Level 6 Data Scientist Apprenticeship

Joining DWP Digital, youll be part of a diverse, vibrant community where youll help deliver data led solutions all while studying towards a BSc degree in Data Science.

Youll develop specialist skills to power business performance including big data, machine learning, and how to apply advanced data analytics and AI to turn complex data sets into predictive, strategic insights.

As well as being given 20% off the job time to allow you to complete your apprenticeship within working hours, youll be supported by your line manager, skills coach and DWP Digitals data community, as well as fellow apprentices on the programme - you will have plenty of sources of encouragement to help you succeed.

Studying for a degree whilst balancing work and personal commitments will require perseverance and the ability to juggle tasks and priorities. Theres a lot to learn and do, so you need to be proactive, organised, and hard working.

At DWP, you can build a stimulating and fulfilling career full of interesting problems to solve and with plenty of opportunities to grow.

To be eligible for this apprenticeship you are required to hold the following minimumeligibility criteria:

• Hold a valid passport, birth certificate or residence permit.
• Have the right to live and work in the UK.
• Must have lived in the UK and/or EEA for 3 years prior to the apprenticeship start date.
• Not be in full-time education or be undertaking another apprenticeship by the apprenticeship start date.
• Nothold a prior qualification at the same or higher level which is similar to the apprenticeship. The apprenticeship programme content must be materially different to any existing qualification you hold at the same or higher level. You must be able to develop substantive new skills because of the apprenticeship. We reserve the right to withdraw applications that are deemed ineligible due to existing qualifications.
• Must hold GCSEs in Maths and English at Grade 4 (equivalent to C) or above or complete functional skills tests at the beginning of the apprenticeship programme.
• Must have one of the following:
  * Three A Levels at C grade or above including Maths, Computer Science, Statistics or similar.
  
  * A Level 4 Data Analyst or similar L4 apprenticeship.
  
  * Equivalent qualifications as described above e.g. NVQs, BTEC, International Baccalaureate.
  * Relevant work experience typically two years in a relevant role that involves analysing,inspecting, transforming or modelling data with the goal of discovering useful information, informing conclusions, and supporting decision-making.

Please note -If you are applying on a part-time basis, you are required to do a minimum of 30 hours per week as this role combines work and studies.

Person specification

Essential criteria:

• You enjoy maths and data and have the ability to identify patterns, trends and insights.
• You enjoy solving puzzles and are able to find solutions to problems.
• You are perceptive, logical, detail oriented and organised.
• You have strong communications skills and can explain technical information in an easily understandable way.
• You understand the commitment to learning within this three-year course and are willing to study in your own time.

If you would like to learn more about the role, please contact .

Technical skills

We'll assess you against these technical skills during the selection process:

• What have you taught yourself in the last six months? How did you go about teaching yourself this new skill or idea, and what was the result?
• Tell us about a problem or puzzle you've solved. How did you go about it? What did you enjoy most?

Benefits

Alongside your salary, the Department for Work and Pensions contributes 28.97% towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.

We also have a broad benefits package built around your work-life balance which includes:

• Working patterns to support work/life balance such as job sharing, term-time working, flexi-time and compressed hours.
• Generous annual leave at least 23 days on entry, increasing up to 30 days over time (prorata for part time employees), plus 9 days public and privilege leave.
• Support for financial wellbeing, including interest-free season ticket loans for travel, a cycle to work scheme and an employee discount scheme.
• Health and wellbeing support including our Employee Assistance Programme for specialist advice and counselling and the opportunity to join HASSRA a first-class programme of competitions, activities and benefits for its members (subscription payable monthly).
• Family friendly policies including enhanced maternity and shared parental leave pay after 1 years continuous service.
• Funded learning and development to support progress in your role and career. This includes industry recognised qualifications and accreditations, coaching, mentoring and talent development programmes.
• An inclusive and diverse environment with opportunities to join professional and interpersonal networks including Womens Network, National Race Network, National Disability Network (THRIVE) and many more.

This job role may be suitable for hybrid working, which is where an employee works part of the week in their DWP office and part of the week from home. This is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement and your office will be your contractual place of work. The number of days that anyone will be able to work at home will be determined primarily by business need but personal circumstances and other relevant circumstances will also be taken into account. If you are successful, any opportunities for hybrid working, including whether a hybrid working arrangement is suitable for you, will be discussed with you prior to you taking up your post.

Salary Information

Pay for this role is from 35,711 to 36,545.

Our offer to successful candidates will be based on an assessment of your skills and experience as demonstrated at interview.

Existing Civil Servants who secure a new role on lateral transfer should maintain their current salary.

