Are you a graduate who is interested in shaping the UK economy? And crafting policy that will have a real-world impact? If so, have a read below about the HM Treasury Graduate Programme.
The Treasury, known formally as HM Treasury, is the government’s economic and finance ministry. It is their responsibility to ensure the safety and security of the UK economy. They manage public spending and create economic policy. Some of the Treasury’s key responsibilities are public sector pay and pensions, baking regulations, overseeing the UK tax system and delivering infrastructure projects across the UK.
If these sound like areas of government that interest you, you may want to consider the Treasury Graduate Programme. It’s a three-year programme which is split into two 18-month postings. These postings will be within different areas of the department to ensure your skills are being truly utilised.
The Graduate Programme is an excellent way to start your career as a policymaker. As a policy advisor on the scheme, you will become an expert in your area of the department. You will feed your expert advice to the government to ensure the smooth day-to-day running of the economy. The Treasury stresses that the work you do as a graduate policy advisor will have a direct impact on the lives of millions of people.
Whatever area of the Treasury department you work in, you will work with a variety of government departments and external organisations to debate and curate the highest quality economic policy. Such that, one day you may be working with numbers and data and another you could be in Parliament supporting a debate. There is no singular experience of a policy advisor; every day can be different.
The Treasury is searching for graduates, from any degree subject and university, with a 2:2 or above to apply for the programme. They want their staff to be resilient, cooperative and have an evident ability for problem-solving.
5 Things You Need to Know Before Applying to the Treasury Graduate Scheme
- Much like the Civil Service Fast Stream, the Treasury offer a permanent job to all graduates upon completion of the programme. This is the first step in a career for life.
- This is an on-the-job learning role. This means you will have real responsibility from day one and with the support of your line manager will learn and understand the job through doing it.
- There are six core skills and attributes that the Treasury are searching for. These are clear analysis, interpersonal skills, clear communication, teamwork, motivation, and resilience.
- The application process has six elements, consisting of an online application, situational judgement tests, online verbal reasoning, timed written questions, and a virtual assessment centre.
- Given that the Treasury helps to serve society, it must be genuinely reflective of that diverse society through its employees. The Treasury encourages everybody, of all backgrounds, to apply for this graduate scheme to amalgamate a spectrum of perspectives.
For more information on finding graduate jobs, read our guide to graduate internships, graduate programmes, and visit our opportunities board.
