Cabinet Office minister Ben Gummer has praised staff and participants in the civil service’s latest summer diversity internship programme, which is aimed at encouraging future fast stream applicants from under-represented backgrounds.
The 2016 scheme, which finished last week, offered two-month placements to 308 undergraduates from black and minority ethnic (BAME) communities, young people from low-income backgrounds, or those with disabilities. Some participants would have fallen into more than one of the categories.
While the civil service has made strides in broadening its recruitment base from its traditional white, middle-class image, recent reports have suggested it still has much work to do.
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Earlier this year, cabinet secretary Sir Jeremy Heywood launched a new network designed to support BAME candidates' entry to top roles within the civil service, with figures showing that BAME staff account for 10.6% of the wider civil service, but occupy just 4.1% of Senior Civil Service roles.
Meanwhile a report by the Bridge Group found that just 4.4% of successful applicants to Whitehall’s prestigious graduate scheme hail from low socio-economic backgrounds, an intake the consultancy said was "less diverse than the student population at the University of Oxford".
Speaking at the closing event for the 2016 intern programme, Gummer said it had been “hugely encouraging” to see the talent displayed by participants.
“Many of the young people I have met will go on to do great things in the public sector, their modern skills can provide a shot in the arm for the civil service,” he said.
“I have been asked by the prime minister to lead an audit across public services to reveal racial disparities and to help end the injustices that many people experience.
“It is this sort of event that highlights that the civil service is focused on becoming a model employer in this field.”
The Cabinet Office said 27 departments had offered placements as part of the programme, helping participants learn about the civil service, involving them in departmental projects, as well as helping them to develop broader skills.
It said 81% of the 2016 intake had been from ethnic minority groups, 25% from lower socio-economic background, and 24% with disabilities.
One participant, Mahek Mehta, from north-west London, said she been told about the programme by civil service ambassadors at a careers fair.
She said the application process had been “challenging”, but that her enthusiasm coupled with preparation in learning the competency framework for the scheme had paid off when she was offered a place.