Existing Civil Servants who gain promotion may move to the bottom of the next grade pay scale or 10% increase in salary whichever would be the greater.

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window) , and will assess your Ability, Experience and Technical skills.

Stage 1: Application

Your application will consist of four parts:

1. A Personal Details application form.

2. Numerical Test.

After submission of the first stage of your application you will be invited to complete the numerical test. If you successfully pass the test, you will be invited to complete the final stages of the application.

Please complete the online test as soon as possible (within 24-48 hours is recommended). The closing date for a fully completed application is 25/09/2024 at 23:55hrs. Please allow sufficient time to complete the online test and your full written application before the deadline. If you fail to complete the online test and full written application before the deadline your application will be withdrawn. Guidance for the test will be available when you are invited to take the test. The test is administered online and accessed via the Civil Service Jobs website.

Following successful completion of thetest, you will then be asked to complete:

3. Your employment history detailing the qualifications and/or relevant work experience detailed in theeligibility criteria. Please copy this information into the box field provided.

4. Technical statements(up to 250 words for each statement):

Lead statement - What have you taught yourself in the last six months? How did you go about teaching yourself this new skill or idea, and what was the result?

Tell us about a problem or puzzle you've solved. How did you go about it? What did you enjoy most?

Please use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) approach to answer these questions.

An initial sift will be conducted using the lead statement. Candidates who pass the initial sift will be progressed to a full sift. The sift panel will use the information in your technical statements to assess your experience, skills and knowledge.

For Hints and Tips on completing your application visit Applying for jobs at DWP Digital.

Important Information

You will be asked to complete your employment history any information that you would customarily share on a CV should therefore be entered onto the application form.
Personal details that could be used to identify you including your name, contact details and address must be removed for your application to be considered.
If your employment history, qualifications or technical statements contains any personal details your application will be withdrawn.

Stage 2: Interview

If youre successful at sift stage you will be invited to a video interview via Microsoft Teams. There, you will be assessed against the experiences listed in theessential criteriawithin the Person specification section above.

You will be asked to do a (5 minutes) presentation on a specific topic. Further details will be provided to candidates invited to interview.

Interviews will take place from late-October 2024. Interview dates to be confirmed.

Further information:

Find out more about Working for DWP

For Hints and Tips on completing your application visit Applying for jobs at DWP Digital.

A reserve list may be held for a period of 6 months from which further appointments can be made.

All successful candidates and those placed on reserve will be posted in merit list order by location.

Security Clearance Requirement

You must meet the security requirements before you can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check.

For meaningful checks to be carried out, you will need to have lived in the UK for a sufficient period of time, to enable appropriate checks to be carried out and produce a result which provides the required level of assurance. Whilst a lack of UK residency in itself is not necessarily a bar to a security clearance, and expectation of UK residency may range from 3 to 5 years. Failure to meet the residency requirements needed for the role may result in the withdrawal of provisional jobs offers.

For further information on National Security Vetting please visit the following pagehttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/demystifying-vetting

Reasonable Adjustment

At DWP we value diversity and inclusion and actively encourage and welcome applications from everyone, including those that are underrepresented in our workforce.

We consider visible and non-visible disabilities, neurodiversity or learning differences, chronic medical conditions, or mental ill health. Examples include dyslexia, epilepsy, autism, chronic fatigue, or schizophrenia.

If you need a change to be made so that you can make your application, you should: Contact Government Recruitment Service via as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Complete the Reasonable Adjustments section in the Additional requirements page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need further on in the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at interview, or if youre deaf, a Language Service Professional.

For further information on reasonable adjustments, terms and conditions and how we recruit visit the How we recruit page.

The Civil Service values honesty and integrity and expects all candidates to abide by these principles. Please ensure that all examples provided in your application are taken directly from your own experience and that you describe the examples in your own words. Applications will be screened and if evidence of plagiarism or copying examples/answers from other sources is found, your application will be withdrawn. Internal DWP candidates may also face disciplinary action.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check.

Successful candidates must meet the security requirements before they can be appointed. The level of security needed is security check (opens in a new window) .

See our vetting charter (opens in a new window) .

People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements(opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window) .

The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.

The Civil Service also offers a Redeployment Interview Scheme to civil servants who are at risk of redundancy, and who meet the minimum requirements for the advertised vacancy.

Diversity and Inclusion

The Civil Service is committed to attract, retain and invest in talent wherever it is found. To learn more please see the Civil Service People Plan (opens in a new window) and the Civil Service Diversity and Inclusion Strategy (opens in a new window) .