Page 8 | Civil Service Fast Stream

Jakolantern · 2025-08-01T06:02:26+00:00

Has anyone got any experience or advice about applying for this? My son has just graduated from a prestigious university and is going back to do a masters next year. He is planning to apply to the civil service fast stream in October and is very motivated and excited by this prospect. He is highly intelligent, with excellent grades and good work experience and is a hardworking, very likeable young man who is committed to the idea of using his life to provide public service. He is not motivated by money, he just wants to be of benefit of others, but he does need to earn enough money to live obviously. I know he would be an asset to the civil service but as a white, middle class man with a humanities degree I feel as though the odds are stacked against him before he even applies. I haven’t mentioned this to him, of course, and I am just a passive spectator to his life now really, but if there was any help or advice I could give him it would be much appreciated.

Original poster

Jakolantern · 01/08/2025 11:50

RockaLock · 01/08/2025 07:16

Well, given that the Labour government have just announced that only “working class” children will be allowed to have Civil Service internships because the civil service is too middle class, and that they will then be prioritised for entry to the fast stream, then I would say that yes, applying for a job there now as a white middle class man means you probably will have the odds stacked against you.

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Yeah, that’s what I thought: sigh.

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August3r · 01/08/2025 11:50

Zanatdy · 01/08/2025 11:47

That stat does not reflect my team in the CS at all. I only know of one privately educated CS in my dept. The remainder are of all different class. But predominantly working class. Including new entrants. The CS has offices all over the Uk.

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The stat is well known so because you don’t discuss education or personally know any colleagues that are privately educated does not make it incorrect.

LittlleMy · 01/08/2025 11:51

GoatGoatGoat · 01/08/2025 07:17

Oh for Christ sake. I'm a civil servant and I assure you, I work with plenty of white, middle-class men.

When you apply for a civil service job, it's name-blind and they ask you to make sure there are no references to your age, sex, university you studied at etc, to try and eliminate any bias.

There are plenty of resources on civil service website to help him prepare and Reddit has an active civil service forum.

A lot of people apply for fast stream every year so best advice would be not to pin all his hopes to this. Last year only 2% of applicants were successful. Hopefully it goes well for him.

100% concur with this.

As a serving CS, I can assure you there is no bias against any white applicants. We have a large volume of fast streamers pass through my department as part of their multiple placements and so far every one has been white.

MoveOverToTheSea · 01/08/2025 11:52

Jakolantern · 01/08/2025 11:49

The masters runs from September 25 to July 26. Applications open in October 25 and they are at least partially aimed at final year students so I guess the fast stream begins in September 26, but I don’t actually know that for sure.

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Like most graduate schemes…

You start applying in October 25 to start your job in September 26.
Thats not particular to CS.
I assume he’ll be applying to other graduate jobs anyway?

NigelPonsonbySmallpiece · 01/08/2025 11:54

My younger brother is on this scheme, got recruited just before Covid. He’s white, middle class. Got a humanities degree (and Masters). So there is definitely hope.

Original poster

Jakolantern · 01/08/2025 11:55

GreatBigShaz · 01/08/2025 07:17

I suspect she's read it.

White, middle class man with a degree, with the odds stacked against him, I ask you 🙄

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I understand why you are saying that, and both he and I recognise his privilege, but barely any of his peers from university or school has yet secured a graduate role (just the Oxbridge ones basically). It’s tough out there right now so it’s worrying to read about it being made even tougher.

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Allthecolours2025 · 01/08/2025 11:57

Honestly if he wants to get into the civil service the quickest and easiest way is to just get a foot in the door e.g cs roles advertised at job centres or CS website, accept any role in any department, and then once in, apply for a role in the dept he is particularly interested in and progress from there. I wouldn’t wait around for fast stream as the only option.

Original poster

Jakolantern · 01/08/2025 11:57

SpanThatWorld · 01/08/2025 07:19

My son is a middle class white man with a double First from Cambridge.
He got into an excellent role in the Civil Service at the first attempt despite the terrible, terrible oppression that he faced.
And despite the fact that Mummy didn't get involved with his application.

I also think that he has a nice personality but others may not agree. And he has nice hair which he washes regularly.

That’s nice.

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Original poster

Jakolantern · 01/08/2025 12:01

Zanatdy · 01/08/2025 07:20

Those kind of schemes are just evening things up. White middle class men generally have plenty of advantages to get themselves ahead. The CS wants to be representative of the communities they serve, and recruiting people from certain sectors of society isn’t easy, as those who have had plenty of educational advantages always pip them to the post. Plenty of middle class men (and women) still join the CS. The fast stream is very competitive, but isn’t the only way to join or become senior. I know someone rejected from the fast stream who made it to G7 ahead of when he would have anyway as a fast streamer.

