Skip to main content

Civil Service Fast Stream

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 regularly between projects and sections within their departments; they take up postings in other departments and agencies; and they are regularly seconded to Europe, the USA and also companies.

Application Requirements

[Edit]

The Civil Service require a minimum of a 2:2 in any degree discipline from graduate applicants. Generally you must also be a UK 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.

Applying

[Edit]

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.

Applying for the Foreign Office, Department for International Development and the Ministry of Defense

[Edit]

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.

Departments - Where will I end up?

[Edit]

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.

Deferring

[Edit]

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.

Secondments

[Edit]

As you progress through the Fast Stream programme, there will be a number of opportunities to take secondments within the Treasury and the Cabinet Office at the Civil Service.

Job switching and changing departments within the civil service is actively encouraged because bringing new knowledge and new ideas to some policy areas is very useful. Taking a secondment in another department also helps individuals to understand other parts of the Civil Service better, which is useful throughout their career.

You will also be actively encouraged to take secondments outside of Whitehall too. Some people at the Civil Service think that a secondment in a local authority should be compulsory for anyone seeking promotion into the senior Civil Service. This is because a lack of knowledge of how local government works has been one of the biggest barriers to delivery over the past ten years.

Training

[Edit]

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.

Some departments offer specific training courses, such as "An Introduction to Parliament, Government and the Civil Service".

Working Culture

[Edit]

One of the biggest complaints from people within industry is that the Civil Service is not consistent and suffers from a lack of joined up thinking between departments (and even within departments). This is one of the reasons why there has been a concerted push across various departments for more co-ordinated and aligned working in recent months.

Further Information

[Edit]

Now see: