Who I Am

Hi, I’m Shenel! I’ve been on the Civil Service Fast Stream programme for one and a half years now. I’ve had postings in the Ministry of Justice and Department for Education, and have just started a secondment to the private sector for 6 months at EY.

I finished my undergraduate degree only a few months before starting out, so this has been my first experience not just in the Civil Service but also in the post-university world of work. Although it’s felt pretty daunting at times, knowing that the work we do makes a real difference to the lives of everyday people is what keeps me motivated.

Breaking Into the Civil Service

My first real encounter with the Civil Service was when I was in year 11 at a school careers day. Two Civil Servants came in to talk about their careers so far, the variety of projects they’d been involved in and, most memorably, the purpose-driven nature of their work. It really sparked something in me and made me realise that I wanted a career that allowed me to make a real positive social impact.

During my first and penultimate years at university, I applied for the Early Diversity and Summer Diversity Internship Programmes offered by the Civil Service at the time. Although I was rejected from both, I persisted and took every opportunity I could find to learn more about careers in the Civil Service and figure out if it would be a good fit for me. This included gaining a place on the Patchwork Foundation Masterclass Programme – a fantastic experience that gave me the opportunity to engage with Senior Civil Servants, MPs and those working in the public sector more widely. Although I gained super useful practical knowledge on applications and career progression, the most valuable thing I took away was a greater sense of confidence. Hearing directly from those who had navigated the labyrinth of the Civil Service, discussing the barriers they’d overcome and the advice they themselves had found most valuable, broke down some of the mental barriers I was experiencing that were preventing me from truly seeing myself in those senior positions.

So, in my final year of university, I applied for the Fast Stream Programme – which focuses on building leadership potential in the Civil Service – and gained a place on the Generalist scheme.

Life on the Fast Stream

There truly isn’t a ‘typical’ day on the Fast Stream. Every day, and each posting, has been so varied.

While at the Ministry of Justice, I worked on Tribunals policy which involved leading on Secondary Legislation to improve efficiency in the Employment Tribunals, responding to Parliamentary Questions and correspondence, meeting with Senior Judges and other Government departments, preparing advice and delivering written and oral briefing to Ministers and even providing box duty in Parliament (where you assist the Minister through a debate) – which was pretty cool.

My posting at the Department for Education was equally varied, despite only being 6 months long. It included drafting policy documents for Primary Legislation, such as impact assessments and debate briefing, creating and implementing a comms strategy, and leading on a business case for the early adopter scheme of the Government’s flagship Breakfast Club programme – which was a fantastic policy to be a part of and witness the incredible hard work that’s going on behind the scenes to take it through to delivery.

My secondment posting at EY will be as a consultant working with local government, which will be completely different to anything I’ve done so far. While I’m admittedly a bit nervous, I’m also excited to pick up some new skills and keep pushing myself out of my comfort zone.

In addition to our posting work, the Fast Stream also has a structured learning and development element, so we have regular workshops on topics like presenting confidently, preparing advice for Ministers, and fostering our personal style of leadership and management. We’re also required to take on a corporate objective of our choosing, so a definite highlight has been engaging in outreach work through my role in the Fast Stream Social Mobility Network. I’m super passionate about social mobility and breaking down barriers to both higher education and careers in the Civil Service, so it’s been fantastic being able to incorporate that into my day-to-day work and continue to engage directly with young people at schools and universities across the country.

Career-Changing Moments

Although I’m still at an early stage in my career, I’ve grown and developed massively since first starting out, and learnt a lot about the kind of career I want for myself.

To my surprise, I’ve realised how much I really enjoy fast-paced and reactive work. My first posting involved a lot of preparing urgent advice at short notice, and I also did a few days of cover work in the Lord Chancellor’s Private Office, which was super reactive. I’ve also had the opportunity to take part in crisis management training, including a crisis simulation, which was fascinating.

My continued involvement with the Patchwork Foundation also led me to take part in the International Visitor Leadership Programme (IVLP) run by the US Embassy, where I spent two weeks travelling across the US meeting policy makers, grassroots activists and organisations doing incredible work in their local communities. The experience emphasised for me the importance of local community work and not only engaging with those with lived experiences of the issues we aim to tackle at all stages of policy development, but also making the Civil Service itself more representative of the people that it serves.

While I’m not sure what my final posting on the Fast Stream will be just yet, or what my career will look like beyond the Fast Stream, I’m excited to keep trying new things and figure out where and how I can make the most impact.

Advice for Future Civil Servants

First of all, I’d say that the Fast Stream isn’t the only route into the Civil Service. Although it’s a fantastic way to accelerate your career, there are also so many great opportunities to progress through direct entry. If you are considering applying for the Fast Stream, having a strong awareness of the Civil Service behaviours is an important first step for navigating the application process. For the assessment centre, it can feel like a daunting experience, but it’s a great opportunity to get a taste of what a role in the Civil Service might involve, so try your best to relax, enjoy it, and just be yourself!

There is no ‘typical’ Fast Streamer that they’re looking for, so don’t let the misconception that you have to fit a particular mould or come from a certain kind of background be a barrier to you applying. Greater diversity only strengthens the work we do. While it’s very true that the Fast Stream, and wider Civil Service, still has a long way to go in terms of improving diversity and inclusion, we need more people from different backgrounds and walks of life to feel confident in taking that first step in applying – which is of course also the responsibility of the Civil Service itself to continue to help foster.

For underrepresented young people in particular, there are some incredible organisations out there who can support you through providing mentorship and development opportunities, including the Patchwork Foundation, 20/20 Levels and upReach, just to name a few.

Finally, I’d say don’t underestimate your ability to learn and develop. Did I think I would be confident enough to brief Ministers, engage with Senior Judges and lead on nationwide policy a year and a half ago? Absolutely not! But that’s what’s so brilliant about the Fast Stream – and the Civil Service more widely. There’s a huge focus on learning and development, and so many opportunities to try new things and grow in more ways than you’d think possible. So keep at it and aim high!