Helping councils recruit local graduate talent
The LGA’s flagship graduate scheme – Impact: The Local Government Graduate Programme – has recently opened applications for candidates as part of its latest recruitment round.
Formerly known as the National Graduate Development Programme, Impact has been attracting the best and brightest to local government for more than two decades.
The two-year programme aims to develop the future leaders of the sector and, together with countless partner councils, boasts senior leaders (including chief executives) among its 2,500-plus alumni.
Annually, almost 5,000 candidates apply for a graduate management trainee position at one of around 100 participating local authorities. The LGA runs a rigorous and competitive recruitment process that matches high-calibre candidates with councils.
On the programme, trainees rotate a minimum of three times across placements at their host authority, and complete a learning and development programme, culminating in a Level 7 Chartered Management Institute qualification.
Although it is a national programme, Impact also offers councils the opportunity to recruit the best of their local (graduate) talent through an Impact local recruitment campaign, with councils supported to market their trainee posts to local graduates.
This option mirrors the national campaign and, aside from a couple of differences, the process is exactly the same – which ensures candidates are of the same high calibre.
Councils wanting to participate through this route simply sign up and indicate as such through a brief form. The Impact team then requests some additional information required to set up a unique advert and application page on its applicant tracking system.
Participating councils receive the link to their unique application page and can share this through channels at their local level, including on social media, with employment services and any university partnerships.
The programme receives candidate applications for individual council campaigns on behalf of authorities.
Candidates are asked to answer additional questions to evidence they meet the local criteria of their chosen council.
Recognising that ‘local’ can mean different things, the Impact team can assist in defining this – though, typically, this includes those residing, working or studying in the area.
In effect, candidates are ringfenced to the respective authorities as they are allocated interviews exclusively at the chosen council (provided they reach the final stage of recruitment). In this way, candidates are guaranteed an interview with their local authority.
Partner councils running a local campaign are well supported, benefiting from resources and marketing materials, as well as named contacts from the Impact team.
Councils are now able to register interest for Cohort 27 (autumn 2025 intake).
Employing talent in finance
Impact has a four-year specialised finance stream, which is being piloted in London and is designed for graduates who want to pursue a career in public finance.
The recruitment process is very similar to the main programme, though candidates are asked to complete an additional numerical test.
On the programme, graduates work towards the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy Level 7 Apprenticeship.
London councils wanting to sign up are encouraged to contact the team as soon as possible by emailing [email protected].
- To find out how Impact can help your council take on the very best of your local talent, contact the team by emailing [email protected] by 31 October 2024.
For further information about the programme, visit our website.