'Broadest range of talent' | Working class students targeted in Civil Service internship drive

A new internship programme is being launched to encourage more working class students to consider a career in the Civil Service, as the government attempts to address social mobility and representation across Whitehall.

The paid summer scheme will offer around 200 undergraduates from lower socio-economic backgrounds a two-month placement in a Civil Service department, giving them first-hand experience of policy work, ministerial briefings and access to senior civil servants.

Government acknowledges class gap in Civil Service recruitment

Currently, applicants from working class backgrounds are less likely to be accepted onto the Civil Service Fast Stream – the government’s flagship graduate programme. The new internship aims to act as a stepping stone to redress that imbalance.

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Pat McFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, said: “We need to get more working class young people into the Civil Service so it harnesses the broadest range of talent and truly reflects the country. Government makes better decisions when it represents and understands the people we serve.”