If you wanted to join the civil service, what department would you think would be the best to aim for ?

[OrangeCatKitten]

In terms of salary and being interesting with room to grow?

I’m currently on the TSP which is the HMRC-specific fast stream as a career changer. I would recommend. It’s stupidly competitive to get on but not too horrendous when you get there. Work is challenging but not at an unmanageable level. I never need to take work home, which is a vast improvement on my previous career.

Can’t speak for any other departments.

There are very few cs internships available that are not aimed at improving equality and diversity. She might be better looking at local government for those unless she fulfils the selection criteria.

I've recently joined the care Inspectorate but you can't just get into it. You need a background as a social worker, education, nursing etc.

Also look at Arms Length Bodies which sometimes have their own apprentice and graduate schemes and are also able to access internal CS jobs sites. Can also be more interesting - Highways Agency, Natural England, Food Standards, Space Agency. Marine Management etc.

Or swerve the CS and go for a ALB / NDPB. All the perks, more freedom.

Yes ALB/NDPB can be less competitive too (albeit often not as well paid), I got in that way.

I work at the Met Office and love it, there is a huge variety of work here and a real feeling that you are making a difference, the people are great too. Only downside is that it's probably at the lower end of CS salaries. We do industrial placement years for all sorts of degrees/jobs (current cohort is being advertised at the moment if he wants to see if there's anything that interests him) and there's a graduate scheme too.

I didn’t even realise met office was part of it all, that does sound like an interesting one

Google ALBs and OGDs and Non ministerial departments @OrangeCatKitten - I think there are over 600 these days.

https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations

Dd has several friends in defence, they are enjoying it but you need to be flexible as to where you live, you get sent out. You need an engineering degree for that stream usually though

Sorry not sure why I wrote so, appalling assumption on my part.

Womens rights - many many parts of government are TRA captured if that's what you mean?

What sort of work does she want to do? Influencing policy is NOT something she'll be doing in the first few roles out of uni tbh.

Sadly DFID doesn’t exist and they getting rid of huge numbers of jobs in the Foreign Office now

What are they interested in?
the most interesting department is DSIT, especially if they are into technology, digital, science and AI

If she's interested in women's rights, a lot is done out of the HO- but there is also work in MOJ, FCDO (but is total carnage there at the moment, 25% job cuts and ODA cuts mean very little money) and some surprisingly interesting work in MOD if she can manage being in that environment. NCA also have some interesting stuff (everyone I've known at NCA has loved it). Government Equalities Office is not as interesting as it sounds.

I think the diplomatic fast stream is still recruiting though it is very, very competitive and progression can be difficult in fcdo even in normal times. Otherwise DESNEZ is supposed to be lovely. DCMS is nicknamed the Ministry of Fun.

https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/fast-stream/fs-summer-internship-programme/

There are a few schemes if she is still studying, this is one.

Yes she’s very interested in diplomacy aswell she’s doing politics and IR
so many great ideas
I’m sending her this thread

thank you so much