Our Leadership & Talent Offer

Leadership & Talent Offer

The GSE Profession strives to inspire leaders, nurture talent and celebrate diversity. That’s why we offer a range of products, networking and signposting for your talent and leadership development and career progression.

TALENT

Science and Engineering Fast Stream: The government needs a pipeline of talented people, with diverse skills, scientists and engineers who are creative, versatile, and numerate to deliver on exciting work that will make a difference to the lives of people across the UK. By joining the Science and Engineering Fast Stream, candidates will become part of a modern, vibrant, and active community of science and engineering professionals, who have one goal in common: to give back to the communities they serve. Applications open for the new recruitment round in September 2022.

Find out more about the Civil Service Fast Stream here: Civil Service Fast Stream. Find out more about the Science and Engineering Fast Stream here: Science and Engineering Fast Stream

S&T Network
The Fast Stream Science and Technology (S&T) Network is a new science and technology-based community run by Fast Streamers, for Fast Streamers. A support network to all Fast Streamers (e.g. generalists) without a technical background but are in STEM based job roles. The S&T Network provides -

A platform to professionally network with STEM enthusiasts (e.g.at events and seminars)
A source of additional learning and development opportunities.
An outreach platform offering volunteering opportunities with schools and universities.
A social hub that is inclusive and enjoyable.
A champion of science throughout government, the Fast Stream and the wider Civil Service.

For more information, you can join the monthly newsletter mailing list and can visit the Fast Stream Intranet page.

STEM Challenge
The GSE Profession, in collaboration with Science and Engineering Fast Streamers and STEM ambassadors, are proud to announce the launch of the 2022 STEM Challenge for secondary school students. The challenge is focused on sustainability, and within that theme students will explore their vision of a day in 2050. They will work in teams to choose a real issue facing the country today – ‘Sustainable Food Production’, ‘Humans in Space’ or ‘Sustainable Transport’ and consider creative scientific solutions. These are all critical issues for policymakers in STEM. You can find both the student pack of activities and the teacher pack below.

The team have worked with STEM Ambassadors to select schools in order to promote social mobility and inclusivity in STEM. As this is the first STEM challenge, they are initially launching in a select number of schools across the country. We hope these will be the first of many, and we will keep you updated here on our progress. For further information please contact - stemchallenge@faststream.civilservice.gov.uk,

STEM Outreach Programme
The STEM Outreach Programme is run by Fast Streamers with the aim of liaising with university students through student-led societies. The programme will feature activities aimed to promote STEM such as:

Science and Technology Network Pen Pals
University students will be paired with a current Fast Stream trainee who has experience of working in science and technology within the Civil Service. Students will be invited to ask their Fast Stream pen pal about the postings they’ve had, their experiences relating to science and technology, the application process and any general questions about the Fast Stream. This won’t be a long-term mentoring scheme and a general limit of 2 weeks or an exchange of around 4 emails would be advised.

S&T Presentation and Q&A Session
Students are invited to a virtual presentation and Q&A session, lasting around 30 mins in total. The presentation provides a general introduction to the Fast Stream and more specific information about science and technology and the Science and Engineering scheme. The presenters and Q&A panel will be current Fast Stream Trainees or alumni with experience of working in science and technology within the Civil Service. For further information please email - scienceandtechnologynetwork@faststream.civilservice.gov.uk

SEFS Alumni Network
The Government Science and Engineering Profession are establishing a SEFS Alumni network that will connect a community of professionals with shared experience. The network hopes to support current Fast Steamers, share top tips, support learning and development, and more.

