Digital and Innovation

The National Graduate Development Programme is a fast-track graduate programme for bright and passionate individuals who want to make a difference while excelling in their own careers. It offers the chance to work directly with communities, but also to influence policies and plans at a senior level. All while earning a graduate salary and completing our council-specific leadership and management qualification. You have the opportunity to complete four 6-month placements in different directorates within the council. My placements were as follows:Placement 1 (October 2022 - March 2023) Cultural Development Graduate - Social Policy & ProjectsDirectorate: Innovation and Change Placement 2 (April 2023 - September 2023)Relationship Officer - Sports, Leisure and Active CommunitiesDirectorate: Communities - Innovation & ChangePlacement 3 (October 2023 - March 2024)Governance and Service Development Officer - Governance and OperationsDirectorate: Adult Social Care and Public HealthPlacement 4 (April 2024 - May 2024)Culture and Employee Experience Officer - Organisational DevelopmentDirectorate: Corporate Services

Black on Board Training.

As part of the change programme being overseen by the Fairness Taskforce led by the CEO Professor Rosser, one of our priority areas for improvement based on staff feedback is ensuring fairness in recruitment. The Fair Recruitment Expert is an independent, specialist-trained existing member of staff, coming from a range of staff groups and levels. We are either staff volunteers from underrepresented and protected characteristic(s) or committed and visible allies of underrepresented and protected staff groups. The role of the Fair Recruitment Expert is to help select the best candidates possible whilst making sure that the best practice in non-biased recruitment is followed throughout the process. I aid the interview panel to focus on the criteria of the job specification and essential criteria of a role, drawing attention away from judging candidates or making assumptions about background or lifestyle.The presence of a Fair Recruitment Expert on a panel enhances a candidates confidence in their chance of success and boost their performance, so that they feel able to show their authentic and best self.