[Prince Rhyus]

Some of you may be interested in a couple of blogs/posts by a few current and former civil servants:

Question the Powerful - a series of posts by Dr Henry Tam, formerly of the Home Office and the Department for Communities and Local Government
Public administration and policy - a series of posts on the blog "A dragon's best friend"
IG Mansfield - the outside activities of Iain Mansfield at the Department for Business - which I hope will give you some feel for having a life outside of the civil service as well as the day job within
I have something to say about that... Hadley Beeman on open data. This is one of the growing areas in the civil service. Current and future Fast Streamers, I strongly recommend getting your heads around this agenda as open data, access to information, knowledge management and information security are areas that are growing in importance and are not going to go away anytime soon.

[Prince Rhyus]

Some of you may be interested in a couple of (paid) internships at the Department for Communities and Local Government at http://www.w4mpjobs.org/JobDetails.aspx?jobid=32756 - closing date 03 January 2012

[Stomm]

Out of interest do any of you have any experience of knowledge of part time FS roles, or more precisely their availability. I'd rather not hand my kids over to a nanny every day after school, as well childcare costs would likely eat up most of my salary. Felxibility with working from home etc... starting at 10am, that sort of thing are also considerations of mine.

[Aerasay]

I recently met a current FS who works part time, but the majority appear to be full time, but have the option of applying for flexible working and working from home like everyone else. It will all depend on the specific department and the specific terms and conditions when exactly you can apply for flexible working. But if you have kids you are covered by the statutory scheme and your department would be required to give serious consideration to any such request.

[white_haired_wizard]

Yep, the jobs market really is dire and it's going to get worse. I watched 'Iron Lady' at the cinema last night, with scenes of the riots and strikes and strong civil unrest and disharmony.

I can see more of this cropping up in the year/s to come. Growing unemployment, growing disadvantage and poverty in society...it could be really really bleak for growing numbers of people.

Bleak for me trying to get a full-time job! Got to keep persevering though

To Prince Rhyus, really interesting and informative posts and yours often have been over the years I've been on TSR...whether it's been about the Civil Service or other things.

[Prince Rhyus]

Some of you may be interested in http://network.civilservicelive.com/...stream-reforms

"Cabinet Office minister Francis Maude wants the Fast Stream programme to be halved to two years, but plans have been delayed because departments are pushing for a compromise, CSW has learned."

Personally I think this is a REALLY bad idea. Unless people have a significant career history in other sectors, people are unlikely to have the breadth and depth of experience across other sectors that they'll need when they come off the Fast Stream. It's not just about policy. One of the accusations thrown at the Fast Stream is that Fast Streamers are not given enough breadth of experience beyond policy. Shortening the programme to 2 years reduces the number of placements and increases instability within teams too. I can't imagine ministers being happy with regular turnover in their private offices either.

More thoughts here

[Nitebot]

Is this designed to get people in post quicker or is it to save money?

I read those recent reports about high turnover in some departments, particularly the Treasury. Treasury staff were told to ask anyone they might know who was qualified whether they were interested in a job!!

[Prince Rhyus]

Some of you may be aware that the Fast Stream is due to undergo some very significant changes. To get a feel for what those changes are, have a look at http://network.civilservicelive.com/...07/events.html

For those of you interested in the wider discussion on what the Fast Stream will become and other training issues, have a look at http://adragonsbestfriend.wordpress....-service-need/

[Evidza]

How would the specialist streams (with shorter placements) be affected?

[Prince Rhyus]

(Original post by Evidza)
How would the specialist streams (with shorter placements) be affected?

Difficult to say at this stage. There are a number of unanswered questions - such as what happens at the end of the two years proposed. Two years strikes me as a very short length of time from starting the Fast Stream to a grade 7 post. Will people who finish after two years move sideways to become normal HEOs/SEOs until successful for promotion given that Maude as said that promotion to grade 7 should no longer be seen to be automatic? The devil as always will be in the detail.

[richardp2020]

As a current fast stream applicant, the prospect of moving around departments is appealing to me. I also think the idea of it being centrally managed and everyone having the same support/training opportunities/salary is a good one. It's only really the shortening of it which worries me.

[Evidza]

The info I have now about HR FS seems to indicate that there is no change (for now).

[Prince Rhyus]

New social media guidance for civil servants was published recently - http://digital.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/...ivil-servants/ - something would-be civil servants may want to take on board. As Fast Streamers some will be looking to you to be advocates for using social media in policy-making.

[iheartmondays]

(Original post by Prince Rhyus)
New social media guidance for civil servants was published recently - http://digital.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/...ivil-servants/ - something would-be civil servants may want to take on board. As Fast Streamers some will be looking to you to be advocates for using social media in policy-making.

Hi, I will be applying to the HM Treasury policy adviser scheme should I be aware of anything?

Also how is life now? Are you alive? are you working?

xx