Unlocking the SCS event report

Left to right: Cabinet secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell; FDA general secretary Jonathan Baume; Westminster Explained director of development Tony Shaw

Around 220 delegates attended the FDA-sponsored Unlocking the SCS event on 30 June, which was aimed at addressing the concerns of staff below the SCS who are uncertain about their career path. The conference took place at One Great George Street, near Parliament Square in central London, and was organised by Westminster Explained and sponsored by ACAS as well as the FDA.

Manager of the FDA Professional Skills for Government project Neil Rider chaired the event, which included speeches by cabinet secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell and FDA general secretary Jonathan Baume. There were also talks from training consultants and leading figures in the Cabinet Office, Department for Work and Pensions, Welsh Assembly Government, Northern Ireland Office and other departments.

Sir Gus advised future senior civil servants to "get diverse experiences [and] don't be afraid of making mistakes". Stressing the importance of civil service values, he added: "Honesty, integrity, objectivity and impartiality are all very important, as is the need to modernise and innovate. Senior civil servants will need to consider what is best for the country, not just their department."

Baume told delegates: "This is a challenging and interesting time for the SCS. Jobs are demanding but also personally rewarding. If you are interested in how public services are delivered, the workings of politics and the machinery of government, there is probably not a better time to become a part of the Senior Civil Service."

Left to right: Joanne Peel from the Cabinet Office capability team; FDA general secretary Jonathan Baume; Westminster Explained director of development Tony Shaw; FDA PSG project manager Neil Rider; assistant director of ACAS Peter Lockyer