This month in our Blog - our Deputy Director Dr Victoria Hanna reflects on the progress Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) has made.
When I think about what Going Forward into Employment (GFiE) is doing, I feel an enormous sense of pride.
GFiE started in 2018 with a simple but important ambition: to create meaningful opportunities in the Civil Service for people facing barriers to employment. Since then, that ambition has grown into something much bigger…a network of colleagues, partners and champions across the UK who believe in the power of opportunity. GFiE operates across regional hub locations throughout the UK, matching talent with vacancies to ensure high-calibre candidates find Civil Service opportunities right in the communities where they live.
Today, GFiE connects people from a wide range of backgrounds with real roles across the Civil Service, including people with convictions, veterans, carers, care-experienced people, autistic people and people from low socio-economic backgrounds. More than 4500 people have joined the Civil Service through GFiE since 2018, and there have been more than 1,000 appointments in the last two years alone.
But the numbers only tell part of the story.
What makes me proudest is the network behind those numbers. It is the colleagues who challenge traditional recruitment approaches. The recruiting and line managers who see potential rather than barriers.
The buddies who provide encouragement and support. Our partners in local government, the wider public sector and civil society who help us reach talented people we might otherwise never meet. And, of course, the candidates themselves, who bring their skills, resilience and lived experience into our organisation.
None of this has been achieved by one team. It has been achieved by an extended community of people willing to think differently, collaborate and open doors. Thank you.
DWP School Leaver Apprenticeships expand into Wales
Earlier this year, the GFiE DWP School Leaver Apprenticeship team worked with DWP Retirement Services (RSD) to recruit young people into Wrexham and Swansea, marking the scheme’s first move outside England.
Working with Employer Advisers, RSD colleagues, Careers Wales and local schools, the team launched a campaign to attract young people to Civil Service careers.
In Wrexham, four schools supported the campaign and the team visited each school, speaking with more than 60 pupils about the Civil Service, the apprenticeship and the opportunities available.
Following an Expression of Interest 18 candidates progressed to interview. Despite this being a first interview experience for many, the panel was impressed by their professionalism and confidence. Eleven young people ultimately secured places, and were fully supported through the pre-employment checks and preparations for joining DWP.
In Swansea, the team trialled webinars, including a session with a previous school leaver who shared their experience. Seven young people applied and, following strong interviews, all seven were offered places.
At the same time, a school leaver campaign was underway for Counter Fraud (CFCD). The high calibre of candidates meant that, rather than lose talented young people from the reserve list, opportunities were explored elsewhere. RSD was able to offer roles to additional candidates in Blackpool. On 7 September 2026, 24 new apprentices joined DWP, taking up a variety of roles across Wrexham, Swansea and Blackpool.
“Building strong relationships with a range of stakeholders throughout the process has been incredibly valuable, with everyone working together to ensure the process ran smoothly.
I am extremely proud of what we have achieved working as a team, and pleased to see our successful candidates now embarking on their first week of training. At a time when youth unemployment remains a significant concern, it is especially rewarding to be part of an initiative that provides valuable career opportunities for young people in Wrexham, and helps them take their first steps into the workplace.”
James, Senior Leader at DWP Wrexham
The campaign is a great example of partnership working across DWP, Careers Wales and local schools, creating new pathways for young people to start their careers in the Civil Service.
Congratulations to all our new apprentices, and we wish them every success in their DWP careers.
GFiE has shown what is possible when we look beyond conventional routes into employment and recognise talent wherever it exists. What our network has achieved together is amazing and it’s exciting to think about what we can achieve next.
Thank you everyone for your support, and for your vision. GFiE focuses on opening doors to talent, it changes lives and reaches into communities. Together we are making the Civil Service stronger through the people we bring into it.
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