Adam R.
About me
| Adam R. | |
| Social and Political Science | |
| International Humanitarian Affairs | |
| Taught Postgraduate | |
| Wentworth | |
| 2017 | |
| United Kingdom |
My employment
| Civil Service Fast Streamer/DWP South East Group Kickstart NEPT Lead | |
| Cabinet Office | |
| United Kingdom | |
| Government and civil service | |
| Large business (250+ employees) | |
| 2021 |
More about Adam
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A day in the life of a Civil Service Fast Streamer/DWP South East Group Kickstart NEPT Lead in the United Kingdom
I've taken a rather long and winding route to get to where I am currently. However, I feel this has ultimately benefitted me and given me the knowledge and experience required to grab this opportunity.
Briefly describe the organisation you work for
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions, and child maintenance policy. As the UK’s biggest public service department it administers the State Pension and a range of working age, disability, and ill health benefits to around 20 million claimants and customers.
DWP is a ministerial department, supported by 14 agencies and public bodies.
What do you do?
I oversee the Kickstart Scheme in the Southeast of England. In particular, I help facilitate the relationships between national employer accounts and, local job centres responsible for placing young people into Kickstart roles, and other key stakeholders.
This is my first of three twelve-month placements as part of the Civil Service Fast Stream, Generalist Stream.
Reflecting upon your past employment and education, what led you to your current career choice?
Having studied politics and international relations at undergraduate level, I was keen to explore charity and development work overseas and was involved in a three-month development project in one of the poorest regions of Madagascar. There, I helped establish educational infrastructure and implement sustainable farming practices.
Following my time in Madagascar, I was keen to continue travelling and decided to take a twelve-month contract teaching ESL in South Korea which I subsequently extended. I quickly reached the stage of owning a private language academy which I ran for seven years before returning to the UK after over a decade in South Korea. Throughout my time as an educator, I maintained my interest in the public and third sectors and I pursued an MSc in International Humanitarian Affairs through distance learning with the University of York.
Upon returning to the UK, I combined my occupational experience in education and my academic experience in the charity sector in a role with the Prince's Trust as an operational executive. Keen to gain in-depth knowledge of the public sector and accelerate my career progression, I left the Prince's Trust to join the Civil Service Fast Stream in Autumn 2021.
My first posting is with the DWP. My final two postings will be in different departments, hopefully, culminating in a permanent role with the FCDO.
Is your current job sector different from what you thought you would enter when you graduated?
My aim following my undergraduate studies was always to enter the public sector although not necessarily in my current role. I've taken a rather long and winding route to get to where I am currently. However, I feel this has ultimately benefitted me and given me the knowledge and experience required to grab this opportunity.
Describe your most memorable day at work
On the 17th of December 2021, applications for new employers to sign up for the Kickstart scheme closed. I had been working with an exciting new employer who was offering up to 100 opportunities to young people in a sector with fantastic growth potential and one which was relatively underrepresented amongst our existing vacancies.
Due to various unavoidable factors, submitting the application came right down to the wire. Despite putting in a clear and well-written application, the grant request was rejected at board level. I consulted with a number of colleagues to try and identify any gaps in the application which would have led to this decision and we were unable to find any. Therefore, I challenged the board's decision, stating my case for the necessity and value of these Kickstart placements, and was successful in overturning the original decision.
This was certainly the most memorable day I have had so far as through hard work and perseverance, I have succeeded in securing fantastic opportunities that have the potential to change the lives of dozens of young people.
Knowing that I can have such a positive impact on the lives of others motivates me to do my best every day. On this particular day, the impact of my work personally, was clear and measurable.
Are there any challenges associated with your job?
The biggest challenge is that, as a Civil Servant, I have to be politically impartial and serve the government of the day. At times, this can mean implementing policies or working to objectives that don't match my personal political beliefs. This can be challenging as impartiality is the foundation of the Civil Service. In such instances, I have to focus on how I can maximise the positive impact of the work that I do and how I can best serve the British public.
Another major challenge is the pace of change within the department and particularly in relation to the Kickstart Scheme. The speed at which the scheme has been rolled out and the agile nature of the scheme means I need to be ready to adapt quickly and effectively at very little notice.
What’s your work environment and culture like?
As I work in the Southeast Group office, my team is spread throughout SE England meaning we work remotely for the most part. On top of this, Covid has meant that those working in the department who aren't in customer-facing roles are enjoyed to work remotely where possible.
Were I working in the office, office attire would be the norm. However, working from homes tends to mean people are more casual unless they are meeting with external stakeholders.
Working from home has both positive and negative impacts on home-life as it would with any job. The lack of a commute means I have more personal time. However, it can make it more difficult to switch off. Not meeting my team in person is also quite challenging.
What extracurricular activities did you undertake at university and what transferable skills did you develop through these?
When I did my postgraduate studies, I studied part-time distance learning whilst also being self-employed full-time as a private academy owner and caring for a young family. As such, I did not have the time to commit to extracurricular activities in the conventional sense.
What would you like to do next with your career?
At present, I have two more 12-month postings, the location and nature of which I do not know. I'm excited for the new experiences and challenges they will offer and I may find I end up in a role that really resonates with me and one that I would like to return to on a permanent basis following the end of my Fast Stream. Having said that, my goal remains to work in the FCDO at a senior level with a focus on the UK's overseas development work.
What top tips do you have for York students preparing for today’s job market and life after graduation?
Be open-minded to new opportunities. My experiences to date have been varied and in some cases unusual. At face value, they didn't always appear to be moving me closer to my ultimate goals. However, each experience has left me with skills, knowledge, and an understanding of the bigger picture that others who have followed conventional career paths may not have. The most common positive feedback from my colleagues in the Civil Service has been that my broad life experience allows me to view challenges from a different perspective and offer innovative solutions that career Civil Servants may not be able to see.
The job market and traditional ways of working have changed significantly over the past 2 years and students preparing to enter the job market will need to be flexible and ready to adapt to a rapidly changing environment.
What topics from students are you happy to answer questions on?
I'm happy to answer questions on any and all topics. However, I would probably be able to offer the most insight on living and working abroad, Graduate Scheme application processes, and the Civil Service Fast Stream and life in the CS in general.
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