Civil Service Employment

By Author: Kellie Whitehead
Total Articles: 26
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In 2010 there is no longer such thing as a ‘job for life' In generations gone by, there were certain industries one might join or train for as youth, with the ‘guarantee' that you would always have a job with such a skill set. Nursing, Teaching, Emergency services, Military and Law Enforcements are all career choices that, in turbulent economic times, could at least be seen as ‘redundancy safe'

If you are not specifically trained in any of these sectors, there is another popular sector to work in, one that transcends industry or specialties.

Local government is a diverse employer that encourages the development of its staff who in turn deliver quality services to its clients - the public. Employees feel that they are contributing to the local community and making a difference in people's lives whilst working in a dynamic, fair and flexible environment. Whoever you are and whatever your background, working in local government gives you the opportunity not only to develop your career but make a contribution to the society that you live amongst.

It is well known that ...
... working in the government sector entitles you to a salary generally higher than elsewhere; You will also be entitled to considerable other benefits in your working life.

Usually local government employees are entitled to what is often a generous amount of annual leave. Those who work part time usually have leave calculated on a pro rata basis depending on the amount of hours they work.

Of course annual leave entitlement for holidays, recreational or other personal purposes is not the only form of leave you may come across whilst working in a council. There are many other reasons you may need to take time off work and a local government employer is supportive of these, including; having children, (including adopting them
caring for children and others), rehabilitation after developing an impairment, bereavement, religious observances ,study for career development or wider interests, easing into retirement and training amongst others.

Local government has long been known as an employer keen to train and develop its staff although the type of training will vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Some government entities run specific training programmes for particular groups, for example: graduate training schemes, management trainee schemes, trainee schemes for professions such as law or accountancy etc, apprenticeships and positive action schemes.

Throughout a career in local government, you are likely to have regular appraisals with your line manager enabling you both to identify your current and future training needs. Depending on the needs identified, the entity will provide in-house training, or pay for you to attend a course externally. They may also allow you day-release to study for further qualifications.

For many local government employees, the training they receive enables them to gain new qualifications and sometimes this may lead to membership of a professional body.

It is important to remember that in certain countries, jobs within local government, or at least some departments may be limited to those of the specific nationality of residence. However, in countries such as the UK, this certainly is no barrier, however fluency in the national language of choice would be a given, based o many of the roles being public facing.

Kellie Whitehead writes career related articles with topics ranging from how to make a resume for ResumesStartHere.Com to landing CEO jobs for CareerIntelligence.Com.