Careers Spotlight: Civil Service

With more than 150 Civil Service departments and agencies and nearly half a million staff across the country, it is difficult to sum up the role of a civil servant.

Most simply, civil servants work for the government to develop and implement policies and provide services to the public.

The diverse nature of the Civil Service and the range of professional disciplines it encompasses means that there is a huge variety of roles and opportunities, including generalist policy and service development, finance, legal, IT and digital, commercial, communications and research.

There are several ways you can join the Civil Service.

School leavers can apply for the Civil Service Fast Track Apprenticeship. This is a two-year programme with six career routes covering key government business needs.

You will need a minimum of five GCSEs at grade 4 and above, including English Language and Maths. Some routes also require at least two A-levels at grade D and above.

If you are a recent graduate or in the last year of your degree, you can apply for the Civil Service Fast Stream, a structured three- or four-year accelerated learning and development programme divided into a range of specialisms and business areas.

Competition for the Fast Stream is high, with many specialisms requiring at least a 2:1 degree to be eligible to apply. You will also have to go through a rigorous assessment process.

You can also apply for roles directly with government departments if you have the relevant experience and skills.

While graduates from any discipline can apply to become a civil servant, many find that a degree in politics or a related subject is useful, providing a grounding in how policy is developed, implemented and evaluated in response to social and economic issues faced by governments.

What can I expect from a career as a civil servant?

You can expect a career with a clearly defined structure and opportunities for training and professional development.

Your day to day responsibilities will depend on your department and area of work.

Flexible and part-time working patterns are common, making the civil service a good option for people who want to manage their careers around family commitments.

Who can I work for as a civil servant?

As a civil servant, you will be employed by His Majesty’s Civil Service.

What about work experience as a civil servant?

Some government departments and agencies offer sandwich course placements and work experience opportunities during the holidays. Depending on your area of interest, you could consider approaching departments individually.

There are also short and summer internship opportunities for undergraduates from diverse backgrounds.

What are my prospects as a civil servant?

Progression within the Civil Service is encouraged and you will have access to learning and development opportunities throughout your career.

If you are working within a specialist area, you may also be able to work towards professional qualifications.

If you want to learn more about working within the civil service click on the links below

Boosting your CV

So what is a CV?  CV is short for Curriculum Vitae and is a short document which summarises your unique skills, character, experience and achievements.  

For students it can feel difficult to know what to write as you haven't had the time to build up the experience that employers always seem to want.

In this section we will look at ways of making your CV stand out for future employers so you can get that dream job.  So far we have looked at  ideas such as attending after school clubs and work experience placements.  This month we consider professional and industry organisations

Professional organisations:

Most specialisations and industries have a professional body, normally an association or institute, which people with the appropriate background, experience or qualifications can join. What can you gain by joining such a body?  Is it worth the membership fee? Will it help your job search? Here are some of the potential benefits that membership can offer.

Professional Recognition

Most institutions have an assessment process that applicants must pass before they are granted membership. This means that, once you have demonstrated that you have the requisite experience, qualifications and skills, you may join the institution and add the appropriate letters to your CV and business card. Membership shows that you have reached a certain level of expertise in your profession, and adds to your credibility.  It also shows that you are serious about your career and professional development. But remember just being a card carrying member of an organization doesn’t mean that this will automatically produce results for you – and you need to analyse the different types of professional bodies or institutes and chose carefully – simply collecting post nominal accreditation when taken to extremes can work counter-productively too!!

Information and Advice

Many institutions have web sites offering members password protected access to industry news, surveys, reports, updates, career information, jobs, and details of events. Some, like the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), offer a comprehensive on-line research facility, with downloadable documents and publications, and a facility for answering questions you may have.

Networking Opportunities

Institutions may have regional networking and professional development events that you can attend, which can be useful for making new contacts and learning more about what’s happening in the sector. National expos and conferences also offer excellent networking and research opportunities. If you wish to raise your profile you can volunteer to join committees and help organise events.

As a recent school leaver you may be able to get a discount on joining these organisations.  Even if you do not join the organisation if you are able to refer to it in your application letter or interview it will show the interviewer that you care about the job and have researched the industry you want to work in, making you a more attractive candidate. 

