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Civil Service Fast Stream Annual Recruitment Report 2004

Published by the Cabinet Office June 2005

• Introduction
  – Glossary of Fast Stream Terms
  – Key Figures
• 2004 Fast Stream Development Programme
• Diversity
• Developments during the Year

Introduction

The Civil Service Fast Stream Development Programme is a training and development programme for talented graduates, who are selected on the basis of their potential to reach the Senior Civil Service. The Civil Service recruits to the Fast Stream on the basis of fair and open competition and selection on merit. Existing civil servants nominated by their departments can apply for the Fast Stream through a separate internal scheme for generalists.

The standard of entry to the Fast Stream remains high and this report provides information on the 2004 recruitment schemes (ie: those completed between April 2003 and November 2004). It also summarises some of the developments during this period.

• 2004 Fast Stream Recruitment Report in full [PDF 409KB, 22 pages]

Glossary of Fast Stream Terms

CSSB – The Civil Service Selection Board; our assessment centre in London.

QT1 – Qualifying Test: Stage 1, a bio–data questionnaire completed on–line.

QT2 – Qualifying Test: Stage 2, invigilated computer based cognitive tests taken at a regional test centre.

PIB – The Preliminary Interview Board; for disabled candidates who opt for interview instead of the qualifying tests, or who are unsuccessful at the qualifying tests.

FSB – The Final Selection Board; a final panel interview for applicants for the Diplomatic Service or Clerkships in Parliament.

Open Fast Stream – We recruited on the open market for four Fast Stream schemes in 2004: the General Fast Stream, Economists, Statisticians, and GCHQ (Government Communications Headquarters)

GFS – The General Fast Stream. This includes options for posts within Central Departments, the Diplomatic Service (including economists), European Fast Stream (including lawyers), Parliamentary Clerkships and the Science & Engineering Fast Stream. By far the largest scheme, in places this report focuses on the GFS in particular.

Key Figures

• There were approximately 8,600 applications ¹ after 25,000 applicants had taken the self-assessment test.
• 467 candidates were recommended for appointment.
• 100% of General Fast Stream vacancies were filled with approximately 85 per cent of vacancies across all schemes filled compared with 89 per cent in 2003.
• Some 42 per cent of successful candidates from all Fast Stream schemes were women, compared with around 50 per cent in 2003.
• Approximately 5.4 per cent of successful candidates from all schemes were from minority ethnic groups, compared to 7.8 per cent in 2003.
• Just over 7 per cent of successful candidates from all schemes declared a disability, compared with under 4 per cent in 2003.
• Successful candidates graduated from over 50 different universities.
• The proportion of successful candidates from the In-service Nomination Scheme increased to almost 47 per cent in 2004, up from just over 42 per cent the previous year.

Footnote

1. For 2004, the sequence of the application process changed. Candidates first completed an online self–assessment test; informed by the results they then elected to withdraw themselves or go on to complete the online application form.