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Yes, I think finding other routes in might turn out to be the best answer and my son should look into finding different opportunities to join the civil service.

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DalstonsRhubarb · 01/08/2025 12:02

Allthecolours2025 · 01/08/2025 11:57

Honestly if he wants to get into the civil service the quickest and easiest way is to just get a foot in the door e.g cs roles advertised at job centres or CS website, accept any role in any department, and then once in, apply for a role in the dept he is particularly interested in and progress from there. I wouldn’t wait around for fast stream as the only option.

This is really bad advice. The fast stream is designed to get you ready for a g7 role, with specific training aimed at this and a structured programme. Going in as an AA and trying to work your way up would be madness, take years and be utterly depressing.

The CS is absolutely packed with white middle class men. You are worrying about nothing.

Original poster

Jakolantern · 01/08/2025 12:03

GreatBigShaz · 01/08/2025 07:26

The article states "Currently around a quarter of higher education students are from a lower socio-economic background, but the group represented only 12% of successful applicants to the Fast Stream in 2024."

I'm not statistician, but I think that the odds remain stacked in favour of white, middle class men with degrees from prestigious universities, and this move, that affects internships, not the Fast Stream itself, is simply meant to address what appears to be an 88% success rate for people not from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

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I see what you’re saying and I’m probably overreacting. My son would be mortified by me!

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Original poster

Jakolantern · 01/08/2025 12:18

SecretCS · 01/08/2025 07:29

Firstly, it isnt the FS that is being restricted. It is the summer internship scheme, who will then get some priority to the FS. So there will still be plenty of FS places for white, middle class men. For a long time, it has notoriously been known that the FS is less diverse than the Oxbridge intake. Something needs to change to make sure the senior CS is reflective of the population we are supposed to be serving.

Secondly, many very capable candidates do not succeed at the FS first time anyway. I wouldn't worry too much about the changes - the summer internship scheme is quite a lot smaller than the FS. If he's capable, he will be ok. He needs to do his research about how to apply and present his answers in the CS way.

If he isn't successful, he can still look on Civil Service jobs for direct entry roles - I'd aim for HEO level roles as a new grad.

Once in the CS, you can pretty much progress at the same rate as a FS anyway, you just don't get the benefit of the rotational placements and you need to put your own effort into which training courses you want to attend, rather than having the FS do it for you. Nothing that isnt totally doable for someone with a bit of go-getting about them.

Thank you, I’ll tell him all this. From what he’s said I think he is starting to discover this through doing his own research but it’s good to have it confirmed.

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Original poster

Jakolantern · 01/08/2025 12:21

Doraymefarsolateado · 01/08/2025 07:29

No. He won’t have the “odds stacked against him” for being a white educated man. The fast stream is very competitive so he may not get in however talented he is as is the case for many other excellent applicants.

You are right not to try and influence his views. You are driven by evidence if you are a civil servant. If he is actually driven by the kind of Daily Mail drivel you’ve spouted about how terrible things are for middle class white men then he will be a failure and certainly not an asset to public service.

Edited

I’m not what you think I am at all - and my son most certainly isn’t. I guess I was just a bit anxious this morning that’s all, sorry.

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Original poster

Jakolantern · 01/08/2025 12:23

Caravaggiouch · 01/08/2025 07:30

If his motivations are as you describe, why is it only the prestigious civil service scheme he’s interested in? Every local authority and NHS trust will have a graduate intake to their policy/management/professional services roles.

He’s not only interested in the fast stream; he’s just at the start of a learning curve about the civil service and public service in general.

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Original poster

Jakolantern · 01/08/2025 12:27

Roseblooms7 · 01/08/2025 07:42

It is fiercely competitive no matter the colour of your skin or sex. My DD applied for IMPACT along with 8k other grads for approx 150 places. She got all the way through to interviews and was rejected, she then got through to second round of interviews and was rejected again. The process was over 6 months and really drawn out. Luckily she has been offered her dream role out of the civil service but after many many applications and rejections. I would advise to apply for anything that looks remotely interesting.

www.local.gov.uk/our-support/councillor-and-officer-development/impact-local-government-graduate-programme

Thank you; I’ll make sure he’s aware of this.

