Guidance

Senior Civil Service (SCS) Inductions

Supporting senior leaders who are new to their grade, to gain the knowledge and skills needed to lead successfully in the Civil Service.

The Leadership College for Government’s approach to learning focuses on bringing leaders together from across the Civil Service to share experiences and expertise.

The Leadership College for Government (LCG) currently have three induction programmes for senior Civil Service leaders:

Civil Service Orientation (CSO)

Civil Service Orientation (CSO) supports senior leaders, who are new to the Civil Service, to gain a comprehensive understanding of working in central Government, through online content and events.

CSO is run as a 3-stage programme. This programme is aimed at senior civil servants (SCS) who are new to the Civil Service. It is designed to support participants to begin thinking about the knowledge, skills and networks needed to thrive in their new roles.

The aims of the programme are to:

  • celebrate the new role and welcome participants to the Civil Service
  • provide the participants with a clear understanding of what is expected of them as leaders within the Civil Service
  • create personal networks across the Civil Service
  • introduce the Civil Service corporate leadership frameworks
  • provide support to new SCS to think about their leadership journey
  • provide insights into working with ministers and the private office
  • provide an overview of the financial architecture of the Civil Service

Upcoming Events:

EventVirtual LaunchResidentialLocation
CSO 810 Sept 2024 1pm to 2pm26 Sept 2024 9am to 4pmThe Hawkhills EPC, York
CSO 928 Jan 2025 1pm to 2pm11 Feb 2025 9am to 4pmThe Hawkhills EPC, York

Find availability and sign-up to a Civil Service Orientation

We also recommend that SCS leaders that are new to the Civil Service attend parliamentary workshops which are run by the Parliamentary Capability team:

Working with Parliament for leaders

The Parliamentary Capability Team is based in the Government Skills and Curriculum Unit, and exists to help civil servants better understand how Parliament scrutinises the work of government and how they can effectively support their department’s response to Parliamentary scrutiny.

The team have created three bespoke learning events aimed at SCS:

Leading and Parliament

An introduction to Parliament specifically designed for senior leaders delivered remotely over two weeks in conjunction with the Civil Service Leadership Academy.

Select Committees for Leaders

This will give SCS an understanding of how to effectively manage the work of parliamentary select committees that scrutinize their department’s work. It will cover parliamentary process and culture, supporting ministers with committee appearances, and the internal activities that need to be managed in order to effectively respond to this work.

Accounting Officers Roundtable

This course is designed for newly appointed Accounting Officers or Additional Accounting Officers. It will help you understand your responsibilities for the use of public money, and preparing for appearances before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in Parliament. Please register your interest by emailing leadershipcollege@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

If you would like to know more about these courses, please contact parliamentarycapability@cabinetoffice.gov.uk.

Other useful resources

The Civil Service Code

Deputy Director Induction (DDI)

DDIThe isLeadership runCollege asfor aGovernment threeruns stagethe programme.Deputy ThisDirector programmeInduction is(DDI) aimedin atfour deputystages directorsand whois haveaimed beenat recently promoted or haveexternally completedrecruited thedeputy Civil Service orientation.directors.

ItThe isinduction designedsupports to support participants to transition into their new roles by providing them with the knowledge, skills and networks they need to be successful.

Wesuccessful; are creating a space for participants to meet with peers, build networks, gain essential knowledge and draw from the experience of others in a senior role.

The DDIs are held regionally and ideally we would encourage you to book onto an induction within your region, however this isn’t always possible and if you are happy to travel, you are welcome to book onto an induction in a different region.

The aims of the programme are to:

  • welcome participants to the Senior Civil Service and celebrate their new role
  • provide the participants with a clear understanding of what is expected of them as deputy directors
  • provide essential knowledge to support them as they start their SCS career
  • provide current and relevant insights into the operation of Government
  • create personal networks across the Civil Service
  • provide support to new SCS to think about their leadership journey.

Upcoming Events:

Please see upcoming DDDeputy InductionsDirector Induction (DDI) dates below, please select carefully the location you wish to attend and ensure you are fully available to attend all 3 events within your chosen programme.

