NGDP Graduate Trainee

THE ROLE 

Waltham Forest Council are proud to once again be participating in the National Graduate Development Programme (NGDP) in order to find and develop the next generation of local government leaders. This year we are focused on recruiting locally.

The NGDP is recruiting over 120 talented National Management Trainees for its Autumn 2022 intake. Successful applicants will have two years to influence some of society’s big issues, from social care and housing to education and the environment, while training to be one of local government’s next generation of managers. It is the only national graduate programme specifically for local government.

Employed on a two-year fixed-term contract, trainees rotate between different placements to develop their skills and knowledge alongside studying for a postgraduate-level certificate from the Institute for Leadership and Management (ILM). This is a varied and prestigious programme which has a high record of success placing graduates in positions of management in local government upon completion of the scheme.

ABOUT YOU

We support the NGDP’s goal to recruit graduates from all different backgrounds, universities, and degree disciplines; our aim is to reflect the diverse community that we serve. We are looking for people who have the right values and attitudes and who can demonstrate their motivation for a career in the public sector, and who are genuinely interested in the borough.

Within your answers to the application form’s questions, please highlight and explain how your lived experiences have shaped you and your desire to work in local government. We value all kinds of experiences; these do not have to be related to work or education.

Candidates can apply only once each year to the NGDP and candidates that choose to apply for a local role cannot apply to the national scheme alongside the local application. For further information please visit https://www.local.gov.uk/national-graduate-development-programme or contact the NGDP support team at NGDP.support@local.gov.uk    

WHO CAN APPLY:

To be eligible you must:

• Have obtained a 2:2 undergraduate degree in any subject by summer 2022
• Have the right to work in the UK without employer sponsorship (successful applicants will be required to provide documentary evidence of their entitlement to work in the UK, in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006. The NGDP is unable to apply to sponsor a visa for candidates who do not have the right to work in the UK).
• Clearly demonstrate a connection to the borough and meet one or more of the following criteria:
  • The applicant currently lives in the borough; and/or
  • The applicant’s parents’ address is in the borough (if they are at university elsewhere)

WHY WALTHAM FOREST:

Here at the London Borough of Waltham Forest, our immediate priorities are to:

• Celebrate our borough and our residents, working together to make it the best and fairest place it can be
• Do everything we can to help residents find good jobs
• Work with residents to act locally to fight the climate emergency and build a cleaner future
• Tackle the inequality that holds some of our residents back so that we can harness the diverse passions and skills of the people of Waltham Forest
• Work with residents to reduce crime and keep our homes and neighbourhoods safe
• Work with everyone in our community to protect us all from Covid 19 and to help people live longer, healthier and happier lives

We are looking for candidates from the local area to help shape our response to tackling these issues - and the many others facing local government in Waltham Forest. We believe that a commitment toward equality and diversity is right for society, right for the Council, right for staff, right for service users, and right for our community as a whole. Which is why we are proactively searching for individuals with a local connection.

Waltham Forest is one of the UK’s highest performing local authorities, serving as one of London’s best places to live and work. We have achieved a huge amount: we were the first ever London Borough of Culture and were named ‘Local Authority of the Year’ at the 2019 MJ Awards. Our services, our schools, our public spaces are all amongst the very best. We are an ambitious and innovative Council taking bold new actions to support our residents while remaining focussed on a long-term positive future for Waltham Forest.

To make sure Waltham Forest Council is the best place to support graduates on the graduate development programme, we are offering the following:

Support throughout the application process: All local applicants will be given the opportunity to receive support throughout the recruitment process from trained professionals and graduates who are currently on the programme.

Mentoring: All graduates join our mentoring programme, which includes training for both graduates and senior mentors to help get the best out of your mentoring relationship

Additional training and qualification: graduates are provided with additional training – in previous years this has included project management courses and sessions with a qualified work coach

Exposure to senior leaders: graduates will be given the opportunity to meet and speak with senior staff across the council including the Chief Executive and the Leader of the council.

A network and support: Waltham Forest has taken on graduates form the NGDP scheme for many years and this means graduates can expect to be supported by a large and growing network of people.

Priority interview: By applying as a local candidates for Waltham Forest Council, successful applicants who reach the final stage of the recruitment process will be guaranteed an interview with us after April 2022

Real opportunities:  Read more about the scheme at Waltham Forest and what our gradates and alumni have been up to.

A commitment to your future: As you come towards the end of the scheme, we will support you to fulfil your aspirations, by helping you to identify and secure your next permanent role

PLEASE READ BEFORE APPLYING

Candidates can apply only once each year to the NGDP and candidates that choose to apply for a local role cannot apply to the national scheme alongside the local application

Should you choose to apply to this role please note that your application will be held by the Local Government Association (LGA) who host the National Graduate Development Programme (NGDP). As the employer, we will have access to view essential details that allow us to shortlist against our criteria for local candidates. You can find more information regarding the LGA’s privacy statement on the application page (follow link below)

Your local application will progress in the same timeframe as the NGDP’s national campaign, and you will be assessed alongside national candidates. The NGDP facilitates the assessment of all nominated local candidates in line with national candidates to ensure they meet the same standard. Successful candidates will become part of the national cohort with access to NGDP learning and development, networks and knowledge events, but will be exclusively interviewed by their chosen council as a successful local candidate.

Application support

Waltham Forest is committed to supporting local candidates with the NGDP application process. For more information, support, and guidance, contact us at NGDP@walthamforest.gov.uk

Still have questions? Join our Q&A session

These are informal drop-in sessions to ask the current graduates any questions you have about the scheme, and to hear about the experiences of our graduates working here at Waltham Forest Council.

Eventbrite booking for Q&A sessions

Apply now:

If you are interested in applying to the NGDP through our local recruitment, please visit the NGDP application page.