With an enormous range of openings available across the UK, there has never been a better time to consider a career within the Civil Service.
Roles on offer range from human resources to digital data and technology, communications to finance, and international trade and negotiations to counter fraud and security – to name just a few.
From finding long-term unemployed people fulfilling and sustainable jobs to ensuring the country was in the best possible position to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic, Manchester-based Andrew Rasburn has achieved a lot in the seven years he has worked in the Civil Service.
He is one of thousands of employees working up and down the country in a variety of roles, but all with one central mission: to make a positive difference to people’s lives across the UK.
Andrew, 33, has worked in the Department of Work and Pensions processing Universal Credit claims, at a job centre where he supported people back into work and those seeking a career change, at Liverpool prison and at the Department for Health and Social Care, helping the Joint Biosecurity Centre ramp up its efforts against coronavirus.
Each has come with its own challenges, but Andrew, who now works at the Department for Digital Media, Culture and Sport as a human resource business partner, rose to the occasion and says every role has been incredibly rewarding.
“I felt like I was doing something to support and to help the [pandemic effort] from my kitchen table,” Andrew says of helping to recruit people to roles at the Joint Biosecurity Centre. “I wasn't out there dealing with people, but nevertheless, what we were doing was important.
“The sense of achievement when you saw products come together, and the operation beginning to run like an organisation, and you felt like the part you had in that was bringing some of these people together.”
Ruth Elder, 36, has been working as deputy head of finance technology at HM Treasury in Darlington since November.
As a working mother to two children under seven, Ruth says flexibility is really important.
“It’s very family friendly and supportive of me working 32 hours over four days,” she says.
“When the Treasury moved to Darlington I registered for job alerts straightaway. Before, you couldn’t work for the Treasury unless you lived in London.
“The Civil Service is very good at looking at transferable skills rather than whether you’ve worked in the same job. I could have stayed in the private sector for big money, but it can be short-lived with a year’s contract, then finding the next one.
“I like a role that adds value in society and hopefully a career where I can succeed and get promoted. As a working mother, that’s absolutely possible here.”
The Civil Service wants and needs to be representative of the population it serves, so applications from under-represented groups and those living in all four corners of the country are welcome.
Pru Orridge, 43, lives in Cardiff, Wales and works as the customs fraud lead in HMRC’s Fraud Investigation Service. She also serves as the HMRC Race Network lead in Wales.
In the last few years she has used her position to focus on ensuring equality of opportunity for colleagues, regardless of their ethnicity.
“Seeing that someone from outside, from Africa, can come here, they can work in this government department, do something for themselves and even go to higher positions, is kind of inspiring,” she says.
Pru joined HMRC in 2005 and has held several roles in the organisation. Whether a Civil Service employee is fresh out of school or university, or has worked in another profession for decades, the same benefits are on offer.
“We’ve got development programmes that teach you what you need to do and give you skills and opportunity, you have training – it’s helped me apply for the role I’ve got now,” she says.
“We’ve got flexibility – I work around looking after my nephews and nieces so I can support my family. Two of my team have children – sometimes they have to do the school run or take a day off. They can do that. It’s not like they have to give me five weeks’ notice.
“We’re now moving to hybrid working, you can work wherever you are. The team of four I’m managing – one in is Manchester, one Newcastle, one Liverpool and one Glasgow. They’re not even in Cardiff. You can go anywhere.
“And we can have paid time off when we’re sick. I’ve twice had a hip replacement and HMRC paid me when I needed it.”
Leon Soyinka Sinden is 19 and currently holds an apprentice role in the central Government Communication Service team. He is a communications and membership services officer, which involves producing social media content, writing internal newsletters and blogs, and providing support to various other projects.
“I was originally planning on going to university. I wasn't really intending to do it to do an apprenticeship but I just thought I'd have a look,” he explains.
“I saw the apprenticeship and I'd always wanted to work in government. It seemed such an incredible opportunity. I never thought I’d get in - I’d just give it a go - I decided to apply on a bit of a whim because I’d kick myself if I didn't. And then it progressed and I got one interview after another and then eventually got offered the job.”
He adds: “It's been great. I've learned so much because like, it feels as if I've been here for a lot longer than three months. Because, yeah, it sounds a cliche, but I do a lot of real work. I get involved in everything.
“Obviously the first month was a bit of a learning curve because it was a big shakeup going into full time work, but you’re not thrown in at the deep end. I think it's pretty natural to feel a bit anxious but you learn on the job really quickly.”
There are a wide range of benefits throughout the Civil Service including opportunity to make a difference, flexibility, annual and parental leave, pension, learning, development opportunities across a vast range of professions.
Staff benefit from learning on the job and good career development opportunities, as well as flexible working hours.
To fınd out more about the opportunities available visit: www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk
