Job profiles
What public sector jobs involve day to day, the qualifications you need, how pay is set and how people usually get in.
Accountancy jobs in local government
The finance roles councils hire for, how CIPFA and apprenticeship training contracts work, what the section 151 officer does, and the pay.
Administrative officer (AO) in the Civil Service
What an administrative officer does, which departments hire the most AOs, how AO pay is set for 2026/27, and how recruitment works.
Adult social worker
Adult social workers assess needs under the Care Act and safeguard adults at risk. Qualifying routes, the ASYE, pay and where the job leads.
Advanced clinical practitioner
Advanced clinical practitioners are experienced nurses, paramedics and therapists with master's-level training. Entry routes and band 8a pay.
Analyst jobs in government
The four government analytical professions (GSS, GORS, GES and GSR), the qualifications each wants, entry grades, and how analyst recruitment works.
Becoming a modern foreign languages teacher
How to train as an MFL teacher in England with or without a languages degree, routes for native speakers and overseas teachers, and 2026/27 funding.
Becoming a special constable
What special constables do, the hours forces expect, the training and selection, your rights as a volunteer and how specials can move into paid policing.
Becoming an NHS consultant
How doctors reach consultant level: CCT and the specialist register, the appointment panel, job plans, and how consultant pay is built in England.
Biomedical scientist
Biomedical scientists analyse samples in NHS labs to help diagnose disease. The IBMS and HCPC route to registration, band 5 to 7 pay, and the shift work.
Border Force officer
What Border Force officers do at ports and airports, the shifts, the training you must pass, nationality and vetting rules, and the pay.
Building control surveyor
Building control surveyors check building work against the regulations. The job, Building Safety Regulator registration, training and pay.
Care coordinator (primary care and mental health)
Care coordinator means two different jobs in the NHS: a primary care role arranging support for patients, and a mental health role. Pay, entry and day-to-day work compared.
Careers adviser in schools and colleges
What careers advisers do in schools and colleges, the Level 6 qualification schools expect, how the Gatsby benchmarks shape the job and who employs them.
Civil enforcement officer (parking)
What a civil enforcement officer does, who employs them, the abuse the job brings, how pay is set on council grades and how to apply.
Clinical coder
Clinical coders turn hospital records into ICD-10 and OPCS-4 codes. What the work involves, how accreditation works and NHS band 3 to 5 pay for 2026/27.
Commercial and procurement jobs in government
How commercial and procurement careers work in central government, what the Government Commercial Function assessment involves and how to get in.
Community safety officer
What council community safety and ASB officers do, the legal tools they use, how partnership work with police and housing runs, and the pay.
Council customer service adviser
Council customer service advisers handle calls, webchats and visits about everything from bins to council tax. Pay, hours and how to get in.
Council licensing officer
Council licensing officers handle taxi, alcohol and gambling licences, inspect venues and prepare hearing reports. Skills, routes in and pay.
Court usher and HMCTS jobs
What a court usher does, how HM Courts and Tribunals Service recruits, the other entry-level jobs in courts and tribunals, and how pay is set.
Cover supervisor jobs explained
Cover supervisors take classes when teachers are absent, using work already set. See what the job needs, how it is paid without QTS and the route on.
Democratic services and committee officer
What committee officers do: agendas, minutes, evening meetings, councillor support and election work, plus pay, political restriction and routes in.
Deputy and assistant headteacher roles
Assistant and deputy heads are on the leadership pay range and run whole-school areas. See what each role covers, 2026/27 pay and how to step up.
Design and technology technician in schools
What a D&T technician does in a school workshop, the machinery and safety side of the job, food and textiles work, qualifications and NJC pay.
Designated safeguarding lead (DSL)
What a designated safeguarding lead does in a school, who usually holds the role, what training it needs and how it sits alongside a teaching or leadership post.
Diagnostic radiographer
Diagnostic radiographers take x-rays and scans after an HCPC-approved degree and start on NHS band 5. The imaging work, on-call duties, training and pay.
Dietitian jobs in the NHS
NHS dietitians are HCPC-registered and start on band 5. How clinical and community dietetics differ, the training routes, and 2026/27 pay and pension.