SEFS Learning & Development Offer
As part of the Science and Engineering Fast Stream (SEFS) Learning and Development offer, we provide multiple networking and learning and development opportunities over the 3-year period on the scheme these include -

Futures Toolkit Training Programme
Evidence Synthesis Workshop
Centre for Science and Policy Professional Development Workshop
Introductory Breakfast with the Government Chief Scientific Advisor Sir Patrick Vallance
SEFS Discovery Day – A keep warm event held for new SEFS and organised and run by existing SEFS
SEFS Induction Event – Held for all SEFS and to welcome the new SEFS cohort to the scheme
SEFS Away Day – Held for all SEFS as a mid year networking event
The Royal Society Fellowship Networking event
Chief Scientific Advisor Seminars - 2 seminars per month hosted by a Chief Scientific Advisor from each government department. These seminars are held on a rolling 12-month timetable to all SEFS on the scheme speaking about their previous experience/background, their current role and their current departmental priorities

Science and Engineering - Quality Assuring of S&E Roles
The Science and Engineering Fast Stream (SEFS) are always looking for volunteers from the GSE profession to quality assure Science and Engineering Fast Stream roles. Every year, SEFS commissions over 100 job descriptions for S&E roles from across government, ranging from Environmental Policy Leads to Defence Technology Project Managers and CSA Private Office. To ensure that these roles meet the high standards of the GSE profession, we need experienced S&E professionals to assess a selection of these roles against two criteria:

Which grades they are suitable for
How well it relates to the GSE Technical Skills framework

The Civil Service Fast Stream has been rated as the top Public Sector Graduate Employer for the last two years and SEFS now offers places to over 40 graduates per year, making it an important, growing and increasingly diverse provider of GSE leadership talent. This is an exciting opportunity to find out more about the scheme and the work we do.

Direct Appointment Scheme
The direct appointment scheme (DAS) is an initiative that recruits high capability individuals who demonstrated potential during the rigorous Fast Stream assessment process but were not offered a Fast Stream post.As part of the scheme, successful candidates will be matched to a position in Government, some with a substantial policy element, others more technical. Wherever based, successful candidates will be applying specialist skills and knowledge to make sure that the Government has access to the best Science and Engineering advice to support policy and decision-making. We currently have a DAS community of 8 who have joined the GSE profession with the hope to increasing these numbers going forward.

LEADERSHIP

Talent Development Mentoring Program: GSE profession is set to a launch the Empowering Mentoring Scheme in summer 2022 for all GSE profession members to support your personal & professional development.

GSE Leadership Values: GSE profession has concluded a range of focus group sessions with professions’ members to gain insights on leadership challenges, and will publish GSE Leadership Values in June/July 2020.

Leadership in Action: A set of 8 Leadership attributes defined by Civil Service Learning

Networking: Opportunities to attend a range of learning and networking events – including with Chief Scientific Advisors from across the government.

Career pathways: GSE offers a range of assistance for career progression to be discussed with your manager or mentor I.e., GSE career framework, skills assessment tools, Empowering Mentoring Scheme etc.

Systems Thinking Practitioner Degree Apprenticeship: This course is for mid- to senior-level public sector staff engaged with addressing complex and cross-disciplinary challenges designed and delivered by University of Exeter.

Leadership Development Schemes
GSE profession encourage and assists profession members to enrol in Talent & Leadership Development Schemes offers by Accelerated Development Schemes (GSCU, Cabinet Office) for all Civil Servants. Such as:

Future Leaders Scheme (FLS): this accelerated development schemes is for civil servants who have the potential to reach the highest levels of the Civil It is designed for those at Grades 6 and 7.
META: The Minority Ethnic Talent Association (META) is an optional and bespoke offer with FLS, for participants on the Future Leaders Scheme (FLS) from an ethnic minority
DELTA: Disability Empowers Leadership Talent (DELTA) is an optional and bespoke programme aimed at supporting the development of participants with disabilities and/or long-term health conditions.
Senior Leaders Scheme (SLS): this accelerated development schemes is for civil servants who have the potential to reach the highest levels of the Civil Service. It is designed for Deputy Directors (SCS1).

Further leadership development will be coming up later in 2022, check Knowledge Hub for future updates! Please contact gse@go-science.gov.uk for more information on each offer.