While some graduates may have a clear career path mapped out throughout college or university, many may be unsure of exactly which role they would like to pursue after achieving their qualifications.One area with vast employment opportunities is the public sector, which can offer potential positions in not only areas like healthcare services and higher education, but also within central or local government.
Benefits of Public Sector Jobs
Within the public sector there are many sub sectors and departments to suit graduates of all skill sets and specialisms.
These types of public service roles are popular with graduates for a number of reasons such as:
A range of Graduate Schemes in the Civil Service and other Government departments
The opportunity to have a positive impact on public services, local communities or wider society
Training and support – many graduate level jobs offer training to encourage graduates to progress with careers in the field
Stability
Interesting career pathways to grow your knowledge and expertise
As a result of these benefits, public sector jobs for graduates are popular across the globe.According to results from more than 13,000 students and graduates in Singapore’s largest annual national careers survey, graduate jobs in public sector areas like Education and Health rank in the top 5 employers for graduates.
Data from the High Fliers' Graduate Market in 2021 reportalso showed increased demand for graduates in the UK public sector, which is expected to be the largest employer of graduates for 2021.Popularity for public sector roles across all age groups in the UK has also been steadily increasing, with the number of people employed in public sector as of June 2021 estimated at 2.01 million, an increase of 3,000 since March 2021 and up 5,000 people since June 2020according to data from the Office for National Statistics.
Choosing An Area of The Public Sector
When looking for graduate schemes and opportunities, it is helpful to have a good understanding of which area of the public sector you would like to be involved with.The public sector is ideal for those looking for graduate programmes with positions that will have a positive impact on public services, communities and wider society.
It is important to note that some public sector jobs can be highly competitive so you will need to be committed to pursuing a role in this area, however if you are successful, roles in this field can open up a wealth of future opportunities.
Securing a Public Sector Graduate Job
To secure a job in the public sector, you do not necessarily need a specific degree, however certain departments and service branches may prefer you to have a background in that area, e.g., for finance jobs, a base level accounting qualification would be useful, information technology roles within the NHS, an IT or science-based degree will be helpful. Likewise, a qualification in teaching or social studies may be beneficial in obtaining a job in education.
There are a variety of resources aimed towards people who are looking to pursue public sector roles, including dedicated guides for graduateson what to expect from a role in the public sector, what employers are looking for and how to get work experience.
Find the right graduate scheme or public sector role for you by getting in touch with our specialist recruitment consultants.
