Civil Service Fast-stream

What to expect & How to

apply

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

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

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

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

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…

Ramin HassanDepartment 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.”

Charlene WoolleyHMRC• 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".

Ayesha AliDepartment 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”.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Any questions?

Thank you