GCS Apprenticeship Bid 2024

 

Important information to note: 

 

The GCS is committed to the government's levelling up agenda and we encourage you to provide roles outside London, provided that these roles are within communication teams where enough support will be provided to the apprentice.

 

Departments/agencies will be held to account for the bids they submit and must commit to supplying the same number of roles. Candidates accepted on to the GCS Apprenticeship programme will be expected to start their roles in November 2024.

 

We are recruiting for candidates showing a demonstrable interest in communications and current affairs. We cannot guarantee candidates will have specific skill sets for specific communications roles; they will develop these skills on the apprenticeship scheme.

  
The GCS Apprenticeship aims to develop apprentices in multiple areas of the MCOM framework, and so departments should be able to rotate their apprentices into at least two different roles, one of which must be a digital or data team, throughout the duration of the apprenticeship (18 months). 

 

Departments/agencies are required to provide support for interviewing candidates at the selection panels. For every bid you place you must provide us with one GCS assessor for interview. 

    
Departments will be required to cover the costs of the apprentices’ salary (at departmental AO level) and travel expenses to London if apprentices are based in a regional office. The costs of the training will be covered through the apprenticeship levy.

  
Departments should ensure they have agreed their number of bids between the Directors of Communication, Development Advisers and HR teams before submitting the request and ensure that they have budget holder approval.


The role must enable the apprentice to meet the knowledge, skills and behaviours (read here) they are required to demonstrate as part of the Public Relations and Communications Apprenticeship. If the job role does not meet the requirements, your bid can be retracted.

1. Organisation or department making a bid? *

 

2. Number of bids? (Please note for every bid you place you must provide us with at least one GCS assessor for interviews.) *

 

3. Please indicate the location of your bids, including full location address. Please also indicate the number of roles in each office. E.g London - 5, Manchester - 1. This information must be provided, failure to do so will make your bid void.

Please also be aware GCS is committed to the government's levelling up agenda and we encourage you to provide placements in any hubs you may have outside London. *

 

4. Please give us a brief summary of the role(s). This information must be provided, failure to do so will make your bid void. We will require a full job description following bid submission. *

 

5. Apprentices should be given the salary equivalent of an Administrative Officer (AO). Please confirm your department’s AO salary range. *

 

6. Department Apprenticeship Lead contact details: *

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7. Primary departmental contact? (This should be the person submitting the bid.) *

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8. Secondary departmental contact? *

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9. Level of clearance required by your department? (Please note security clearance is the responsibility of the department, not GCS central. It is imperative you start the Apprentice's security clearance process as soon as you are matched with a candidate.) *

 

10. Please give an indication of how long your department’s security clearance process takes. If you are aware of any reason the processing of security clearance may be held up in your department please also let us know, e.g. place and length of residence. *

 

11. Please confirm your DoC supports this bid (if 'other' please explain your situation in the comments section below.) *

 

12. Please confirm your department’s budget holder supports this bid (if 'other' please explain your situation in the comments section below.) *

 

13. How did you hear about the launch of the Apprenticeship bids? *