Corporate report

GSE Talent Action Plan (Accessible)

Published 12 August 2022

1. GSE Talent Action Plan

1.1 Goal: Attract a diverse range of STEM individuals

We want to attract a diverse range of STEM individuals and skills from a range of backgrounds, and whether from within the UK or wider, by working with departments/agencies to improve GSE attraction, in support of building excellent innovation within government.

Objectives	Actions
Increase the Science and Engineering Fast Stream (SEFS) cohort by a minimum of 10% each year, using a strong sense of identity and aim to achieve 50% of overall Fast Stream intake with STEM backgrounds by 2024.	Develop plan for S&E focused attraction strategy with FSET by May 2023. Design and develop new attraction products by July 2023. Support departments/agencies to provide quality SEFS roles in a range of locations through guidance and examples by November 2023.
Increase the promotion of STEM apprenticeships in departments/agencies by June 2022	Collate existing S&E apprenticeship data from departmental apprenticeship leads by May 2022. Work with departments/agencies to increase promotion of apprenticeships by 20% to GSE members.
Work with departmental leads and their HR teams to influence and support delivery of set targets for the uptake of science and engineering apprenticeships by June 2022.	Meet with department/agency leads and Civil Service apprenticeship team to agree efforts to increase uptake and link promotional activity in an apprenticeships communications plan.
Increase STEM outreach to diversify our early career talent pools to support the levelling up agenda and increase scientists and engineers in government through an annual STEM challenge.	Establish activities with Science and Technology Fast Stream network and Civil Service schools outreach team by April 2022. STEM Schools Challenge promoted to a wide range of schools to diverse early talent pools, to be achieved by June 22. Support the GSE Science Live D&I outreach project signposting science and engineering careers to students by December 2023.
Promote and support GSE best practice through development of a best practice reward framework to aide attracting talent by December 2022.	Establish GSE membership benefits by August 2022. Develop a best practice reward framework for departments by November 2022. Monitor departmental practice to feed into GSE framework and advice for those seeking reward options.
Support recruitment attraction and knowledge of government science and engineering careers at different career stages.	GSE recruitment support pack delivered by December 2022. At least 40% of engaged departments/agencies use GSE products in job adverts by April 2023. Provide information and good practice including on attracting diverse applicants and GSE returners, from internal Civil Service pool and external pool, through GSE channels. GSE members champion working in GSE careers within Civil Service and externally, sharing expertise, knowledge and promoting GSE internships and secondments as ways to progress careers. Collaborate externally to develop a STEM talent pipeline for groups less likely to consider a STEM career (women and lower SEB) through the GSE D&I Task and Finish group by December 2023.

1.2 Goal: Identify GSE members with leadership potential

We want to identify GSE members with leadership potential and provide opportunities to enhance their readiness for senior roles.

Objectives	Actions
Understand and identify current and future gaps in leadership roles and senior specialist skill areas	Develop a set of future skills and attributes for SEFS post-scheme to increase readiness for senior roles by December 2022. Work with senior leaders to build a view of current and future needs through a critical skills analysis by March 2023.
Support GSE members’ access and confidence in joining Civil Service corporate development schemes, by offering bespoke GSE offers by May 2022.	Engage with Civil Service Accelerated Development Scheme team to identify talent pools and routes to engage them by February 2022. Develop support for Future Leaders/Senior Leaders Schemes (FLS/SLS), GSE applicants by April 2022. Deliver further support sessions by June 2022 ensuring diverse range of speakers/alumni.
Communicate and embed GSE talent offers in departments/agencies.	Engage with departments/agencies on best routes to embedding offers by September 2022. Evaluate engagement through post event evaluation and through GSE annual survey each year.
Career planning in place within departments so GSE members can apply for senior roles.	Hold dept/agency session on career planning with at least 8 depts/agencies to establish best practice with GSE Tools by September 2022. Communicate ways to improve career planning for members, career conversations and promoting career pathways products by December 2022. Achieve 100% of SEFS and corporate scheme GSE members signed up to the GSE Skills Assessment Tool by March 2023.

1.3 Goal: Develop confident science and engineering leaders

We want to develop confident science and engineering leaders that use their expertise to influence policymaking, decisions and lead others.

