Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude are welcoming 200 talented school-leavers who are starting their civil service careers as Fast Track Apprentices.
Launched in 2013, the fast track apprenticeship scheme offers 18-to-21-year-olds who don’t want to go to university a credible alternative to the civil service graduate fast stream.
The apprenticeship scheme is part of the government’s drive to increase opportunities in the civil service for people of all backgrounds and create a civil service fit for 21st Britain. It gives apprentices the chance to earn as they learn and develop their skills at the heart of government. They are placed in Executive Officer roles with real responsibility and genuine career prospects – working on the Government’s digital agenda in Newcastle, helping people into work in Birmingham, or working with ministers in Whitehall.
Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: “It’s important that schemes like this get the recognition they deserve, marking a clear step away from the barely concealed snobbery around vocational education. Apprentices make a fantastic contribution to our society and I want young people from every background to know that if they choose to pursue their career in the Civil Service, work hard and prove themselves, nothing should stop them from making their way right to the top.”
Minister for the Cabinet Office Francis Maude said: “The Civil Service already employs some of Britain’s most talented people, but this Government launched the Fast Track Apprenticeship scheme to attract those who have chosen not to go to university. This year’s 200 new apprentices will be joined next year by another 400. The scheme opens the door to a challenging and rewarding Civil Service career.”
