[Nitebot]

It was one of those articles that shows up in full if you search from Google.

Giving the NGDP a practical emphasis
13 October 2011 | By Pascoe Sawyers

In designing a new learning and development course for the National Graduate Development Programme (NGDP) we have focused on creating something which will provide our graduates with the practical skills they will need to thrive as senior managers in the local government sector.

The changes, when originally reported by LGC, were framed as being about budget cuts – but our new approach is more about ensuring that our trainees are fully fit for purpose for the needs of local government going forward as well as delivering the programme as efficiently as possible.

We are refocusing on an approach which is much more about giving our trainees the opportunity to explore and experience challenges faced by local government from a ‘real world’ perspective.

During five two-day residential modules, which will provide the networking and face-to-face time that past trainees said was so important, our graduates will learn how to tackle real-life issues and build essential personal leadership skills.

As well as an initial induction event, which will focus on introducing them to local government, the modules will be themed around working in a political environment; communication and engagement; managing the business; and personal development.

We are working on the detailed design of the curriculum for these modules, but we have a clear sense of the ground each one will cover.

To give a flavour of this, the political environment module will include practical sessions on developing political awareness, member officer relationships, partnership working and negotiation and influencing skills.

The third module on communication will pick up on some of the critical thinking around using social media to achieve better engagement with residents and staff, strategies for improving customer insight and fresh approaches to encouraging behaviour change.

Trainees will also get opportunities to improve presentation skills and work on tactics to raise their profile as a leader within their organisation and within the sector.

Exploring the issue of shared services with our trainees is a priority. This is a complex but critical area going forward. How does one chief executive manage three different authorities, or a director manages services across several different councils?

We need to spend some time making sure that our future officer corps leaders can manage these situations. This is one of several topics that will be looked at in the module on managing the business.

We are in the process of commissioning experts to deliver these modules and we are confident that the opportunity to work with our graduate trainees will attract bids from some of the best in the business.

Other key elements of the programme will also directly involve serving councillors and senior council officers who are dealing with the critical issues on a daily basis.

We have spoken to existing and former trainees about what they want and found valuable, now we need to focus on what councils need from the programme.

What attributes do they need future leaders to bring? Should the emphasis be on delivery, operational or policy skills? Will future leaders need to be generalists or specialists?

This year we have 47 graduates starting the programme – but there needs to be many more. In an ideal world there should be a couple of hundred graduates each year entering local government through the NGDP. The sector is facing a tough time, money is tight and councils are managing massive changes, but that is exactly when we need to invest in our future leaders.

Over the next couple of months we will be talking to councils and their chief executives to find out what they want from the programme and what, for them, would mean good value for money. We are very optimistic about the changes we have made so far, and we think it will be a very successful year for the current intake, but we are in a transition period still and the sector’s input and ownership of this scheme will be vital to its success.

For more information about the NGDP or to let us have any thoughts on the future of the programme email: ami.beeton@local.gov.uk
Pascoe Sawyers, principal adviser - Leadership and Localism, Local Government Group

[stormstar]

I like to check on this thread as I was one of the unsuccessful applicants last year who has 'deferred' to this year.

Yeah the scheme is running this year, but as mentioned in previous posts it's deadly competitive due to the budget cuts.

It should crack open this month I believe or at least in November and runs until January. Then you have a phone interview, followed by an assessment centre and final interviews with the local council.

I will reiterate though, passing the assessment centre does NOT guarantee a job (yours truly found this out). Still I'm sure I'll be meeting some of you guys at some stage of the process.

[stormstar]

Also in previous years gone by applicants were able to go Warwick to study these modules. I've been quite fortunate in the interim and secured a job with the local council. But in terms of management Graduate Schemes this one is relatively straight forward and has little fuss.

If anyone wants to email me with any questions, by all means send them my way

[Prince Rhyus]

For those of you looking to go into the public sector as a career, please note this interesting piece of social media guidance. Some of my ex-colleagues have ended up in the middle of media firestorms - something I strongly recommend you avoid.

[stormstar]

I agree that there is a blur between the use of Social Media and work, sometimes in the Public Sector too it can deemed as interference. But that video just spouts common sense and any public or private company will have some sort of guidelines which employee's have to adhere too, as long as you use common sense and don't have all your work friends added and then end up spreading gossip on say Facebook or Twitter, you should be ok.

But that aside and returning to the topic at hand, NGDP!

[stormstar]

And so the new scheme is up and running: http://www.ngdp.org.uk/

They've even cut down the application process, you get to bypass the phone interview stage...how exciting!

