The Student Room Group

Non graduate scheme jobs

Are non graduate scheme jobs as good as grad schemes? What are the pros and cons of each?

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
Original post by Ybsy75
Are non graduate scheme jobs as good as grad schemes? What are the pros and cons of each?


Graduate schemes typically offer the opportunity to move around different departments, giving a fairly broad view of a company's activities in a relatively short period of time. Such schemes might allow you to try out a bunch of different roles to see what you might (or might not!) like to do for the rest of your career.

On the other hand, if you already know what you're interested in then perhaps a 'direct entry' style job would be more suitable.

Salary differences are likely to depend on the company.
Original post by Ybsy75
Are non graduate scheme jobs as good as grad schemes? What are the pros and cons of each?


One isn't better than the other and I would recommend applying to both types. Grad schemes tend to have long application and recruitment processes (for instance I work in the civil service and know the fast stream here takes about a year to go through all the stages, so it's a big commitment when you don't know if you'll get the job) BUT you often get pushed up the ladder more as you get extra training to become more managerial.

Grad schemes also require you to stay for a certain duration, e.g. 2 years, whereas a normal job you may be able to leave after 1 year without it looking bad on your CV.

I applied to the civil service fast stream but didn't get in, and now work in the civil service in a "normal job" - though I earn slightly less than I would have on the grad scheme, I still easily have enough opportunities to get promoted to equal and above those on the grad scheme, so in my case it is swings and roundabouts :smile:
Original post by Daniellecorni5h
One isn't better than the other and I would recommend applying to both types. Grad schemes tend to have long application and recruitment processes (for instance I work in the civil service and know the fast stream here takes about a year to go through all the stages, so it's a big commitment when you don't know if you'll get the job) BUT you often get pushed up the ladder more as you get extra training to become more managerial.

Grad schemes also require you to stay for a certain duration, e.g. 2 years, whereas a normal job you may be able to leave after 1 year without it looking bad on your CV.

I applied to the civil service fast stream but didn't get in, and now work in the civil service in a "normal job" - though I earn slightly less than I would have on the grad scheme, I still easily have enough opportunities to get promoted to equal and above those on the grad scheme, so in my case it is swings and roundabouts :smile:


Could you tell me a bit more about your role and how you ended up getting it? :smile:

I didn't know that graduates could go into the Civil Service other than through the Fast Stream. Are these kinds of jobs regularly available?
Original post by SmaugTheTerrible
Could you tell me a bit more about your role and how you ended up getting it? :smile:

I didn't know that graduates could go into the Civil Service other than through the Fast Stream. Are these kinds of jobs regularly available?


Yes there are loads of opportunities aside from the fast stream. Here's the careers page for my role https://gss.civilservice.gov.uk/people-and-careers-2/statistical-officer/ I'm a stats officer working in the Office For National Statistics (ONS) so I'm afraid I can only really tell you about a very small part of the civil service. I applied during my final year of uni (I did psychology) and started 2 months ago straight after graduating.

I work in Administrative data, which is basically data that wasn't collected for the purpose of statistics, so I do a lot of liaising with other departments such as HMRC and DWP to see if we can share their data to save money/time and get better quality stats for the government to base their decisions on.

I'm not sure how many graduate, but not grad scheme, jobs come up outside of the stats departments but definitely keep an eye out here https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/index.cgi

Let me know if you have any further questions :smile:
Original post by Daniellecorni5h
Yes there are loads of opportunities aside from the fast stream. Here's the careers page for my role https://gss.civilservice.gov.uk/people-and-careers-2/statistical-officer/ I'm a stats officer working in the Office For National Statistics (ONS) so I'm afraid I can only really tell you about a very small part of the civil service. I applied during my final year of uni (I did psychology) and started 2 months ago straight after graduating.

I work in Administrative data, which is basically data that wasn't collected for the purpose of statistics, so I do a lot of liaising with other departments such as HMRC and DWP to see if we can share their data to save money/time and get better quality stats for the government to base their decisions on.

I'm not sure how many graduate, but not grad scheme, jobs come up outside of the stats departments but definitely keep an eye out here https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/index.cgi

Let me know if you have any further questions :smile:


Do you reckon you're in a good position to get promoted and work at the same level as the people who came in through the fast stream?

I wouldn't want to be stuck in a sort of low level role if you know what I mean:smile:
Original post by Ybsy75
Are non graduate scheme jobs as good as grad schemes? What are the pros and cons of each?


Generally a grad scheme will have you spend time in different areas of the business, giving you a broad experience in your first year, whereas non grad scheme jobs will place you in a role and you will do that job like everyone else does their job.

It's up to you to decide which one you prefer.
Reply 7
Original post by Daniellecorni5h
One isn't better than the other and I would recommend applying to both types. Grad schemes tend to have long application and recruitment processes (for instance I work in the civil service and know the fast stream here takes about a year to go through all the stages, so it's a big commitment when you don't know if you'll get the job) BUT you often get pushed up the ladder more as you get extra training to become more managerial.

Grad schemes also require you to stay for a certain duration, e.g. 2 years, whereas a normal job you may be able to leave after 1 year without it looking bad on your CV.

