Bright school leavers will soon be able apply to become
apprentice civil servants under a scheme to be launched on Monday by the
Cabinet Office and civil service.
The first 100 apprentices, aged 18 to 21, will be recruited
in April, and will learn on the job in government departments from September
2013 for at least the next two years.
The Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude and the head of
the civil service, Sir Bob Kerslake, will announce they plan to increase the
number of places available to 500 a year, matching the fast-track scheme already
in place for university graduates.
. A department spokesman said the scheme would offer the
chance of a permanent career. "The apprenticeships will be advertised as
permanent opportunities to join the Civil Service and, subject to satisfactory
performance they are guaranteed to be a civil servant once it is over," he
said.
The scheme is being launched at a time when departments are
shedding thousands of civil servants, with many more to come under cutbacks
coming down the line. At the Department for Education alone, the education
secretary, Michael Gove, is planning to cut 1,000 of almost 4,000 civil
servants.
Further details of the scheme, including the grades expected
of applicants and which departments they may be heading for, will be announced
later, but in a statement the government says: "The scheme will strengthen
the civil service with talented young people who have chosen not to go to
university."
Maude said: "We are working to reform the civil
service, building on its strengths while addressing its weaknesses. Like any
big organisation, the success of the civil service depends on its staff. It
already employs some of Britain's best and brightest and we have one of the
most popular graduate schemes. But we are in a global race and we need to
attract more of the best talent, including those who have chosen not to pursue
higher education."
Kerslake, possibly apprehensive that the prospect of going
straight into the civil service might not look instantly alluring to school
leavers, said a recent survey showed 89% of staff were interested in their
work.
"Our graduate fast-stream programme is consistently
ranked in the Times top 100 graduate employers and our ambition is for this
civil service fast-track apprenticeship scheme to have the same credibility and
status. Indeed, the scheme would place the civil service amongst the best in
the private sector.
"We are committed to giving more young people a chance
to work at the heart of government and to receive first-class training. Just
because someone hasn't been to university doesn't mean they shouldn't have a
bright career ahead of them."
Source: 7 January 2013, The Guardian by Maev Kennedy
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