The LGA has relaunched its popular graduate development programme
Local government remains one of the most popular public sector options when graduates choose their future career path, with thousands of applications received every year for a place on the LGA’s dedicated graduate programme.
Of these, only a few hundred candidates can be accepted and then placed with councils across the country, in a variety of important, challenging and interesting roles.
As with any long-running scheme, and given the highly competitive graduate market, it is always good to take a fresh look at our offering and see what more we can do to continue to attract the best and brightest into our sector.
‘Impact: The Local Government Graduate Programme’ is the new name for the scheme formerly known as the National Graduate Development Programme, and both sums up what it’s about and what it means for the people, councils and communities involved.
Despite the graduate scheme going from strength to strength over the past 20 years, we recognised a need to rebrand to continue positioning ourselves as a leading option for graduates, staying ahead of the competition and future-proofing the programme.
This was especially important given the growth in our graduate offering, with our new specialist stream for those wanting to pursue a career in public finance, and ‘Pathways to Planning’, which aims to create the next generation of local government planners.
Our research showed that applications were increasingly from those already actively applying to graduate schemes, or from people familiar with a career in local government.
We were also often referred to as a ‘fast stream for local government’ or simply ‘local government’, which is not an accurate or adequate description of who we are and what we do. As a result, and to broaden our appeal to a wider audience, we wanted to better establish our own identity.
The new name gives more clarity and immediately highlights the dual ‘impact’ of the programme: the meaningful impact that graduates have on councils and communities as a result of taking part, but also the positive impact on their careers.
The name change has already taken effect, backed by a national marketing campaign, and will be phased into all our communications, ahead of applications opening for next year’s cohort at the start of October.
Wholly managed by the LGA (through the sector support offer, funded by the UK Government), our two-year programme sees high-calibre candidates go through a rigorous recruitment process before being interviewed by partnering councils, who take them on as graduate management trainees.
It offers councils a wide candidate pool that would otherwise be difficult for them to access. It also develops graduates’ skills across a range of in-demand services – including housing, social care, children’s services, and regeneration – and/or gives them key roles in transformational or cross-cutting projects.
Alongside completing a minimum of three placements, trainees undertake a prestigious learning and development programme delivered by Solace, the network for local government and public sector professionals, and postgraduate qualification, before embarking upon a fulfilling career with one of our partner councils.
There has never been a more important time to work in local government, to support our communities and improve our vital local public services.
Impact will continue to encourage high-quality candidates, from across the country and all backgrounds, to apply and find out what an impact they can make on people’s everyday lives.
- Find out more about Impact for councils and to apply, or email [email protected]