Careers in the Public Sector

The public sector is essentially made up of a collection of bodies: local governments and councils, central government, civil service departments and national assemblies and parliaments.

Over the past 10 years working in the public sector has become an increasingly more attractive proposition for those seeking new career opportunities. This increase in popularity has reflected a change in the dynamics of the public sector organisations that have come under pressure from commercial considerations, which in turn has demanded public sector organisations to commit to private sector practices.

Remuneration

In the past it was well known that the public sector paid much lower salaries then that of the private sector. In today’s IT jobs market the search for qualified and talented IT professionals has become more competitive then ever due to a shortage of IT skills. As a result and in an attempt to attract candidates to careers in the public sector government bodies have increased the salaries being offered to candidates to try and match those offered by the private sector.

Work / Life balance

The public sector is renowned for its flexible working practices and emphasis on creating a harmonious work / life balance. Generally speaking, the public sector does not have a long hours culture and is especially open to flexible working arrangements such as flexi-time, part-time, job-share and offers a greater opportunity for career breaks.

The work / life balance offered by the public sector is rarely matched by private sector organisations and as such the public sector promotes this ‘balance’ as a key benefit in an attempt to attract and retain quality staff.

As an additional key benefit the public sector is also at the forefront for promoting and offering a range of childcare provisions for its employees. Such provisions include the introduction of workplace nurseries, childcare vouchers, holiday pay schemes, term-time working arrangements, compressed working weeks and annualised hours.

IT professionals in the public sector

With the continued effort to increase efficiency and bring IT systems up to date inline with private sector organisations the demand for commercially minded IT professionals continues to rise. The specific demand for IT contractors has meant that daily rates are significantly higher then those of permanent members of staff fulfilling the same task.

While private sector organisations have traditionally been a much more lucrative option, especially in the financial sector, the public sector has recently stepped up their rates– thanks to the mounting pressure to progress with high profile projects such as the National Programme for IT.

In addition the public sector can provide the perfect working environment for IT contractors driven by the desire to work on large-scale projects that will have a real impact on the society in which we live. Likewise, for those who value flexibility and diversity in their work will thrive from a career in the public sector.

Types of IT careers in the public sector

By working in the public sector there are an array of different career opportunities available. These careers include data analysts, financial analysts and systems analysts, project managers, programme support officers, programmers, developers and IT trainers to name but a few. In addition for those working in the public sector there are further opportunities to carry out a similar job within different departments or public sector bodies without incurring difficulties relating to pension contributions or holiday entitlements.

Interested in a career in the public sector?