Environment and Resources. Additionally the Chief Executive’s Office supports the management of the council.
The council look after a population of over 515,500, educate over 70,000 pupils in 283 schools, look after around 390 children, support over 1,000 adults with learning difficulties to live independently, maintain over 6,500kms roads, deal with around 300,000 tonnes of domestic waste each year and host a stage of the Tour of Britain Cycle Race.
The council employ over 17,000 staff, in over 550 offices, schools, residential units, libraries and other facilities. The council also work with 140 partners and third party organisation to ensure their services are delivered effectively.
Somerset County Council hire approximately 20 graduates each year.
Each graduate trainee will work within one employing directorate ("Children and Young People", "Community", "Environment" or "Resources").
The Council operates a grading system for all positions. Entry level for the Graduate Development Scheme is at Grade 12 with a clear development path that sees graduates progressing through incremental pay rises.
Generic and specific training and development activities including induction arrangements and the achievement of a postgraduate qualification will support graduates' workplace development. This qualification will either be in general management studies or a professional qualification dependent on your role. Additional support is offered through a general internal training programme.
To be considered for a graduate role, you must have completed a first degree, in any discipline, and have either a predicted or an achieved 2.2 minimum. For professional roles such as engineering particular disciplines may be required.
There are a number of key competencies that you will be expected to achieve throughout the Council's graduate scheme – and there may be further competencies specific to the area that your position is within.
Somerset County Council's four, general key competencies are:Both on the application form and, if selected, during the assessment process, Somerset County Council require candidates to provide clear and succinct examples of how you meet the key competencies, experience, skills, and personal characteristics they are looking for.
Graduates are selected through a series of interviews, presentations, aptitude tests, group exercises and an occupational personality questionnaire.
Applicants short-listed for initial interview will be invited to attend an assessment centre. Successful candidates will then be invited to return for an additional formal interview with prospective line managers.
If candidates are not successful in gaining a post initially but have passed the assessment centre stage of the selection process, they will be held in a waiting pool for up to twelve months until further graduate posts become available.