Continuing professional development

The Government Statistical Service is committed to continuing professional development and most departments have achieved Investors In People accreditation which indicates a commitment to continuing professional development. We offer many different routes for our employees to consolidate, extend and update their professional capabilities, reflecting the diversity of background from which we recruit.

For new graduate recruits to the fast stream, there is a programme of training comprising both formal courses and on the job training designed to help you develop your technical, communication and managerial skills. On initial posting, you will be assigned to an experienced GSS statistician who will help to identify any particular training or development needs and implement a training programme. Similar programmes are also available for statistical officers. Young entrants will also be expected to move through a range of posts in their first few years to enable them to gain experience of the breadth and diversity of GSS work. This could entail a move to a new post in the same department or a move to a new department. Opportunities also exist for postings overseas.

For more mature entrants, training needs are assessed on an individual basis.

Many departments offer sponsorship and/or study leave for staff to obtain further professional qualifications relevant to their work. This can encompass occasional attendance at relevant short courses or seminars, or study for a further qualification via distance learning, or participation in an accredited course such as the MSc in Official Statistics offered by the University of Southampton, or the examination programme of the Royal Statistical Society. After obtaining suitable professional experience, many statisticians apply for the Royal Statistical Society professional status of Chartered Statistician.

Government statisticians are also required to develop management and administrative skills and a wide range of in-house and external courses are available to facilitate this.