IfFind youavailability areand unablesign-up to fullya attendDDI, theseor dates, please join the newthe DDI waiting list for further Autumn 2024 dates.

Induction Virtual Launch Induction DayInduction Day Induction Day LocationDDI Connect EventNetworking Event Location
DDI 1N  Weds18N 20 MarchLondon, 13:001 -Horse 14:00Guards Road  WedsTuesday 1714 AprilJanuary 9:3011am - 17:3012  Manchester,Tuesday 28 PiccadillyJanuary Gate9.30am - 5.00pm ThursThursday 2024 JuneApril 9:30at - 16:30Ryton College of Policing, CoventryPolicing
DDI 2N19N London, 1 Horse Guards Road  WedsTuesday 14 10January April2pm 13:00- 3pmWednesday 29 January 9.30am - 14:005.00pm  WedsThursday 24 AprApril 9:30at -Ryton 17:30College of Policing
 Glasgow,DDI Atlantic20N Square Leeds, Wellington Place ThursMonday 2027 JuneJanuary 9:3011am - 16:3012 Tuesday 4 February 9.30am - 5.00pmThursday 24 April at Ryton College of Policing, CoventryPolicing
DDI 3N  Tues21N 23 AprilCardiff, 13:00Ty -William 14:00Morgan  ThursTuesday 218 MayFebruary 9:3011am - 17:3012  Leeds,Tuesday Wellington4 PlaceThursMarch 209.30am June 9:30 - 16:305.00pm Thursday 24 April at Ryton College of Policing, CoventryPolicing
DDI 6N  Weds20N 1 MayGlasgow, 13:001 -Atlantic 14:00Square  ThursTuesday 1611 MayMarch 9:302pm - 17:303pm  Cardiff,Tuesday Ty25 WilliamMarch Morgan9.30am - 5.00pm  ThursThursday 2024 JuneApril 9:30at - 16:30Ryton College of Policing, CoventryPolicing

If you have any further questions please contact the Leadership College.

Director Induction (DI)

DI is run as a three stage programme. This programme is aimed at directors who have been recently promoted or have completed the Civil Service orientation.

It is designed to support participants to transition into their new roles by providing them with the knowledge, skills and networks they need to be successful.

We are creating a space for participants to meet with peers, build networks, gain essential knowledge and draw from the experience of others in a senior role.

The aims of the programme are to:

  • welcome participants and celebrate their new role
  • provide the participants with a clear understanding of what is expected of them as directors
  • provide essential knowledge to support them in continuing their SCS career
  • provide current and relevant insights into the operation of Government
  • create personal networks across the Civil Service
  • provide support to think about their leadership journey.

All of our Director Inductions are fully booked. Please sign up to our waiting list and we will contact you as soon as we release new dates.

Director General and above

The Civil Service Leadership Group brings together civil servants at the most senior levels — permanent secretaries, directors general, and equivalent roles — to work together on strategic issues and government priorities. The group is regularly invited to calls, webinars, events and visits.

If you are a new, recently promoted, or interim director general and are not receiving notifications about these events, please contact leadershipcollege@cabinetoffice.gov.uk

Directors general and permanent secretaries are also included in the public sector offer for chief executive officers (CEOs), where they can build universally applicable skills and deep networks with colleagues across the wider public sector.

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Updates to this page

Published 27 September 2017
Last updated 127 MarchAugust 2024 + show all updates
  1. Updated the events list for for section: Deputy Director Induction (DDI)

  2. Deleted filled up courses.

  3. Added new deputy director induction dates.

  4. Updated 1 link

  5. Re-designing the layout of all Leadership College pages, minor edits to the information shared (now including content from https://www.gov.uk/guidance/training-for-leaders-in-the-civil-service-and-public-sector).

  6. Information on CSO, DDI and DI has been removed as it will now all sit on the SCS Inductions calendar. Links to this page remain within the page.

  7. You can now sign up for Director and Deputy Director inductions.

  8. New document "Civil Service Orientation Resource Pack" added to the section "Resources on Civil Service Learning".

  9. page refresh, removed "Pairing scheme" paragraph and CS Learning link to Corporate induction website

  10. Events added

  11. Events updated.

  12. Events list updated

  13. New events added

  14. First published.

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