Digital and technology jobs in government (DDaT)
What the government DDaT profession covers, the main role families, how DDaT pay allowances sit on top of grade pay, and how recruitment works.
District nurse
District nurses lead community nursing teams caring for patients at home. The specialist practitioner qualification, band 5 to 7 pay, and daily work.
DWP work coach
What a DWP work coach does in a jobcentre, how Universal Credit appointments work, the EO grade and pay, and how to get through recruitment.
Early help practitioner
How early help works in councils, what an early help practitioner does with families before social care is needed, and the checks and pay.
Early years practitioner jobs
Early years practitioners care for and teach under-fives in nurseries and schools. See why Level 3 matters, how the EYFS works and how pay differs.
Economic development officer
What council economic development officers do, from business support to funding bids, plus the skills, fixed-term contracts and pay to expect.
Emergency care assistant and ambulance technician
Emergency care assistants and ambulance technicians crew 999 ambulances without a degree. Licence C1 rules, blue light training, bands and 2026/27 pay.
Environmental health officer
Environmental health officers inspect food businesses, tackle poor housing and investigate noise. Specialisms, routes in and council pay.
Exam invigilator jobs
How exam invigilating works in UK schools: casual and seasonal contracts, hourly pay, DBS checks, training and what a day in the exam hall involves.
Exams officer in a secondary school
What a school exams officer does, how JCQ rules shape the job, when the busy seasons fall, how invigilators are managed and what the post pays.
Executive officer (EO) in the Civil Service
The executive officer grade explained: team leader and specialist EO roles, how pay is set in 2026/27, recruitment and the step to HEO.
Family support worker
What family support workers do in council children's services and early help teams, the qualifications employers ask for, and how the pay is graded.
Finance jobs in the NHS
NHS finance teams cover financial accounts, management accounts, payroll and procurement. Roles by band, accountancy training schemes and how to get in.
Fire control operator
What fire control operators do when a 999 call comes in, how crews are mobilised, the shifts and training, and how control room pay is set.
Further education lecturer jobs
How to become an FE lecturer without QTS, which teaching qualifications colleges want, why industry experience counts, and how FE pay and pensions work.
Government Legal Profession
How the Government Legal Profession recruits trainee solicitors and pupil barristers, what government lawyers do, and how experienced lawyers join.
GP receptionist jobs
GP receptionists are employed by the practice, not on Agenda for Change. What the job involves, the triage pressure, how pay is set and your rights.
Grounds maintenance and council gardener jobs
Council grounds staff look after parks, verges, cemeteries and sports pitches. Seasonal and permanent posts, useful tickets and NJC pay.
Head of department: what the job involves
A head of department leads a subject team, its curriculum and results. See what the role covers, how 2026/27 TLR payments work and what schools want.
Head of year or pastoral lead
Heads of year lead behaviour, attendance and welfare for a year group. See how teaching posts with a TLR compare with support staff roles in 2026/27.
Healthcare assistant (HCA) jobs in the NHS
NHS healthcare assistants need no degree and are paid on band 2 or band 3. What the job involves, the Care Certificate, 2026/27 pay and how to apply.
HEO and SEO roles in the Civil Service
What HEOs and SEOs do in policy, analysis, operations and projects, how pay is set by each department, and how to get one of these jobs.
Highways inspector
Highways inspectors check council roads and pavements for potholes and other defects and support insurance claims. Qualifications and pay.
HM Coastguard jobs
The paid and volunteer jobs in HM Coastguard, from maritime operations officers in the control centres to coastal operations staff and rescue volunteers.
HMRC customer service adviser
What HMRC customer service advisers do on the phones and webchat, how training and busy periods work, the AO grade and pay, and the confidentiality rules.
Home care worker jobs
Home care workers help people with personal care in their own homes. Hourly pay from £12.71, travel time and mileage rules, and how to start.
Homelessness and housing options officer
Housing options officers carry out a council's homelessness duties: assessments, prevention, temporary housing and decisions. Pay and routes in.
