Graduate Recruitment in
the Public Sector
David Henderson
Careers∂ Adviser
d.m.henderson@durham.ac.uk
http://durhamcasnews.wordpress.com
Contents
• The current situation
• Graduate schemes and other
opportunities
∂
• What can you do?
• Questions/discussion
2
What is the public sector?
Key organisations
•Local Government – employing in the region of 3million people
•Civil Service – employing 2.5 million people
•NHS – 1.5 million
•Regional Development Agencies∂
•Police
•Prison Service
•Social Services
•Probationary Service
•Armed Forces
•Higher Education
•Criminal Justice System
3
Impact on recruitment
• Difficult to gauge the impact of spending cuts
on public sector recruitment
• Estimate figures of 500k jobs to be lost over
next 5 years (CIPD/Office for Budget
Responsibility); prospect of growth in the
private sector?
∂
• 19% four year cut in department budgets
• 7% cut for local authorities from April
• NHS and English schools budget protected
• Administrative positions likely to be hardest
hit; ‘some’ protection for frontline services
Front line services
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Nurses
Doctors
Midwives
Primary school teachers
Secondary school teachers
∂
Fire service officers
Police officers
Social workers
Impact on recruitment
• Likely to be harder for graduates to attain
‘entry level’ roles within public sector
organisations
• Recruitment likely to be more specific to
‘business need’.
∂
But…
• Graduate schemes are still operating in the
public sector
• Continued investment in graduate talent
Civil Service Fast Stream
• Graduate recruitment is protected
• Closing date 30th November
• Graduate (Central depts, Houses of Parliament,
Science and Engineering, Diplomatic) HR,
Technology, European, Northern Ireland
∂
• 2009 15k applications/585
vacancies (25:1)
• Other opportunities advertised on:
- www.civilservice.gov.uk/jobs
- www.work-for-scotland.org
- http://wales.gov.uk/about/recruitment
- www.nicsrecruitment.gov.uk
7
Other government
schemes
• Government departments and agencies
operate graduate schemes that are
independent of the Fast Stream
∂ impact of spending
• Too early to appreciate
cuts but a recruitment freeze in evidence
in some departments; this extends to
graduate schemes
8
Other government
schemes…No
• Audit Commission (www.whatisyouraudit.com) – organisation
being disbanded
• Highways Agency (www.highways.gov.uk/jobs) – not
currently running (transport management)
• Homes and Communities Agency
(www.homesandcommunities.co.uk/graduates) – graduate
∂
scheme suspended (regeneration)
• Forestry Commission (www.forestry.gov.uk) – Current freeze
on recruitment including graduate scheme
• Crown Prosecution Service – not currently recruiting
• Government Procurement Service
(www.resourcingmicrosites.com/ogc)
• HM Revenue & Customs
(www.hmrc.gov.uk/graduate/index.htm) – no graduate
recruitment programme
9
Other government
schemes…Yes
• National Audit Office (www.naograduates.org.uk) – graduate
scheme open now
• GCHQ (www.gchq-careers.co.uk) – do not operate a graduate
leadership programme but are recruiting graduates for specific
vacancies
• Government Legal Service (www.gls.gov.uk) – recruiting as
normal and will be attending ∂
Durham Law Fair
• DSTL (www.dstl.gov.uk/careers/gradrec.php) – currently
recruiting; attended Information Fair
• Environment Agency (www.floodriskcareers.co.uk) – not
actively recruiting but considering speculative applications
• DESG (www.desg.mod.uk/graduateops) – to be confirmed
10
NGDP (www.ngdp.co.uk)
• 2011 scheme open, closing date January 10th
2011
• 80 trainees ‘normally’ recruited
• Programme involves a series of placements
within a host local authority
• Local authorities do occasionally
run
∂
independent graduate schemes e.g. Kent
County Council (recruited between May and
July last year)
• Graduate Talent Pool (www.lggraduates.com)
• RDAs source of employment at regional level
but will be disbanded over the next 2 years
11
NHS
• Indication is that it will run but not yet clear when the
application process will begin
• NHS Scotland are running their graduate management
training scheme (closing date 8th Jan 2011)
• 21k starting salary, 3 year scheme encompassing Masters
in Health and Public Leadership (www.mts.scot.nhs.uk)
• BUPA – private sector alternative.
