Civil Service internship. Only children of the "working class"

[Quirkswork]

If your child is coming up for 14 and interested in a career in the Civil Service and you have a job in a profession or that means you pay a lot of tax, I suggest you down tools now.

As reported in the Telegraph,

Civil Service internships will only be offered to students from lower income families in a bid to make Whitehall more working class, ministers have announced.

Only young people from “lower socio-economic backgrounds” will be able to apply to Whitehall’s internship programme, the Cabinet Office has said.

A student will be judged eligible depending on what jobs their parents did when they were 14. Students with parents who are receptionists, electricians, plumbers, butchers or van drivers would be among those eligible for the programme.

Office for National Statistics (ONS):
The ONS uses a similar classification system, including categories like routine manual, semi-routine manual, and junior managerial occupations. *
Examples of Working Class Jobs:

• Routine Manual: Cleaners, waiters, construction workers (e.g., bricklayers), van drivers. ®
• Semi-routine Manual: Postal workers, security guards.
• Clerical and Junior Management: Retail sales assistants, receptionists, shopkeepers.

So maybe somebody can tell me why the child of a comfortable shop keeper and brick layer is worse off as regards getting a job in the CS than 2 lower paid low rung IT workers or a nurse? They will be more able to pay for tutoring and all the other experiences that apparantly brings privilege such as trips abroad. The government and Sutton are so out of touch. Those in the middle increasingly don’t go abroad any more, jobs seen as MC don’t necessarily bring you higher wages any more either. Most families have 2 working parents now too.

Is there a reason someone who’s qualified and whose dad was an electrician couldn’t apply previously? Why does it take excluding someone whose dad was a software developer.

Of course they do. How does working in KFC give a taster of working in the CS?

How exactly they are increasing this pool? By removing access from a significant proportion of candidates?

How does being a nurse or in a low grade IT job give you a taster of working in the CS?

how does what your parents do give you a taster of working for the CS? I have no idea what working for the CS entails at all.

What’s wrong with working in KFC? Don’t knock it. It gives a great insight into the front line of serving the Great British public - many of whom are very difficult customers. Great experience for running a benefits office or just standing up for yourself in any administrative role.

It’s hardly just the middle class though is it.

Your kid gets into Grammar ( or any selective school) and you’re not included
You are working class with a gifted kid on full bursary at private and you’re not included
Your parents went to Uni and you’re not included

Plus the list of jobs noted doesn’t define the difference between working and middle class.

Whats being offered is to those in the lowest of sociology economic groups…it is not just those in the middle and above classes that are excluded

A nurse will be a graduate. An IT worker will work in a professional office job

There are half a million civil servants in the UK.

This is not blocking access for anyone.

There are plenty of jobs, there are plenty of entry routes. This is just to encourage a few people, whose perspective is valuable and in limited supply in the senior cadres to apply to one specific entry route.

Yes, strivers not wanted!

I agree it is excellent work experience. But it doesn't expand your horizons if your family, on the whole, have always had NMW jobs

They do social mobility entry level apprenticeships as well in the job-centres. They last for 18 months - and these youngsters prove to be very competent. Very often the CS was not even a considered option before this.

Trust me, most other people now entering the CS have degrees and postgraduate qualifications - that is at entry level. The tests and interview lend themselves to the transferable skills you gain at uni.

Lots of working class jobs are well above national minimum wage .

That's exactly what this scheme is trying to combat - children of low paid, often low skilled workers who gained few qualifications at school

These internships are aimed at university students.

Nurses don’t all have degrees and how does working in an office in the arse end of nowhere on a low tier wage get you into the CS?

“Only Ayn Rand was smart enough to predict that incompetence and an ENVY for excellence will lead to dystopian social outcomes.”

“Orwell thought we’d need total mind control, Huxley thought we needed a drugged population. But Rand new: All you need is resentment “

YABMassivelyU OP. Suggesting people who have professional jobs to "down tools" because a summer internship in CS is trying to widen participation? Cry me a river, and let's start a new thread about how being a MC professional is a real barrier to life for the next generation.

I didn't think it was aimed at their parents, what with them having few qualifications obtained at school.

They won’t get Universal Credit if they do this. You cannot leave a job voluntarily or through misconduct without risking three months of not getting money from UC. It really is not that simple.

Are you serious? They are all quantifiable.
Im out. You don’t want a discussion you just want to throw out questions to deflect.

I assume everyone against this scheme doesn't want social mobility?

If there was evidence of this sort of scheme improving social mobility you would still be against it?

Or would you then agree with it? Do you just need some evidence?

It’s something being provided for one group.
Do you understand that different groups of people need different opportunities to have similar chances?

You don’t actually need any qualifications for entry level CS jobs - with the exception of fast track. They blind recruit - they assess your values and behaviours. You do not mention your education or previous roles in your statement.

The civil service is full of left wing people and the pay can be pretty low so I suggest people avoid it anyway for their careers if they can.
It is possible the sceme might breach the Equality Act 2010 I suppose if the working class is more likely to be people of a certain kind eg boys or non whites or whites or whatever. I hope the state has thought it through.