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Secondment at BBC News: Expanding my skill set as a consultant statistician

I read the advert for the Government Statistical Service (GSS) secondment at BBC News in a departmental GSS email and it was the first time I had heard of the opportunity. I recalled attending a talk by Robert Cuffe, Head of Statistics for BBC News, which had been organised by my Head of Profession at […]

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Using data for the public good

Microsoft. Facebook. Google. What do these companies have in common? Yes, they’re vast, powerful, innovative tech companies who define our digital existence. They’re also amongst the biggest recruiters of data scientists in the world. This isn’t an appeal to study the analysis and science of data because it will get you a job at one […]

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My Charity Next secondment

Abbie Cochrane, a Government Statistical Service (GSS) Fast Streamer, recently spent time on a secondment working for Scope between autumn 2020 and spring 2021. Charity Next interviewed her about her placement. Please give a brief overview of your host organisation, and the main responsibilities of your placement there. My host organisation was Scope, a disability […]

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My secondment at BBC News: I never appreciated how creative journalists are

Since graduating I have only ever worked in the Civil Service but always wondered what it would be like to work elsewhere. Fortunately, with the support of my manager, Deputy Director and the wide range of professional development opportunities in the Civil Service I have been lucky enough to complete a three-month analytical secondment at […]

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Why I am championing the use of the online skills tool

Throughout 2020, the Government Analysis Function trialled an online skills tool with volunteers from across each of the analytical professions. The tool offered the opportunity for users to self-reflect against the professional skills needed for various analytical career paths, supported career planning, development planning and could be used to help structure career conversations. As leaders […]

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Statistical leadership: make your analytical insights count

Data and analysis are fundamental to understanding and addressing many of society’s most important issues, and this has never been more apparent than during the coronavirus pandemic. At the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) we see strong statistical leadership as essential for: supporting confidence in the statistics and data published by government ensuring that the […]

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Fast Stream: my advice for a career in the statistical service

I began my career in the Government Statistics Service (GSS) fast stream and I found it to be a fantastic start in the Civil Service. Firstly, because it gave me a range of opportunities: building a well-rounded skillset in different statistical roles moving easily across departments going out of my comfort zone in a secondment […]

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