Public Servant Lifestyle

Redefining the Fast Stream (part of the wider reform of the Civil Service) makes a range of recommendations, covering marketing, selection, talent-spotting and career development.

These changes, to help bring in and bring on Civil Service high-flyers, broadening its skills base and opening up the service, include:

- Delivering public services - fast streamers will work on, and gain, skills in frontline delivery and project management, as well as more traditional work with ministers.

- Working together - visiting and working more in other departments and different sectors, will provide a wide range of experience, as well as making it easier to share innovative ideas and good practice, across the Civil Service.

- Bespoke development - each fast streamer will have an individual development contract, to ensure that their career plans and development needs are addressed and fulfilled. Learning logs will help them develop the skills to manage their own careers, once they have left the scheme.

- Nurturing internal talent - candidates who are already in the service will get as much support and information as external recruits. Annual awareness days, and a buddy scheme, where staff can shadow existing fast streamers, will be introduced.

- e-contact - a new interactive fast stream recruitment website,will help candidates consider the options available, allow them to test themselves, and keep them informed of the progress of their applications. The site will aim to promote the Civil Service as an appealing career option for schools and university students, through a new learning zone.

Redifining Fast Stream

Sir Richard Wilson, head of the Civil Service, commented: "Redefining the Fast Stream makes sense for the Civil Service. It builds on existing efforts to bring in talented new entrants, from a more diverse group, to complement the strength of our existing staff.

"We are determined to keep broadening our horizons, improving innovative thinking and increasing the breadth of the skill base within the Civil Service. We are also keen that those talented people already in the Civil Service can benefit from the Fast Stream scheme.

"Fast Stream recruitment will be linked to new initiatives designed to broaden the appeal of Civil Service employment. The review has also concluded that the Fast Stream name should be retained, for the strength of its national and internationally recognised profile.

"We will continue to build on progress already made by the Fast Stream, in opening up entry into the Civil Service to people who have not previously seen this as a possible career. This has included extensive outreach work, targeting a broad range of universities and ethnic minority groups."

New Figures

New figures also show that the Fast Stream has had another successful recruitment year. Civil Service minister Chris Leslie said: "For the first time in several years, all vacancies in the highly competitive market for scientists and engineers have been filled. There has also been a further increase to 7% in the recruitment of graduates from ethnic minorities. This is up, from just 3% in 1998, and represents a significant step towards making the Civil Service representative of the society it serves."

Civil Service Getting Younger

New official figures reveal that the number of civil servants aged 24, and under, has more than doubled, since 1990. Some 15% of the current workforce fall into this category, compared with 6.6% ten years ago.

The number of over 40 year-olds has fallen, from 51.2%, to 43.7%, while the proportion of part-time staff has more than doubled, to 13%.

In total, the Civil Service now employs 475,420 permanent officials, as of April 2000, when the latest statistics were compiled. The total workforce rose by 15,800 in comparison to 1999 figures, an increase of 3.4%.

The largest grouping of civil servants (21%) is employed in defence; closely followed by social security (18%) Inland Revenue (14%) and the prison service (11%).

London (18.7%) is the major regional employment hotspot, while 35 to 39 year-olds account for the largest age grouping (33.9%).

More information available in Careers