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The government’s efforts to diversify the civil service and make Whitehall more inclusive will now include restrictions on civil service internships specifically for students from less privileged families. The primary internship scheme aimed at attracting university students to the civil service will now be limited to those from “lower socio-economic backgrounds”, based on their parents’ occupations when they were 14. Successful candidates in this internship program will be given priority for entry into the Fast Stream, the main graduate program for civil service entry. This shift in policy has been spearheaded by Pat McFadden, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster overseeing civil service reform.
McFadden emphasized the importance of increasing the representation of working-class youth in the Civil Service in order to leverage a wider range of talent and ensure that the organization truly mirrors the diversity of the country. He stated, “Government is better equipped to make decisions when it truly understands and represents the people it serves.” Despite approximately 25% of higher education students coming from lower socio-economic backgrounds, only 12% of successful applicants to the Fast Stream in 2024 were from this demographic. This disparity has prompted some Labour ministers to criticize the perceived privilege within certain sectors of the civil service, advocating for greater inclusivity.
Efforts to enhance diversity within the civil service also include changes to the existing summer internship program, which is open to final-year undergraduates and provides paid work experience. Under the new guidelines set to take effect in 2026, only students from disadvantaged backgrounds will be eligible for these internships. Participants will gain practical experience in various aspects of civil service work, such as event planning, ministerial briefings, shadowing senior officials, and policy research. Exceptional performers may be fast-tracked to the final stages of the Fast Stream selection process if they opt to pursue a career in the civil service post-graduation.
Additionally, the government aims to create more pathways to senior civil service roles outside of London, with plans to locate half of all Fast Stream placements outside of the capital by 2030. Since assuming office last year, the Labour government has criticized certain practices within the civil service, with accusations of entrenched privilege. Prime Minister initiatives to overhaul the state machinery have also been met with mixed reactions. Criticizing the new policies, Conservative shadow cabinet office minister Mike Wood emphasized the importance of selecting talent based on merit rather than social background. Wood argued against what he characterized as exclusionary social engineering, advocating for opportunity based on individual capabilities rather than predetermined criteria
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