Hospital domestic and housekeeping jobs
Hospital domestics and ward housekeepers clean to infection control standards and are usually paid on NHS band 2. What the work involves, pay and hours.
Hospital pharmacist careers
Hospital pharmacists need an MPharm, a foundation training year and GPhC registration, then start around NHS band 6. Training, pay and specialist jobs.
Hospital porter jobs
Hospital porters move patients, equipment and samples around the hospital on band 2 shift rotas. What the job involves, 2026/27 pay and how to get hired.
Housing officer
Housing officers manage council and housing association tenancies: rent arrears, antisocial behaviour and repairs. Qualifications and pay.
How to become a children's nurse
Children's nurses need an NMC-registered degree in children's nursing and start on NHS band 5. See the routes in, what the job pays and where you can work.
How to become a children's social worker
The degree and fast-track routes into children's social work, registration with Social Work England, the ASYE first year and how council pay grades work.
How to become a clinical psychologist
The route into NHS clinical psychology: a psychology degree, relevant experience, a funded doctorate with trainee pay, then HCPC registration at band 7.
How to become a computing teacher
Training to teach computing in England: the £29,000 bursary and £31,000 scholarship for 2026/27, routes for people leaving tech jobs, and teacher pay.
How to become a dental nurse
Train as a dental nurse on the job, register with the GDC, and work in an NHS hospital or a high street practice. Qualifications, pay and the differences.
How to become a detective
The two routes to becoming a detective constable in England and Wales, direct entry or moving across from uniform, and how PIP2 accreditation works.
How to become a firefighter
How fire service recruitment waves work, the physical and written tests, wholetime and on-call firefighter roles, and firefighter pay from July 2026.
How to become a GP
The route from medical school to general practice: foundation years, GP training and the MRCGP, then the choice between salaried and partner roles.
How to become a headteacher
Most heads rise through teaching and deputy headship, often with the NPQH. See the 2026/27 leadership pay range, how head pay is set and the workload.
How to become a health visitor
Health visitors are nurses or midwives with an extra SCPHN qualification who support families with children under five. Training, sponsorship and pay.
How to become a maths teacher
Routes into maths teaching in England, the £29,000 bursary for 2026/27, options for career changers without a maths degree, and starting pay.
How to become a midwife
You become a midwife through an NMC-approved midwifery degree, or a shortened course if you are already a nurse. Routes, shifts and 2026/27 NHS pay.
How to become a paramedic
Paramedics qualify through an HCPC-approved degree or apprenticeship and join ambulance trusts on band 5, moving to band 6. Routes, licence rules and pay.
How to become a PE teacher
The routes to qualified teacher status in physical education, what the job demands beyond lessons, how competitive training is and what PE teachers earn.
How to become a phlebotomist
Phlebotomy is one of the quickest ways into NHS patient care. What the job involves, the training trusts provide, band 2 and 3 pay, and how to apply.
How to become a planning officer
Routes into council planning: RTPI-accredited degrees, apprenticeships and graduate posts, development management work and how pay is graded.
How to become a police constable
The entry routes to becoming a police constable in England and Wales (PCDA, DHEP, PCEP), the selection and fitness tests, and the 2026 pay scale.
How to become a policy adviser in government
The grades policy advisers work at, the skills departments test, and the main routes in: direct entry, internal moves and the Fast Stream.
How to become a primary school teacher
Primary teaching in England needs a degree and qualified teacher status. See the training routes, 2026/27 pay levels, pension cost and what a normal week involves.
How to become a prison officer
How prison officer recruitment works in England and Wales, what the selection and training involve, and where to find the pay and vacancies.
How to become a probation officer
The two ways into probation work in England and Wales, the PQiP trainee route and the PSO role, plus what the job involves and how pay is set.
How to become a science teacher
How to train as a physics, chemistry or biology teacher in England, the 2026/27 bursaries and scholarships for each, what the job involves and pay.
How to become a secondary school teacher
Secondary teaching in England needs a degree, subject knowledge and QTS. See the routes, bursaries, 2026/27 pay and what form tutoring involves.
