FDA Learn for Fast Streamers

The FDA offers a huge variety of learning and development opportunities aimed specifically at supporting Fast Streamers. Every year we support over 7000 civil servants with their personal and professional development and our programme is valued by employers in the civil service UK-wide. Many of our providers are specialists in civil service learning or ex-senior civil servants themselves.  

We provide a host of free courses and events to help fast streamers develop their leadership and management skills.

These courses are free to FDA members, and we run over 300 courses and events every year. They run throughout the week at flexible times to suit. If you are an FDA member, then you will regularly receive the full list of courses and events available though our FDA Learn programme. These include:

Success profiles courses

A very popular part of our offer, we provide interactive courses and small group sessions for members applying for roles or undertaking assessments. These courses are ongoing throughout the year and cover issues such as:

• Demystifying Success Profiles
• Strengths for the interviewee (and interview-er)
• Civil Service Success Profiles – Blended interviews
• Approaching the application form 
• Group exercise familiarisation
• Civil Service Success Profiles – Drafting your behaviours example
• Preparing for an interview
• Psychometric tests

Development Trajectory/ End of Scheme Assessment courses

We offer detailed interactive courses to support you with your DTA and ESA, focussing on Strengths at Interview (using the twelve strengths used at assessment) and Leadership Potential (Aspiration, Engagement and Ability). These courses are developed in consultation with the Civil Service Fast Stream.

Coaching and mentoring 

The FDA can offer coaching and mentoring sessions for Fast Stream members. These are often with existing or ex-FDA members in senior positions. We also offer Fast Streamers opportunities to train as a coach or mentor and do some coaching themselves.

Public Sector Development and Mentoring Scheme (PSDMS)

The PSDMS links students and serving civil servants to remote mentors currently on the Civil Service Fast Stream, Tax Specialist Programme, or similar schemes. We also offer skills sessions focussing on processes. 

This approach is unique and the PSDMS is among the larger UK civil service mentoring schemes. We partner with numerous employer diversity and inclusion networks. The PSDMS is an excellent opportunity for Fast Streamers and can count towards corporate objectives. We offer full training. The scheme has matched over 100 Fast Streamer mentors to mentees this year. For more information e-mail fdalearn@fda.org.uk.