The link below will help you put together your CV

Unifrog

In keeping with our commitment to provide students with outstanding careers education information, advice and guidance (CEIAG) and tailored support when choosing their next step after school. We have invested in an online application called Unifrog; an award-winning, online careers platform. All students in Years 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 now have access to this excellent website.

The Unifrog platform is designed to support learners in making the most informed decisions about their futures and has a range of tools that are suitable for all year groups. Each student has their own personal account that provides a wide range of information related to their interests and aspirations.  Key features of the platform include:

Exploring Pathways – personality quizzes, career and subject profiles, MOOCs and webinars

Recording – self-reflection about extracurricular activities and key employability skills

Opportunities – search tools showing live vacancies/courses/placements for apprenticeships, universities (in the UK and abroad), FE, virtual work experience and much more

Applications – tools to help students build applications for a range of pathways (e.g., CVs, Personal Statements, Common App Essays)

All students have access to the platform, which is unique to them. They login to Unifrog using their email address and password and they can do so from any computer, tablet or smartphone. We would encourage all students to use the platform at home too, so parent/carers can support their child through the process of deciding their next step

Help for Parents and Carers

When it comes to education and careers, parents and carers have a large influence on a students choices. As an adult you are expected to have all the answers, but in a constantly evolving world it can be a struggle to keep up with the latest options out there.  In this section we will highlight resources that will help keep you up to date with careers and the choices available to young people.

The job market is changing so fast - how can we help our child be prepared?

Though good qualifications are central to being successful in the job market, soft skills are also important and will always be in demand.

The soft skills most valued by employers are:

• • Teamwork - With effective teamwork, teams are more productive, deadlines are met, relationships with your team members are stronger and knowledge is shared

  •  Problem solving -  No matter how smooth of a workplace we have, hurdles will appear, which is why knowing how to work towards the best possible solution to new and complex problems will ensure more successful outcomes

  • Communication - Good communication skills means you are able to actively listen to, and understand other perspectives, while also being able to share your own effectively

  • Adaptability - If you’re adaptable, you’ll make sure to completely understand an impending change and keep an open mind.

  • Critical thinking - Critical thinking skills are valued in the workplace because they allow you to effectively analyse information given to you and make informed decisions

  • Time management  - With only so many hours in the working day, time management is a process whereby you intentionally allocate your time productively and effectively

  • Interpersonal - Interpersonal skills are those that allow you to build relationships and communicate well with others.

The National Careers Service offers ideas on how to develop soft skills, click on the image below for more information.

Careers in Hertfordshire: Technology

Technology can be split into the following sub categories:

•  Cyber Security

• Games and Web Design

• Software and Hardware Engineering

• Data Science and Analytics

• Technical support

Technology offers a broad range of careers, for those with analytical, mathematical and problem solving skills. For those with a more creative mind, product design and games development roles lay within the technology industry. 

It is possible for anyone to get into a tech career and University education is not a must have.  There are a number of vocational pathways including T Levels and apprenticeships.

The future of the tech sector is ever evolving.  Technology has changed the way we live and work and continual development means the continual creation of new careers in the industry.

Roles in technology feature in the majority of companies across Hertfordshire as businesses rely heavily on technology for effective business operation.

Technology Businesses in Hertfordshire

 There are many large Technology based companies in the county such as Computacenter, Ocado and Imagination Technologies.  Hertfordshire is also home to many smaller, less well-known companies who offer fantastic opportunities to work in the industry. Technology roles also feature in companies from all sectors – for example, Tesco who have their UK Head Quarters in Welwyn Garden City and have teams of Data Analysts. Many Hertfordshire companies that aren’t tech based, rely on helpful IT Technicians to solve any issues around hardware and networks. Equally, our Technology companies rely on staff in non-technological roles like business, finance and marketing to help the business operate smoothly.

Technology businesses thrive in Hertfordshire and benefit from access to a growing pool of talent. 

Hertfordshire provides 21% more careers in Tech than the national average.  There are 62,870 businesses based in Hertfordshire and the majority will use some technology to operate.  Roles in Agritech, Fintech and Envirotec are emerging and will feature heavily in Hertfordshire in the coming years.