How to become a SENCO
A SENCO must be a qualified teacher and in England now takes the NPQ for SENCOs, not NASENCO. See the route, the work and how SENCOs are paid.
How to become a sonographer
Most sonographers train on a postgraduate ultrasound course after qualifying as a radiographer, midwife or nurse. Routes, regulation, pay and shortages.
How to become a teaching assistant
You do not need a degree to be a teaching assistant. See which qualifications help, how council spine pay works and why term-time pay looks lower.
How to become a youth worker
The qualifications that make you a JNC-recognised youth worker, the support worker route in, where youth workers are employed and how pay is set.
How to become an adult nurse in the NHS
The routes into adult nursing (degree, degree apprenticeship or nursing associate top-up), NMC registration and starting pay at NHS band 5.
How to become an art and design teacher
Training routes for art and design teachers in England, what providers want to see in your portfolio, the realities of the job and 2026/27 pay.
How to become an educational psychologist
The route to becoming an educational psychologist: a psychology degree, work with children, a funded doctorate, HCPC registration and council work.
How to become an English teacher
Training routes into secondary English teaching, what GCSE English language and literature involve, the marking load and English teacher pay in 2026/27.
How to become an NHS physiotherapist
NHS physiotherapists need an HCPC-approved degree and usually start on band 5 rotations. Degree and apprenticeship routes, rotations and 2026/27 pay.
HR jobs in the NHS
NHS HR covers recruitment, employee relations, medical staffing and workforce data. Typical roles from band 3 to 8, CIPD expectations and how to get in.
Immigration enforcement and immigration officer roles
The Home Office jobs behind the immigration officer title: enforcement, investigation, asylum and visa casework, with grades, training and vetting.
IT and digital jobs in the NHS
NHS digital teams run service desks, networks, patient records and data. Typical roles from band 3 to 8, the skills employers want, and how to apply.
Jobs in Jobcentre Plus
The jobs inside a Jobcentre beyond work coach: team leaders, disability employment advisers, employer and partnership roles, and how DWP recruits.
Joining the British Army as a soldier
How to join the British Army as a soldier: eligibility, the assessment centre tests, phase 1 and phase 2 training, and new-entrant pay for 2026.
Joining the RAF
The roles you can do in the RAF, how selection works for airmen, airwomen and officers, where training happens, and starting pay for 2026/27.
Joining the Royal Navy
How to join the Royal Navy as a rating or an officer, the recruiting test and Admiralty Interview Board, initial training, and starting pay for 2026/27.
Learning disability nursing
Learning disability nurses support people with learning disabilities in hospital, at home and in the community. How to qualify, where to work and pay.
Learning mentor: role, pay and skills
Learning mentors help pupils whose behaviour, attendance or wellbeing gets in the way of learning. See the daily work, skills needed and 2026/27 pay.
Legal adviser in the magistrates' court
What a magistrates' court legal adviser does, the qualifications needed, how the HMCTS trainee legal adviser scheme works and where pay is published.
Leisure centre lifeguard jobs
How to become a pool lifeguard: the NPLQ, who runs council leisure centres, part-time and casual contracts, and minimum pay rates for 2026/27.
Library assistant jobs
What library assistants do, how paid posts differ from volunteer roles, where the jobs are advertised and what the pay and pension look like.
Lunchtime supervisor (midday meals supervisor)
Midday supervisors look after pupils over lunch in the hall and playground. See what the job involves, how short-hours pay works and where it can lead.
Medical records and health records jobs
Health records jobs in the NHS: what records clerks and officers do, band 2 and 3 pay for 2026/27, and how to get in without a degree.
Medical secretary in the NHS
NHS medical secretaries type clinic letters, manage consultants' diaries and are usually paid on band 3 or band 4. Skills, terminology, pay and routes in.
Mental health nurse: training and jobs
How to train as a mental health nurse, the settings you could work in from wards to community teams, NMC registration and Agenda for Change pay.
Mental health support worker
Mental health support workers help patients on NHS wards and in community teams. What the band 3 job involves, what employers want and the pay.