[coolh5000]

Is that definitely the right site? It looks a bit odd to me. The 'application form' is a google doc, and the website is powered by wordpress. I don't know - something just strikes me as a bit weird, though maybe it's just me.

When you search ngdp the website that comes up at the top is this one: http://www.ngdp.co.uk/default.aspx which still has last year's info.

EDIT: I guess it probably is the right site. But I can't say I'm too impressed by the application - seems a bit amateur to not even have their own application system.

[ajp100688]

(Original post by coolh5000)
Is that definitely the right site? It looks a bit odd to me. The 'application form' is a google doc, and the website is powered by wordpress. I don't know - something just strikes me as a bit weird, though maybe it's just me.

When you search ngdp the website that comes up at the top is this one: http://www.ngdp.co.uk/default.aspx which still has last year's info.

EDIT: I guess it probably is the right site. But I can't say I'm too impressed by the application - seems a bit amateur to not even have their own application system.

Yeah it does seem a little weird especially as it's powered by WordPress of all things

[stormstar]

Trust me it is the site and the right application. I spoke with Ami Beeton herself! I don't know why they just updated last years as it would make much more sense. It does seem very basic, but hey I am proof the scheme works (at least til the Interview Stage anyway).

She also said they're working on re-direction when one searches for the website, but you'd think this would be one of the first things they'd do...

Budget cuts must be really bad, there isn't even a phone number...but if you do have a deep desire to ring them I'd search through the Local Government Association Website and go from there.

[ajp100688]

(Original post by stormstar)
Trust me it is the site and the right application. I spoke with Ami Beeton herself! I don't know why they just updated last years as it would make much more sense. It does seem very basic, but hey I am proof the scheme works (at least til the Interview Stage anyway).

She also said they're working on re-direction when one searches for the website, but you'd think this would be one of the first things they'd do...

Budget cuts must be really bad, there isn't even a phone number...but if you do have a deep desire to ring them I'd search through the Local Government Association Website and go from there.

To be fair I'd rather they cut the budget for the website and telephone lines than cut the thing altogether, so it's all good. Gonna put submit my application in the next few days.

[stormstar]

It seems odd why they can't re-use the old website and just edit the dates around... anyway as you were saying I expect competition to be big this year...thank god Im already working in Local Govt.

[Willowi]

Has anyone who has completed the form had any sort of confirmation from the NGDP? I submitted it on monday and havn't heard anything off them. Plus there isn't anywhere where you can log in to check or anything. I am starting to panic I mispealt my email address or something :/

[Student070707]

(Original post by Willowi)
Has anyone who has completed the form had any sort of confirmation from the NGDP? I submitted it on monday and havn't heard anything off them. Plus there isn't anywhere where you can log in to check or anything. I am starting to panic I mispealt my email address or something :/

No I haven't either! Seems a bit odd

[hollykol]

I have sent off a form and have received no confirmation either!

[Willowi]

I emailed them to check if this was normal and recieved this reply:

Thank you for letting me know. We have had a few problems with the website but I will make a note and we will get back to you if there has been a problem



Thank you for showing an interest in the ngdp.



Best wishes



The ngdp team

so I guess we should assume they have got the applications :s

[sarty]

There only appears to be a word limit for one of the questions - have people just assumed about 250 words for all of them?

[stormstar]

It was about 250 words last year, I'd stick to a set limit, although if unsure drop them an email. They did have a phone number, although Im not sure what happened to it this time round. Getting hold of Ami Beeton would be a bonus, but I think they prefer to do a lot of work via email. Im happy to answer questions on the application process.

[rainbow drops]

Hi everyone.

I'm going to write and send my application this week, and I was wondering how would be best to go about my situation. I have work experience with my local MP (Labour) and during that time I saw and spoke to local councillors quite a bit, which is obviously going to be useful to my application. Also, though, I've been active within the Labour Party and Labour Students and resultantly went to the party conference last year... I feel like these are all relevant things to put in my application, but is it a bad thing to show your allegiance to a particular party in the application form or not? I feel like it'd be really hard (if not impossible) for me to describe all that work experience without it being obvious that I'm a Labour member, but I'm not sure what the NGDP's stance is on partisan applications and I don't want to shoot myself in the foot.

[andy5788]

I declared party political work experience and got on the scheme so it won't preclude you. Important how you phrase it though.

[ajp100688]

Finally applied to this scheme, although I didn't get any kind of recognition that I had, the website is really pretty awful. This is pretty much the scheme I have my heart set upon.