Oh, how politicians love to argue over the public sector. Parties of all colours continually promise more police, more nurses, better teachers and more effective social workers; how they'll cut the waste, ditch the red tape and improve efficiency.

No wonder. Employing over five million people, the public sector, encompassing everything from the smooth running of Parliament to the management of public parks, makes up by far the biggest cost to taxpayers, and the majority of what government "does".

While frontline workers like doctors and teachers often come in for the most stick from the media, their jobs are also widely regarded as heroic, beneficial to communities, vital to the very fabric of our lives. But what of those toiling away from the front line, keeping the public sector machine running in the first place?
 

Civil servants

Former Conservative leader Michael Howard has notably described the Civil Service as merely a combination of “penpushing, form filling and paper shuffling”. But does that make their jobs any less socially useful?

The "pen pushers" can be divided into two broad camps: those working in local government, and the civil servants that keep the central government machine well oiled.

“Local government provides many of our most essential services. Care for vulnerable members of our society, education in schools, protection of our consumer rights, safety standards plus many more,” said Liz Copeland, careers promotion officer at the Employers' Organisation for Local Government. “The aim is to enable people to have a better quality of life in a pleasant environment.”

"Nothing other than ethical"

Sarah Cox is a trainee neighbourhood and housing officer on the National Graduate Development Programme (NGDP), run by the Employers' Organisation.

“Working for government can't be anything other than ethical,” she said. “We provide key services that run the city, and we make a difference every single day because people need their local authority every single day. You're spending public money making a real difference to society.”

A senior civil servant within the Department of Health agrees. It is civil servants, he said, who implement the results of democracy. “We make recommendations on the most effective way to spend the public's money, and give advice on how best to implement those spending plans,” he said.

Local government career progression

Within local government the career options for graduates and other young people are substantial, and there is plenty of support to progress quickly. Training is often provided on the job, or on day release to attend college to obtain a formal qualification.

“This enables people to progress to a position of more responsibility in the organisation, and also enables career moves between different departments,” said Copeland.

The NGDP scheme emphasises that trainees should be up to chief executive level (the non-elected permanent boss of a council) within 10 years; a very prominent and influential role, and far from pen pushing and paper shuffling. However, local government also provides a variety of non desk jobs such as environmental health workers, cycling promotion officers or community participation co-ordinators.

Fast Stream

A popular but competitive route for graduates into the central Civil Service is the Fast Stream graduate training programme. The Civil Service's role is to deliver the policy behind public services on behalf of the elected government, but independent of it.

Duncan Parish has completed the two-year Fast Stream probationary period, and now works as an economic press officer in the Treasury. “I wanted to work at the very centre of government in an arena where what I do has an effect. By working in the central Civil Service you can make a difference by formulating policy and influencing the decision making that ultimately leads to legislation.”

Secondments

For Parish there are a lot of opportunities to undertake training in a wide range of areas. “The postings on offer give you a high level of responsibility at an early stage. Secondments to the private and voluntary sectors, as well as the postings across the public sector, are encouraged so there is a great deal of potential to work in an area that fits your development needs and your interests.”

But working so close to government is not without dilemmas. It can mean compromising your own values, and your independence. The Department of Health civil servant asked not to be named because he's not allowed to speak directly to the media.

Impartiality is key

Mark Strathdene, senior press officer at the National Audit Office, which scrutinises public spending on behalf of Parliament, relishes the fact he has to leave his politics at the door. “The impartiality that you get in the Civil Service, and the National Audit Office in particular, seems to me like a good quality to have. It is essentially what Parliament and the functioning of democracy is all about.”

But aren't civil servants under pressure to bow to politicians' wills and whims? The inquiry following the death of government scientist David Kelly certainly brought this issue to the forefront.

“There's lots of checks and balances to ensure the independence of the Civil Service,” explained the Department of Health senior civil servant. The Civil Service, as experienced policy developers, are there to advise government. “It is very rare for a minister to act against a senior civil servant's advice so we can stand our ground.”

Duncan Parish at the Treasury said: “The system here is well placed for people to raise their voice if they have a problem with something compromising the Civil Service's position of neutrality.”

Pay and benefits

Pay in the Civil Service can be lower than in equivalent jobs in the private sector, but this is often compensated for in other ways. A graduate on the Fast Stream could expect a starting salary of £21,500, compared with £28,000 with some banks or law firms. However, pay scales in the public sector are usually firmly structured, meaning your salary rises significantly with time and seniority.

Employees also benefit from flexible working practices and a good pension scheme. But for some, pay and benefits are not the most important factor.

“When you take account of how much good you're doing, it makes the amount you get paid for it immaterial,” says Strathdene.


Fast Stream
www.faststream.gov.uk
 
The National Graduate Development Programme
www.ngdp.co.uk

National Audit Office 
www.nao.org.uk