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Original poster

Jakolantern · 01/08/2025 12:28

turkeyboots · 01/08/2025 07:47

The internships have been targeted at students with disabilities, ethnic minority and low socioeconomic backgrounds for years.
The Fast Stream can be brutal. Lots of moving round departments, not settling anywhere and drop out rate is fairly high. And it very London centric. So if you want to help, be prepared to help with rent.

I’m not really in a position to help with rent, but you make a good point!

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Theteenandme · 01/08/2025 12:29

Zanatdy · 01/08/2025 11:47

That stat does not reflect my team in the CS at all. I only know of one privately educated CS in my dept. The remainder are of all different class. But predominantly working class. Including new entrants. The CS has offices all over the Uk.

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I think it also very much depends on the Department.

ColdTofuSandwich · 01/08/2025 12:31

If hes good enough nothing else will matter. There is a push on social mobility in the CS but that won’t disadvantage him.

Its incredibly competitive though, and often the best candidates have some work experience behind them rather than straight out of uni.

I was straight out of uni but that was over 20 years ago and I’d worked throughout my studies. It’s even more difficult now.

PearlStork · 01/08/2025 12:32

There is a push to move CS jobs out of London. If successful you get to state 3 preferences for areas and apparently you've a better chance to get outside of London these days. However you do need to be willing to move on early years.

Annoyeddd · 01/08/2025 12:33

How do they decide working class?
Looking around ours and DC's friends
A couple gave up highly paid city jobs age around 50 - good pay off - so technically unemployed
Another was asked at interview which newspapers their family read (depended on which ones mum brought home from office cleaning job)
Another had professional parents but grandmother would get a slap on hands for making mistakes at work while training

Original poster

Jakolantern · 01/08/2025 12:34

boredsolicitor · 01/08/2025 08:02

My DD2 joined the fast stream last year and is loving it . The process was long , I think. 6 or 7 different parts to the assessment starting with a maths assessment then some problem solving case study type things . There was an assessment day with other applicants where they had to work as a group . Then a q/a by teams and last stage was an interview panel of some sort - all by teams.
she approached it on the basis of the stats that she would be unsuccessful but would give it her very best shot for the experience.
she is white middle class -2:1 from Russell group uni.
the experience and training she is getting so far in her first year is amazing -.she is well supported and there is a good social vibe with others in the fast stream as they are in a little work group for continuing development. Only draw back is having to move jobs ( and may be move) at the end of the year but she did get to express a preference and got what she wanted . Pay is ok ish but not great compared to other grad schemes but there’s a good path to promotion and the funded training will enable her to jump ship.into the private sector if necessary.She also really likes the people she’s working with and respects them as hard working knowledgeable professionals but also just really nice people . Good luck to your son - loads of her cohort are same demographics as him so I honestly don’t think it will be a barrier .

Thank you. Well done to your daughter!

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Allthecolours2025 · 01/08/2025 12:35

DalstonsRhubarb · 01/08/2025 12:02

This is really bad advice. The fast stream is designed to get you ready for a g7 role, with specific training aimed at this and a structured programme. Going in as an AA and trying to work your way up would be madness, take years and be utterly depressing.

The CS is absolutely packed with white middle class men. You are worrying about nothing.

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Many senior civil servants originally joined the civil service via this route. It’s a route in if Fast Stream is unsuccessful. There are AO, HEO, SEO roles publicly advertised. Obviously some roles require evidence of certain experience or skills sets which recent graduates may not have. Unfair to suggest it’s bad advice per se.

Original poster

Jakolantern · 01/08/2025 12:43

boulevardofbrokendreamss · 01/08/2025 08:24

What’s th e point in the masters?

He wants to do it because he loves it. He is genuinely passionate and fascinated by what he is studying and his undergraduate studies have stimulated his intellectual curiosity so much that he really wants to delve deeper. Financially I am not convinced there is any benefit in doing it. It was his choice.

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ColdTofuSandwich · 01/08/2025 12:54

Allthecolours2025 · 01/08/2025 12:35

Many senior civil servants originally joined the civil service via this route. It’s a route in if Fast Stream is unsuccessful. There are AO, HEO, SEO roles publicly advertised. Obviously some roles require evidence of certain experience or skills sets which recent graduates may not have. Unfair to suggest it’s bad advice per se.

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The recently retired Perm Sec at HMRC started as an AA so it’s absolutely possible.

TizerorFizz · 01/08/2025 12:56

@Annoyeddd The media is reporting jobs of parents when applicant is 14.