The public sector

The public sector is very broad and consists of: central and local government; civil service; public administration; the armed forces (Army, Navy, RAF); emergency services (fire service, police service, ambulance service); security and intelligence services (police force, prison service, MI5, MI6, GCHQ).

There is increasing overlap between the public and private sector as more work is outsourced to private companies due to cuts in public sector spending. The public sector is, however, a significant graduate recruiter offering graduate training schemes in most areas and the opportunity to make a real difference in the lives of others, either through policy work or supporting the safety and wellbeing of the community.

Public sector organisations, particularly in civil service and administration, are often very large and can therefore offer a diverse range of opportunities and career paths with strong scope for progression.