MOD civilian jobs
Civilian jobs in the Ministry of Defence and its agencies, the main employers and locations, how security vetting works and who is eligible to apply.
Music teacher jobs in schools
Classroom music teaching versus peripatetic instrumental work, how music hubs employ staff, the qualifications you need and how pay works.
NHS 111 and 999 call handler jobs
NHS 111 health advisers and 999 call handlers follow clinical scripts on 24/7 rotas. Training, pay bands, shifts and the emotional side of the job.
NHS admin jobs: bands 2 to 4 explained
What separates a band 2, band 3 and band 4 admin job in the NHS, typical job titles at each level, 2026/27 pay, and how people move up the bands.
NHS catering jobs
Hospital catering covers patient meals, staff restaurants and ward hosts. The main roles, their Agenda for Change bands, hours and how to get in.
NHS estates and maintenance jobs
Electricians, plumbers, engineers and other trades keep NHS hospitals running. Which bands estates jobs sit on, what employers ask for, and on-call work.
NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme
How the NHS Graduate Management Training Scheme works: the specialism streams, placements, the application stages and what comes after.
Nursing associate: the bridge between HCA and nurse
Nursing associates are NMC-registered, usually train through a two-year apprenticeship and are paid on NHS band 4. The role, the training and the pay.
Occupational therapist jobs
Occupational therapists work in NHS trusts and council social care teams after HCPC registration. Routes in, the work, and how NHS and council pay differ.
Occupational therapy assistant
What OT assistants do in the NHS and council social care, including equipment and adaptations, plus the pay bands and routes to qualifying.
Operating department practitioner (ODP)
What an operating department practitioner does in NHS theatres, how to qualify through a degree or apprenticeship, and what band 5 pay looks like in 2026/27.
Pastoral manager and pastoral support worker
Pastoral managers and support workers handle behaviour and wellbeing in schools without teaching. See how the roles differ, 2026/27 pay and routes in.
Peer support worker
Peer support workers use lived experience of mental ill health to support others. What the NHS job involves, training, pay bands and how to apply.
Pharmacy technician
Pharmacy technicians register with the GPhC after two years of approved training, often as an apprentice. The work, the route in and NHS band 4 to 5 pay.
Physician associate
What physician associates do in the NHS, how they are trained and regulated by the GMC, what band 7 pays in 2026/27 and why the role is under review.
Podiatrist
Podiatrists treat foot and lower limb problems, with diabetic foot care a large part of NHS work. HCPC registration, training routes and band 5 to 7 pay.
Police call handler and control room jobs
What police call handlers and dispatchers do on 999 and 101 lines, the shift patterns, how forces recruit and train control room staff, and how pay is set.
Police community support officer (PCSO)
What PCSOs do, the powers they can and cannot use, how PCSO pay is set by each force, and how the role can lead to becoming a police constable.
Project and programme manager jobs in the NHS
NHS project managers run change programmes, from new buildings to digital systems. The usual band 7 and 8a pay, what the work involves and routes in.
Psychological wellbeing practitioner (PWP)
PWPs deliver low-intensity CBT in NHS Talking Therapies. How the trainee post at band 4 works, the qualified band 5 role, and who gets selected.
Refuse collector and HGV driver jobs
Council bin collection jobs: what loaders and HGV drivers do, early starts and task and finish, licences and the Driver CPC, and pay.
Registrar of births, deaths and marriages
What registration officers do day to day, why accuracy matters so much, how ceremony work fits in, and how councils recruit, train and pay registrars.
Resident doctors (formerly junior doctors) explained
Who resident doctors are, how foundation and specialty training work, how pay is built on the 2016 contract in England, and what rotas involve.
Residential care worker
Residential care workers support people in care homes or children's homes. The two settings, the Level 3 diploma, sleep-ins and pay compared.
Revenues and benefits officer
Revenues and benefits officers collect council tax and business rates and assess housing benefit and council tax support. The work and pay.
School attendance officer
School attendance officers track absence, contact families and prepare evidence for legal action. See the work, home visits and 2026/27 pay.
School business manager
School business managers run a school's finance, HR, premises and admin. See what the job covers, common qualifications and 2026/27 pay grades.
