School Engagement Support and Competition Management

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In September 2021, Publicjobs.ie launched a new schools programme for post primary students that aims to spark interest in the wide variety of career opportunities that are available across the public sector. The Public Jobs Schools Resource Kit presents information about public sector careers in a new way for guidance counsellors and other teachers, to build confidence around discussing career options in the public sector with students and their parents. The initiative is a ‘pick up and teach’ resource that speaks to the curriculum and is accessible online. The Resource Kit contains six lesson plans, covering diverse career paths and entry routes to the public sector, as well as employee videos that bring lesser-known roles to life. These include a Customs dog handler with Revenue; an economist at the Department of Education; and an emergency medical controller with the National Ambulance Service. The resources, which are all free to use, can be found on a dedicated schools microsite on publicjobs.ie and are available in both Irish and English. Once students have a level of confidence around the public sector and the career opportunities available, they will have the opportunity to pitch a career in the public sector to their peers and a panel of judges. Launching in Q1 of 2022, The Pitch competition is a fun advertising challenge whereby students can tap into their creative side to create a video pitching the public sector as a diverse and beneficial career opportunity to their fellow students. This will be an annual event marked with an awards ceremony. There will of course be an opportunity for students to win some fantastic prizes as well as having an impressive award to add to their CV. This is a key strategic project for the Public Appointments Service. Now that the resource has been developed and soft-launched, this next phase is critical in creating awareness, normalising the competition, and building continuous engagement and growth.