Recruitment to the UK Civil Service Fast Stream opens on 12th October and closes on 9th November. There are 15 streams in total covering a wide range of departments and specialisms, but also including a Generalist stream. PGRs might be interested to know that 4 of the streams require a postgraduate qualification: Operational Research; Social Research; Government Statistical Service; Science and Engineering. Generally, a significant number of those recruited each year are postgraduates.
If you’re not sure if it’s for you, take a look at the profiles of two York PhD graduates: Adam, a PhD graduate in Historical Archaeology working in the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities; and Ben, a PhD History graduate working in the Cabinet Office.
There are a number of other public sector programmes that could offer PGRs the opportunity to use their specialist skills and knowledge, including HM Treasury, Bank of England (who run a PhD Research Programme), UK Security Services (GCHQ, MI5, MI6), the National Graduate Development Programme (for local government), and the NHS, which includes schemes for Policy and Strategy, Health Informatics and Health Analysis.
Need to know: These programmes are aimed at early career graduates, although entrants to the Civil Service sometimes have several years’ experience in other careers. Recruitment is for opportunities that will start in Summer/Autumn 2024. Most programmes have a minimum entry requirement of a Bachelors degree but postgraduate degree holders are usually welcome to apply. Due to the nature of the work, many schemes have nationality/residency requirements, so check entry requirements carefully.
Meet Public Sector representatives:
Some organisations will be attending the Graduate Jobs and Placements Fairs on 10th and 11th October: Civil Service; National Audit Office; UK Health Security Agency; Government Statistical Service; HM Treasury; National Graduate Development Programme; Office for National Statistics.
There is also a Public Sector Panel event on 19th October which will include York alumni working in the Ministry of Justice, York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and the Animal & Plant Health Agency (APHA).