Local councils hatch graduate-trainee plan

Citation

(2002), "Local councils hatch graduate-trainee plan", Education + Training, Vol. 44 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/et.2002.00444cab.005

Local councils hatch graduate-trainee plan

Local councils hatch graduate-trainee plan

The local authorities' employers' organization is consulting councils about plans to set up a national graduate-trainee scheme for local government. Current recruitment of recent graduates into councils is low, with only 6 per cent of staff aged under 25. The National Health Service and Civil Service have managed graduate-trainee programmes for some time. If agreed, the trainee scheme could start in September, with the aim of processing 50 graduates every two years. The employers' organization would manage recruitment and selection, fund the postgraduate qualification and arrange secondments. Participating councils would employ the graduates and be responsible for the placements over two years. Local authorities face a drop in under-25 applicants, at a time when the age profile of their employees is increasing. The programme aims to raise awareness among young people of local-government careers.