Devon County Council

Our highly experienced team can provide bespoke solutions to resolve your recruitment issues and assist in developing recruitment strategies.  These may include addressing challenges such as: limited candidate flow in a skill shortage market; attracting the right calibre of applicant; interview selection and assessment advice.  It also involves co-ordinating careers fairs, recruitment road shows and similar events, to raise awareness of the variety of careers available within local government in order to attract a greater volume and diversity of applicants.  In addition, we have identified long term strategies to attract future potential recruits from an earlier stage.  For example, encouraging work experience and graduate placements, in addition to other alternatives forms of recruitment, such as Modern Apprenticeships and New Deal schemes.

Senior Recruitment

For the recruitment of senior positions, we offer the facility to co-ordinate your entire recruitment campaign.  Our specialist staff can co-ordinate your advertising campaign, manage the responses, shortlist applicants, organise timetables, book premises, prepare candidate paperwork and assist with the interviews themselves.  We are also able to co-ordinate assessment centres for high volume recruitment campaigns.

Routes into Devon County Council

Job posts are advertised within our weekly bulletin ‘Choice Magazine’ and on the DCC jobs website.  The information below states additional routes into DCC, both paid and voluntary:

Work Experience

The increasing recruitment challenges of attracting a younger and more diverse workforce into local authorities to address the ageing demographic profile, has prompted a centralised approach to work experience.  A centralised, corporate approach in this area would ensure a consistent quality of placement, and thereby impress potential future employees that Devon County Council is the "employer of choice", rather than their last resort because all other options have been exhausted.

Each placement would last for five to ten working days, primarily during the summer school term, providing 14 year olds plus with experience of the working world.  For students, it is essential to secure a suitable placement, as in the first instance, it forms part of the national curriculum, but also because it will assist them to make an informed decision about their chosen career path.  Work experience provides the ideal framework for students to ask questions, find out their working likes and dislikes and make educated choices about their future employment.  Work experience placements are co-ordinated by Recruitment Services. A realistic quota of candidates will be agreed for each directorate, and an appropriate point of contact for each department. Candidates will be expected to apply in writing, indicating their preferred career path, allowing us to direct their applications accordingly.  In return they can expect to receive:

Information and welcome pack outlining what they can expect from their placement.

A semi-structured timetable for the placement, including a guided tour, control room visit, reception duty, visit to the information centre and a mock application/interview.

Recruitment Services will also collate feedback from all students to ensure that their comments can contribute to improvements in the service.

Our representatives also liaise with schools and colleges to raise awareness of the wide range of careers that we can offer.  This will ideally impress upon our potential future employees that the variety of positions available, coupled with a supportive and progressive employer, makes DCC the organisation they will most want to work for.  School and college visits are supported by job fairs and road shows, thus encouraging the general public to regard us as their employer of choice.

Work experience is also offered to those of all ages with learning disabilities. A working relationship has been developed with Axcess Employment Service who link placements with their clients and provide training, development and job support for them.

Modern Apprenticeship

Devon County Council’s Apprenticeship scheme forms part of the Entry to Work programme. Apprentices work towards achieving a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) in either Business and Administration or Customer Service, supported by a combination of training and practical work experience.

Working as part of a team apprentice’s are required to provide clerical and administrative support to help the day to day operation of the Section. They enjoy lots of variety of work and gain a broader understanding of what the Council does, whilst developing their skills.

To be eligible, candidates need to be 16-18 years of age; have at least grade ‘C’ in Maths and English GCSE; have good interpersonal, communication and ICT skills and be committed to supporting the work of the Authority.

The Apprenticeships last for up to 2 years, and at the end of their time with us they will be supported to gain permanent employment within the Council. This is the first year of the scheme, however so we are hoping to expand the scheme to other areas of Devon in the future.  Apprenticeship positions are advertised in our Choice magazine and on the DCC job website.

National Graduate Development Programme (NGDP)

The NGDP is run in partnership with the Improvement and Development Agency (IDEA). Within the context of the partnership the participating authorities employ the trainee for two years and manage their performance and progress with support and guidance from the IDEA.

Graduates apply for a NGDP placement through the IDEA with preferred locations. The National Management Trainees are the graduates who have been selected onto the programme and who are based within participating authorities. They are responsible for engaging in all aspects of programme delivery and in local authority placements and additional work activities.

Graduate and undergraduate business partnership

DCC in conjunction with Exeter University are co-ordinating two work experience schemes that can bring talented individuals to DCC.

Research has shown that a high proportion of 16-25's, particularly graduates, leave Devon on completion of their education for better opportunities elsewhere. As an organisation we want to develop stronger links with the local universities to offer opportunities that help to attract and retain more young people within the local area. The recruitment of young people is a key part of our workforce plan. By offering extended work experience opportunities, we would enable young people to experience the type of work within the Authority, promote a positive image of local government as an employer and help build capacity within the organisation.  

The Exeter University Graduate (GBP) and Undergraduate (Shell Step) Business Partnership Scheme can provide dedicated graduates who can offer an extra pair of hands, a new perspective and a keen mind.

GBP – Graduate Business Partnership

GBP is a 20-week project-based placement scheme for recent graduates. During the placement, the majority of the graduate’s time is spent working within your department on a project. The graduates will also attend an ‘Introduction to Business’ training programme at the University (one day a fortnight).

Graduates must be paid a minimum recommended salary per week (£250) and there is also a charge payable to the university for their administration costs (normally a one off fee of £800 although there is a subsided fee of £250 for graduates who meet EFS criteria). Departments will be required to pay these costs from their own budget.

Projects will be advertised on the Exeter University website and can start at anytime throughout the year.

Shell Step – Undergraduate Partnership

Shell Step will help to develop our potential by utilizing the skills of motivated undergraduates during vacation periods.

The students must be paid a minimum training allowance (approximately £190 for 2006/7) which is reviewed annually. There is also a charge on £150 to cover administration costs. Again, departments will be required to pay these costs from their own budget.

Projects will be advertised on the Exeter University website and students can be taken on during Easter and the summer (anything from between 8-13 weeks)

For more information, please contact Recruitment Services or call on 01392-383415

Other useful sites:
www.devonjobs.gov.uk
www.idea.gov.uk
www.exeter.ac.uk