Government Economic Service Sandwich Student Placement Scheme

Are you an economics undergraduate in your penultimate year? Do you want to gain practical experience and use your economics skills to make a difference? Join the the UK Government Government for a paid student placement.placement. 

You wouldcould spend a year working in a government department before returning to your studies. The job could involve analysing data, providing advice on policy options, and preparing briefings for officials and ministers.ministers. 

Placement students also get a priorityguaranteed interview for a government role upon graduation and many return to work for us. This scheme is a great way to kick-start your career in economics. We offer: 

• Meaningful work that benefits society 

• Chance to gain professional economics experience 

• Guaranteed interview for a graduate role 

• Diverse and inclusive workplace 

• Flexible working 

For further information, please refer to the job descriptions and the application guidance notes.  

Salary 

London: £25,600 minimum Nationwide: £22,699 minimum 

Salaries vary according to department and location. Please refer to the job descriptions for full details.

Locations 

Birmingham, Bristol, Buxton, Darlington, Edinburgh, East Kilbride, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, London, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Newport, Porton Down, Titchfield, York

About the Government Economic Service (GES)

We are the professional body for economists in the Civil Service. With over 3,500 members, we are the largest recruiter of economists in the country. We recruit student, graduate, and apprentice economists and support their professional development in more than 50 government departments in locations across the the UK.. 

Eligibility RequirementsRequirements 

• This scheme is only open to students in their penultimate year of undergraduate study (i.e. year before the final year of study)study).
• You andmust whobe are on trackcourse for a 2:1 or 1st class degree.

  Tooutcome. beThis eligibleis applicantsindicated by your exam results of your first year*.

• You must be studying forfor:
  • An aundergraduate degree in economics
  • An oreconomics aundergraduate joint degree, economics degreemust wherecomprise at least 50% of the total course studied so far (year 1 and 2); or
  • A joint economics compriseshonours undergraduate degree at a Scottish university, where at least 50% of the totalmodules course,studied or to be studied soduring far.the Youfinal two years of the course must alsobe in economics; or
  • Philosophy Politics and Economics (PPE) degree where at least 50% of the modules studied or to be onstudied during the final two years of the course must be in economics.

Please note: All degrees must include Macro and Microeconomics.

*If you do not have official exam results for your previous year(s) due to staff boycotts, you can provide provisional grades. If you are successful at interview, before we can make an offer, we will need to receive a 2:1copy orof 1styour classofficial degreetranscript (basedwith exam results confirming you are on yourcourse to get a 2.1 or 1st yearclass results).outcome.

Individuals will also need to demonstrate that they meet the relevant immigration requirements and their eligibility under the Civil Service Nationality Rules (CSNRs). Nationality requirements are explained in more detail on the the Civil Service nationality rules webpage.

More information on the eligibility criteria can be found at the top of this page in our attached Application Guidance Notes.

How to ApplyApply 

The Governmentfull Economicapplication Serviceprocess (GES) Sandwich Student Placement is nowoutlined closed.in Pleasethe registerapplication toguidance benotes. notifiedYou whencan theapply schemefor opensthis againrole inon AutumnCivil 2024.Service Jobs.  

Candidates who are successful at the sift stage will be randomly allocated to any of the participating departments.departments. 

Candidates who are unsuccessful at the sift stage will not be given any feedback or comments. If you do not hear from us within 2 months of deadline, please assume your application has been unsuccessful.unsuccessful. 

This means that the placement scheme is now a gateway to a career as a government economist. This means that the placement scheme is now a gateway to a career as a government social researcher. Candidates wishing to apply for the Assistant Economist Scheme or the Fast Stream after they have completed their degree, should review the relevant schemes full eligibility criteria to ensure they achieve the necessary modules/qualifications.

Please note that some departments require candidates to have a a UK footprint footprint for 5 years to get security clearance, including the Home Office, Ministry of Defence and Office for National Statistics.Statistics. 

Re-join Re-join GES after after your placementplacement 

As part of the scheme, we have included an enhancement to the already successful sandwich placement scheme by making an offer of a permanent contract (subject to security clearance) to those students to take up upon graduation (in the department they undertake a placement) and who:who: 

• are on track for a minimum 2:1 degree in EconomicsEconomics 

• are assessed to have successfully completed their placement by their line managersmanagers 

• have passed a Civil Service Economic Assessment Centre (EAC) towards the end of their placementplacement 

• have the right to work in the the UK  

This means that the placement scheme is now a gateway to a career as a government economist.economist. 

Please note: Some departments may not be able to offer a permanent contract if successful at at EAC and and you will be informed of this, should this be the case.case. 

Contact point for applicants  

GESR Recruitment Team: GESRRecruitment@hmtreasury.gov.uk  

Social media  

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Equal OpportunitiesOpportunities 

The Civil Service is an Equal Opportunities employer. Candidates with disabilities (as defined in the 1995 Disability Discrimination Act) can choose to declare on their application form that they require adjustments at interview, for which we can make a range of provisions. Please contact us should you have any questions regarding this – we would be happy to help.help. 

We are interested in your skills and aptitudes. We have no preferences for particular backgrounds or universities. We want to reflect the diversity of the country we serve.serve. 

Complaints procedureprocedure 

For details on our complaints procedure, please click click here 

Working for the Civil ServiceService 

The The Civil service code sets sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission’s recruitment principles. The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equality of opportunity.