School cleaner jobs
School cleaners work short early or late shifts for the school, council or a contractor. See the hours, how pay differs and what happens under TUPE.
School cook and kitchen assistant jobs
School cooks and kitchen assistants prepare and serve pupils' meals in term time. See the duties, food hygiene training and council or contractor pay.
School crossing patrol jobs
How school crossing patrol jobs work: short term-time shifts, the training councils give, the legal power to stop traffic and the pay.
School data manager
What a school data manager does with SIMS, Arbor and other MIS systems, how census returns and assessment data work, and what the job pays.
School IT technician
What a school IT technician does: networks, devices, web filtering and monitoring for safeguarding, plus the qualifications, pay and contracts.
School librarian and learning resource centre jobs
School librarians run the library or learning resource centre. See the work, whether you need a library qualification and 2026/27 pay on the spine.
School nurse jobs
What school nurses do, the SCPHN qualification, who employs them (NHS, council-commissioned provider or school) and the Agenda for Change bands.
School office administrator jobs
School administrators run the office, attendance records and pupil data. See the duties, the skills schools want and 2026/27 term-time pay.
School receptionist: what the job is really like
School receptionists run the front desk, sign visitors in and deal with parents and late pupils. See the safeguarding side, hours and 2026/27 pay.
School science technician
What school science technicians do: preparing practicals, handling chemicals safely, supporting teachers, qualifications such as Level 3 and NJC pay.
School site manager and caretaker jobs
School site managers and caretakers look after buildings, open and lock up and keep the site safe. See the duties, hours, safety tasks and 2026/27 pay.
SEN teaching assistant: the job and how to get it
SEN teaching assistants support pupils with special needs, often one-to-one. See the daily work, how EHCPs shape it, training and 2026/27 pay.
SEND caseworker (EHCP coordinator)
What SEND caseworkers do in council SEN teams, how the 20-week EHCP timescale shapes the job, why the pressure is high, and the pay, skills and routes in.
Social prescribing link worker
Link workers connect GP patients with community groups and services for non-medical needs. What the PCN role involves, who employs you, pay and skills.
Speech and language therapist
Speech and language therapists help children and adults with communication and swallowing. HCPC registration, the main settings, training routes and pay.
Sterile services technician
Sterile services technicians clean, check and sterilise surgical instruments for NHS theatres. What the job involves, band 2 and 3 pay, and training.
Street cleansing operative
Street cleansing operatives keep council streets clear of litter, fly-tipping and leaves. The work, shifts, pay on the NJC spine and how to start.
Supply teaching explained
How supply teaching works through agencies or direct with schools, how daily pay is set, what the 12-week agency rule changes and what you give up.
Teaching in a special school
What teaching in a special school involves, the main types of SEN setting, the £2,885 to £5,690 SEN allowance and the skills schools want.
The Civil Service Fast Stream
How the Civil Service Fast Stream works: the schemes, the online tests and assessment centre, the yearly timeline, and what happens after the programme.
Theatre support worker
Theatre support workers keep NHS operating theatres stocked, clean and moving. See what the job involves, how to get in without a degree, and what it pays.
Therapeutic radiographer
Therapeutic radiographers plan and deliver radiotherapy for cancer patients. The degree, HCPC registration, a shortage profession, and 2026/27 NHS pay.
Trading standards officer
Trading standards officers enforce consumer protection law for councils, from scams to unsafe products. Qualifications, pay and routes in.
Ward clerk and ward administrator
Ward clerks run the admin at the front of a hospital ward on NHS band 2 or 3. What the job involves, the systems you use, 2026/27 pay and how to apply.
Waste and recycling officer
What council waste and recycling officers do: collection contracts, recycling campaigns, complaints and data, with the pay and routes in.
What does an HLTA do?
HLTAs cover classes, plan work and lead groups. See how HLTA status is assessed, how the pay grade compares with a TA and where the role stops.
Working for the DVLA in Swansea
What jobs the DVLA recruits for in Swansea, from AO processing and contact centre roles to digital work, how to apply and what pay and hours look like.