The Student Room Group

Fast Stream 2012

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Reply 2540
Sorry to hear that :frown: Do you have CD as a fallback?
Just out of interest, is there anyone here who applied to the SDIP or have any knowledge of it? Do you know what the working hours are like, is it 5 days a week for 8 weeks?
Original post by Chiryu
Sorry to hear that :frown: Do you have CD as a fallback?


Yes, I do.

To be honest, I'm not as upset about it as I thought I would be. I'll get to be a diplomat some way or another, eventually :smile:
Original post by more tea vicar?
Unsuccessful at the FCO FSB :frown:

Argh, I knew it. Buggerbuggerbugggerbugger. :frown: :frown:

Result came in at 19:27 last night, FYI.

EDIT: La Vache, did you get the women's email address for feedback? I might as well ask!


Hard luck mate!

When was your FSB?

At least now you know and can get excited about another department :smile:
Reply 2544
Original post by Birdman1234567
Just out of interest, is there anyone here who applied to the SDIP or have any knowledge of it? Do you know what the working hours are like, is it 5 days a week for 8 weeks?


Long time lurker (first post...), waiting to hear back from FCO FSB.

Birdman, I did the SDIP last year, and worked 5 days a week for 9 weeks, with about 2 days off. The minimum contract length is 6 weeks. Where I worked, the maximum contract length was negotiable, and basically depended on whether your team needed you and could fund you. A fellow intern did a few weeks, had a week's break, then did a few more, so there's (some) wiggle room.
Original post by jiggogogo
Hard luck mate!

When was your FSB?

At least now you know and can get excited about another department :smile:


My FSB was on the 12th April.
Original post by alauthat
Long time lurker (first post...), waiting to hear back from FCO FSB.

Birdman, I did the SDIP last year, and worked 5 days a week for 9 weeks, with about 2 days off. The minimum contract length is 6 weeks. Where I worked, the maximum contract length was negotiable, and basically depended on whether your team needed you and could fund you. A fellow intern did a few weeks, had a week's break, then did a few more, so there's (some) wiggle room.


Cheers
Original post by more tea vicar?
Yes, I do.

To be honest, I'm not as upset about it as I thought I would be. I'll get to be a diplomat some way or another, eventually :smile:


If you end up with some choice in CD, pick an area of policy that interests you. Public transport? Sustainable buildings? Border policing? Trade regulation? Get some expertise in the domestic field and you may find it facilitates a sideways move to the FCO or to an EU.

It's one thing 'being' a diplomat but quite another thing 'doing' it. Assuming you become a diplomat, then what? One of the hardest lessons in life I've learnt is knowing what to do when a dream or ambition comes true.
Has anybody on HR been contacted by their department that they have been assigned to as of yet?
Reply 2549
I've started thinking about where to live and how much to budget for. At the moment I'm going off within walking distance of work - so Waterloo, Vauxhall, Lambeth, Pimlico etc and maybe 900 a month at the very most - icl bills.

What's everyone else thinking? I have no idea about London yet really
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 2550
How about Elephant and Castle? It's a little further away and there are a few scruffy bits but there are some nice areas there, and its not-so-brilliant reputation keeps the prices low for somewhere in zone 1.

Edit: more tea vicar? - the feedback email contact is in the fco guide as sarah.anderson[at]fco.gov.uk if that helps.
(edited 11 years ago)
Reply 2551
Original post by TomDixie
I've started thinking about where to live and how much to budget for. At the moment I'm going off within walking distance of work - so Waterloo, Vauxhall, Lambeth, Pimlico etc and maybe 900 a month at the very most - icl bills.

What's everyone else thinking? I have no idea about London yet really



For that sort of money really you're looking at a flatshare, that is if you can find one...

Even out where I am in Finchley a two bed flat costs at least £1200pm just for rent, its a nice area of course but is right at the start of zone 4.

I'm sure that you can find accomodation close to work for a reasonable amount, but you'll definitely need to either start or get in on an existing house or flat share really. So long as its with good people and not the local drug dealer or something then as I've said its a good way to get to know new people, leave plenty of disposable income for all that London has to offer, get some decent holidays, pay of student debts and of course ultimately start saving for a place of your own...
Reply 2552
Original post by lm222
How about Elephant and Castle? It's a little further away and there are a few scruffy bits but there are some nice areas there, and its not-so-brilliant reputation keeps the prices low for somewhere in zone 1.


But that's South of the river, he'll start going local if he's not careful and will never be able to get a taxi home after a late one at the pub after work.... :wink:
Reply 2553
The 53, 453, 12 and N155 night buses all run down from Whitehall to Elephant & Castle, and there's the 148 from Westminster :biggrin:

(Not that I like the area at all personally, but it is very well connected in terms of transport, with good night buses, two tube lines and also mainline train).
Reply 2554
Original post by more tea vicar?
Unsuccessful at the FCO FSB :frown:

Argh, I knew it. Buggerbuggerbugggerbugger. :frown: :frown:

Result came in at 19:27 last night, FYI.

EDIT: La Vache, did you get the women's email address for feedback? I might as well ask!


Me too - not terribly surprised to be honest! Oh well, fingers crossed now for MOD :smile: Which department are you hoping for now? I'll dig out the email address and message it to you, I've got it somewhere. Can we apply for FCO again after doing the Fast Stream? I kind of assumed it was a one strike and you're out kind of thing! xxx
Original post by La Vache
Me too - not terribly surprised to be honest! Oh well, fingers crossed now for MOD :smile: Which department are you hoping for now? I'll dig out the email address and message it to you, I've got it somewhere. Can we apply for FCO again after doing the Fast Stream? I kind of assumed it was a one strike and you're out kind of thing! xxx


I'm going to put down DFID as my first choice, despite the fact that there is a cat in hell's chance of getting that! I can't remember or access the rest of the list at the moment...I just emailed another person about feedback who says everyone will be getting it, but it may take up 6 weeks and they will be in touch in due course.

I imagine there's nothing to stop you doing the whole process externally again but as Prince Rhyus said, some kind of sideways entry/secondment might be possible after a couple of years. Equally, once we are off the scheme we can apply to any job advertised in any department so that could be a way in too.
Reply 2556
Haha, I think I got the exact same email! Good luck for DFID - someone has to get it and there's no reason why it shouldn't be you! xxx
Reply 2557
On a different topic, does anyone know if it's a bad idea to put on the assignments form that you don't want to work in a particular department if your reason is just that everything they do sounds incredibly boring? I would obviously phrase it more politely on the form...
Reply 2558
My disclosure (CRB) check has been completed. It took 2weeks from dispatch to receipt by Parity.

No placement news yet, Shelleybean.
We've vaguely discussed this before, but DfID isn't the be all and end all for international placements/experience. UKBA staff are shared between the FCO and Home Office, and I think you have a much greater chance of getting in the Home Office than DfID :smile:

http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201012/cmselect/cmpubacc/1284/1284we04.htm

All those positions aren't fast stream ones, but it just gives a general idea of the potential you have for international experience/placements.
(edited 11 years ago)

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