Objectives	Actions
Ensuring the SEFS learning curriculum offers leadership development including access to Chief Scientific Advisers and external leaders by May 2022.	Regular Chief Scientific Advisor seminars for SEFS implemented and accessible by March 2022. Introduce bi-annual events with wider Senior Civil Servants and external leaders, via Departmental talent teams and external networks for SEFS by September 2022.
Trial talent ‘Pathway to leadership’ programme by April 2022.	Design and deliver talent mentoring by October 2022. Training/awareness on identifying/using crossover skills (technical versus management) by October 2022. Signposting shadowing or interchange opportunities by November 2022. Line managers of specialists – career journeys support/best practice, case studies and discussion forum by December 2022. Develop ‘Working with policy’ learning module with Policy Profession established by December 2022.
Develop bespoke leadership learning offers including established mentorship and coaching by December 2022.	Signpost existing mentoring offers, including ‘Empowering leadership’ mentoring to members by August 2022. Assess coaching available and any new delivery model and costings by September 2022. Promote coaching offer by November 2022 to begin first intake in December.
Develop our SEFS and other corporate scheme alumni through networking events with industry and academia with minimum 80% engagement from previous cohorts.	Develop SEFS alumni offer by February 2022. Improve SEFS exit survey to also capture movement after ESA by August 2022. Build alumni network from Civil Service central talent schemes with 80% of alumni by October 2022, and 100% by March 2023. Engage with GSE SCS to support our alumni networks by December 2022. Develop programme of events and networks for SEFS and other alumni by December 2022.

1.4 Goal: Develop networks and cross government initiatives

We want to keep our talent engaged with wider government and senior leaders through developing GSEP networks and participating in cross government initiatives.

Objectives	Actions
Offering out Chief Scientific Adviser seminars across our wider talent pools by September 2021.	Share Chief Scientific Advisor seminar recordings each month for all scientists and engineers across Fast Stream. Establish appropriate timing and themes, talent pools (e.g. FLS/SLS and alumni) for CSA and senior leaders seminars for wider talent by Summer 2022.
Establish a talent working group in October 2021 that spans the GSE Profession to identify relevant networks.	Establish talent group from a range of departments/agencies and grades by 2021.
Action interventions raised from talent working group, such as broadening existing networks to wider government, industry and academia.	Hold talent working group at least bi-annually
Promote opportunities for members to participate in GSE working groups through the Community of Practice and talent working group by June 2022. Develop programme of events for wider GSE talent and networks by December 2022.

1.5 Goal: Understand barriers to retention

We want to retain our talent by offering continued development and having a strong sense of belonging and to understand barriers to retention and take targeted action.

Objectives	Actions
Develop a bespoke professional recognition package for SEFS by December 2021.	Provide SEFS with a foundation/student level professional membership to support their professional development by December 2021.
Propose career pathways to senior leader roles from entry talent schemes by July 2022.	Develop case studies of senior leaders’ career pathways ensuring diverse backgrounds by September 2022. Science and engineering Fast stream end scheme assessment process to incorporate a career development conversation by May 2022.
Promote recognition package for wider talent pools.	GSE recognition package developed and communicated by August 2021. Increase the engagement rate by 10% each year. Promote GSE membership offer and S&E networks regularly through GSE talent events and communications.
Increase number of positive responses by 20% to the ‘belonging’ question in the GSE annual survey.	Evaluate findings from the GSE annual survey by September 2022.
Promote career pathways for talent pools across all departments.	Develop communication plan for career pathways products by September 2022. Part of wider career pathways information and support to be delivered by December 2022

1.6 Goal: Increase the representation of scientists and engineers

We want to effectively deploy our talent to increase the representation of scientists and engineers in senior leadership. This will create more opportunities to give talented individuals exposure to grow in new, challenging experiences.

Objectives	Actions
Draw on our alumni network to understand placements and identify key skills and roles for SEFS that will equip them for senior leadership by July 2022.	Work with alumni to identify key skills and SEFS roles and improve quality assurance process of SEFS role bids by May 2022.
A clear and strong SEFS identity published in 2021	Two narratives created: one for departments/agencies and one for potential applicants for SEFS by December 2021.
Use GSEP talent pathways to illustrate where our members can go.	Develop and promote a set of diverse career journeys across science and engineering in government and beyond by December 2022.
Offer our talent pools placements from the emerging GSE Interchange programme.	Include interchange/knowledge exchange offers as part of our wider talent and alumni offers by March 2023 with at least 10% uptake.