Government and Civil Service Jobs for Graduates and School Leavers

Government and Civil Service jobs for graduates and school leavers Published: 01/05/2015 by plotr

For graduates and school leavers looking to get involved on a career level, here are just some useful steps you can take to getting your first government (or civil service) job…

Before we begin, a very important question needs answering...

What’s the difference between government and the Civil Service? Most people would say they’ve got a pretty good handle on what the government is (oh, you know, it’s that big group of people running the country). That’s great, but what on earth is… the Civil Service? Well, people working for the Civil Service help the government run the country. Civil servants work with politicians in departments like the Ministry of Justice and the Department of Education. The BIG difference between them and politicians is that civil servants don’t belong to a political party, so they’re not elected. New governments might get voted in at elections, but the Civil Service stays the same! The government and the Civil Service work as a team, and they’re both a vital part of what makes politics in the UK real. That’s why we’ve included graduate and school leaver work opportunities for both…

Government & Civil Service jobs for graduates

Civil Service Fast Stream The Civil Service Fast Stream scheme is a great opportunity for graduates to have a positive effect on people’s lives in the UK and the world. As a graduate on the Civil Service Fast Stream scheme, you could work in all kinds of areas including education, the economy, foreign affairs, defence policy, health, the environment and lots more. You’ll get a starting salary between £25,000 and £27,000 a year, and pay increases are based on performance (so if you’re promoted, you could be earning over £45,000 after four to five years!). Your application requirements include: ● Meeting nationality requirements ● Having at least a second-class degree in any subject form most Fast Stream schemes You can learn more about how to apply for a Civil Service Fast Stream scheme here. All Fast Stream schemes open for applications in September 2015.

MI5 Graduate Careers You may already know that the role of MI5 is to protect the UK against any threats to national security. If you want a career that’s interesting, rewarding and definitely challenging, MI5 has opportunities for talent graduates from a range of backgrounds and degrees. The starting salary for MI5 development programmes is currently £27,300, which goes up to £29,500 after a year. If you come in at the higher level as an Intelligence Officer, your starting salary will be £33,000. MI5 graduate programmes available: ● Intelligence Officer Development Programme ● Intelligence and Data Analyst Development Programme Click here for a handy flowchart that helps you discover which programme’s right for you… More career opportunities for graduates… ● If you visit the Local Government Jobs website, you can search directly for graduate programmes being offered in local government (and for local government jobs in general) ● You can also find out what it’s like to do the Serco ‘Fast Track’ scheme – they’re an organisation that runs some of the trains, hospitals and other vital services on behalf of the UK government.

Government & Civil Service jobs for school leavers Civil Service Apprenticeship Schemes Did you know you can apply to work in government and study for a level 3 or 4 qualification? The Civil Service is looking for school leavers who take pride in what they do and are excited by the idea of building up their skills before getting a full time job. As a Civil Service apprentice, you’ll start building the kind of career that could have a real impact on the way the country is run. You’ll get work experience, a certified qualification and a competitive salary too (the amount depends on the scheme you opted for and which government department you’re placed in). Civil Service apprenticeship schemes available: ● Civil Service Fast Track Apprenticeship Scheme (level 4) ● Operational Delivery Apprenticeship (level 3)