Management
∂
programme encompassing 3 placements including one in
Spain. Closing date 15th Nov 2010.
www.bupa.com/careers/graduates
• NHS budget is protected which is positive in respect of
health care professions (medicine, nursing, psychology
etc)
12
Uniformed Services
• Police – do not have a graduate scheme as such but do
run a High Potential Development Scheme for existing
staff. 14% cuts likely to impact recruitment
www.policecouldyou.co.uk
• Prison Service – Graduate leadership programme
running this year. Closing date 10th December
(www.hmprisonservice.gov.uk/careersandjobs/prisonlea
∂
ders)
• Armed Forces continuing with the recruitment of
Officers
• No specific graduate pathway in respect of emergency
services; opportunities in the private sector linked to
security/emergencies e.g. emergency planning service
consultancies (www.the-eps.org), risk and security
consultancies e.g. Kroll
13
Social Services
• Probationary Service – no centralised
recruitment scheme for TPOs but opportunities
will be advertised regionally
• Social Work – introduction in 2010 of ‘Step up
to Social Work’ programme
(www.cwdcouncil.org.uk/social-work/step-up∂
to-social-work)
• Housing Associations starting to introduce
graduate schemes e.g. Look Ahead
(http://grad.lookahead.org.uk)
• Strong private and voluntary sector in respect
of the delivery of social services
14
Education
• Education budget remains protected so
less impact on recruitment of teachers
and related professionals/support staff
• Teacher training – bursary rates for
2011 to be announced
soon
∂
• HE and FE sector will be affected but
job opportunities may still be available
to graduates in respect of internships,
KTPs and trainee posts
15
Management Trainee (Intern) with Event Durham
Details of position
•
Fixed-term Internship until 1st October 2011
•
Full-time, 35 hours per week,
•
Grade 2 £13856-£14549
•
Closing date 27th October 2010
To enhance the employment prospects of Durham students, Event Durham is able to offer an
exciting opportunity to a Graduate from Durham University, in a marketing or business
discipline. The appointment will be offered on a fixed-term basis until 1st October 2011.
This post will offer "on the job" training specific to the expected outcomes for the role, to help
trainees achieve their objectives and meet managers' expectations. ‘On the job' training is
especially important for an individual with no previous work experience.
∂
16
Other public sector recruiters
• Network Rail – 22nd Dec
(http://careers.networkrail.co.uk/graduates)
• Bank of England – 15th Nov
(www.bankofenglandjobs.co.uk)
• FSA – 18th Nov (www.fsagraduates.com)
• TFL – closing dates vary (11th Nov – Project Mgt,
Management 3rd Jan
∂
www.tfl.gov.uk/microsites/graduates)
• BBC Production Trainee scheme – opens March 2011
(www.bbc.co.uk/jobs/pts)
• Nuclear Graduates – closing date 3rd Dec
(www.nucleargraduates.com)
• Science and Technology Facilities Council
(www.graduates.scitech.ac.uk)
17
What should I be doing?
• Very focussed applications to those
schemes that are available
• Stronger focus in terms of career
roles within the public sector –
∂
relevant qualifications
and
experience
• Alternative graduate schemes and
jobs in the private and voluntary
sectors
18
What should I be doing?
• Assessing your motivations for
working in the public sector…could
this be replicated in other
organisations?
• Are there specific∂ areas of public
sector work that interest
you…environment, health,
education etc
• Applying professional experience in
other sectors to public sector
19
Public sector job search
• www.lgjobs.com
• www.jobsgopublic.com
• www.opportunities.co.uk
• www.sector1.net∂ (very useful for
the NE)
• http://jobs.guardian.co.uk/jobs/go
vernment
• www.publicjobsdirect.com
20
Charity sector
• Scope for voluntary organisations
to play more significant role in
delivery of public sector services
• Very limited graduate schemes
∂
currently available in the voluntary
sector:
- Cancer Research
- Teach First
21
Careers Advisory Service
Careers Advisory Service
University of Durham
49 New Elvet
Durham
DH1 3PF
Tel: 0191 334 1430
careers-advice@durham.ac.uk
∂
www.dur.ac.uk/careers-advice
DUO Careers Tab
Monday to Friday
10am – 5pm (term time)
10am – 1pm and 2.15pm – 5pm (vacations)