I applied to the civil service fast stream but didn't get in, and now work in the civil service in a "normal job" - though I earn slightly less than I would have on the grad scheme, I still easily have enough opportunities to get promoted to equal and above those on the grad scheme, so in my case it is swings and roundabouts :smile:


You expect to be a G7 or G6 in 3-5 years...?
Original post by Quady
You expect to be a G7 or G6 in 3-5 years...?


No, I don't know if I want t stay in the civil service yet, let alone make it that senior. My point was that the opportunities are there for people not on the fast stream. And considering the long process of getting onto the fast stream in the first place, it could be better in the short term to be able to apply for promotion as soon as one comes up, rather than waiting it out til the end of the fast stream process
Reply 9
Original post by Daniellecorni5h
No, I don't know if I want t stay in the civil service yet, let alone make it that senior. My point was that the opportunities are there for people not on the fast stream. And considering the long process of getting onto the fast stream in the first place, it could be better in the short term to be able to apply for promotion as soon as one comes up, rather than waiting it out til the end of the fast stream process


There are, but you start from behind, when you'd be looking for a promotion so will they, you can apply for promotion before the scheme end (by definition you kinda have to).

Not sure what the relevance of the length of the application process is since you apply at the start of your final year.
Original post by Quady
There are, but you start from behind, when you'd be looking for a promotion so will they, you can apply for promotion before the scheme end (by definition you kinda have to).

Not sure what the relevance of the length of the application process is since you apply at the start of your final year.


To me the length and amount of time needed to complete the application process was relevant, because I was (and am) busy with other responsibilities. I see your views and am merely trying to make the point that there are benefits to graduate jobs as well as graduate schemes, so there's no need to belittle non-fast track roles
Original post by Daniellecorni5h
No, I don't know if I want t stay in the civil service yet, let alone make it that senior. My point was that the opportunities are there for people not on the fast stream. And considering the long process of getting onto the fast stream in the first place, it could be better in the short term to be able to apply for promotion as soon as one comes up, rather than waiting it out til the end of the fast stream process


Can I just ask does the civil service pay at the end of your first month or after 2 months?
Reply 12
Original post by Daniellecorni5h
To me the length and amount of time needed to complete the application process was relevant, because I was (and am) busy with other responsibilities. I see your views and am merely trying to make the point that there are benefits to graduate jobs as well as graduate schemes, so there's no need to belittle non-fast track roles


Unless you're not using your leave at all, how would the application process interfere with your other responsibilities? Unlike an application for promotion which will require a tedious amount of competency writing (which you can't just block book leave for and bash out effectively) applying to the fast stream is pretty much self contained.

Their are benefits (eg not needing to relocate and less management hassle/intervention in your career) but the things you said don't stack up as being positives.
Original post by Billydodger
Can I just ask does the civil service pay at the end of your first month or after 2 months?


I got paid on the last Friday of the first month that I worked (which happened to be only two weeks in).
(edited 8 years ago)
Reply 14
I got a non grad scheme job in the end but I can still apply for the grad scheme at the same company. Don't know whether I should go for it? I'm currently paid more than a graduate so if I go in the grad scheme, I'd have to take a pay cut. In addition, the department I'm in already has exposure to a lot of different parts of the company.
Original post by Ybsy75
I got a non grad scheme job in the end but I can still apply for the grad scheme at the same company. Don't know whether I should go for it? I'm currently paid more than a graduate so if I go in the grad scheme, I'd have to take a pay cut. In addition, the department I'm in already has exposure to a lot of different parts of the company.


just stick with it I would say as long as you know where the job is leading and it has somewhat of a structure to it......i.e. is it helping you towards chartered or incorporated engineer status.
Original post by Daniellecorni5h
One isn't better than the other and I would recommend applying to both types. Grad schemes tend to have long application and recruitment processes (for instance I work in the civil service and know the fast stream here takes about a year to go through all the stages, so it's a big commitment when you don't know if you'll get the job) BUT you often get pushed up the ladder more as you get extra training to become more managerial.

Grad schemes also require you to stay for a certain duration, e.g. 2 years, whereas a normal job you may be able to leave after 1 year without it looking bad on your CV.

I applied to the civil service fast stream but didn't get in, and now work in the civil service in a "normal job" - though I earn slightly less than I would have on the grad scheme, I still easily have enough opportunities to get promoted to equal and above those on the grad scheme, so in my case it is swings and roundabouts :smile:


May I ask how should I go about looking for jobs in the civil service?
Reply 17
Original post by trapking
just stick with it I would say as long as you know where the job is leading and it has somewhat of a structure to it......i.e. is it helping you towards chartered or incorporated engineer status.


Not sure if it is. I think it takes a lot more of your own initiative to develop on a non grad scheme job. It's not structured training like a grad scheme is. But then again, what you do after a grad scheme still depends on where you end up after.
(edited 8 years ago)
Depends on what and where you want to go with your job, some grad schemes can give you an accelerated path to a senior position compared to normal entry jobs.
Original post by Cravez
May I ask how should I go about looking for jobs in the civil service?


Here: https://www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/index.cgi :smile:

Quick Reply