Many companies have apprenticeship and graduate schemes to support early entry to tech based jobs and careers.

APPRENTICESHIPS

 Apprenticeships are one way to start a career in Technology and can cover a wide range of occupations from software development to digital support and cyber security.. 

A selection of apprenticeships include:

• Applications Support Lead – Provide tactical advice, training and support on core technology applications.

• Digital Support Technician - Maximising the effective use of digital office technologies, productivity software and digital communications in organisations

• Digital Engineering Technician - Support digital engineers and specialists in completing complex tasks using digital engineering techniques.

• Cyber Security Technician – Provide first line cyber security support.

• Cyber Security Technologist – Apply an understanding of cyber security to protect from attacks and unauthorised access.

• Information Communications Technician - Deliver efficient operation and control of the IT.

• Software Development Technician - Building simple applications for use in larger software developments

• Software Tester - Carrying out tests to make sure computer software works as intended

• Data Analyst - Collect organise and study data to provide business insight.

For more information please go to www.hopinto.co.uk/ 

Current Opportunities

This month we have opportunities for virtual experience in the NHS as well as details of how to become a local champion with Clarion

NHS Virtual Work Experience

The Medical and Dental Schools Council acknowledges virtual work experience as an equal alternative to in-person shadowing based on a discovery report conducted by Health Education England. I encourage students aged 14 and over, interested in becoming doctors or dentists to participate in our FREE National NHS Virtual Work Experience programme. We are pleased to offer a variety of medical and dental specialties, with a focus this month on Palliative Care and Public Health & Oral Pathology. This enables your students to gain a well-rounded perspective of working within the NHS.

If you feel there are any students in Years 10/S3/NI11 - 13/S6/NI14 missing out on this opportunity, please forward this information to them:

Medicine: https://medicmentor.org/university-hospitals-birmingham-trust-virtual-work-experience/

Dentistry: https://dental-mentor.org/university-hospitals-birmingham-trust-virtual-work-experience/

Developed in collaboration with Birmingham Universities Hospitals Trust, this Virtual Work Experience has proven to be transformative for thousands of secondary school students over the past year. It also provides a strong foundation of knowledge for students who are preparing to undertake future in-person placements.

This 6-month medical and 4 months dental e-learning work experience programme allows students to set their own pace of learning. Covering everything from confidentiality and ethics workshops delivered by the GMC to clinical procedures, our virtual work experience provides a crucial overview to enhance your students’ UCAS applications.

Signing up is easy – students simply need to fill out the free online application form:

Medicine: https://medicmentor.org/university-hospitals-birmingham-trust-virtual-work-experience/

Dentistry: https://dental-mentor.org/university-hospitals-birmingham-trust-virtual-work-experience/

We look forward to interacting with your students and will provide them with certificates upon completion. Thank you for passing on the details.

Warm regards,

Dr (Prof) Dhakshana Sivayoganathan 

Become a Young Community Champion!

I hope you are well.

My name is Tosin Ilemobola, and I work for Clarion Futures in the Jobs Plus team in Borehamwood. Clarion Group is the UK’s largest housing association, and Clarion Futures, its charitable arm, works closely with residents in disadvantaged communities. We support young people in developing skills, accessing opportunities and overcoming barriers through employment support, training, volunteering, and wellbeing initiatives.

We are excited to invite students aged 16–24 to become Young Community Champions, a group helping to shape events, opportunities, and projects for young people in the community.

As a Young Community Champion, students will:

• Plan and run events focused on careers, creativity, health, community, and socialising

• Share their opinions and feedback to influence programmes and opportunities

• Refer residents to our programmes

• Gain real-world experience that enhances their CV

• Connect with local teams, partners, and other young leaders

• Enjoy exclusive perks, including vouchers, free trips, and career coaching

The group will meet once a month to collaborate and create opportunities for young people. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to develop leadership and teamwork skills, make valuable connections, and have their voices heard.

We would be grateful if you could share this opportunity with your students. For more information or any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Many thanks,

Tosin

Tosin Ilemobola – Employment Support Officer

Jobs Plus Pilot Borehamwood

Clarion Futures Jobs & Training