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Opportunities aplenty

Alongside all the permanent and temporary roles you’d expect, we have a range of opportunities for you to work with us. We call these entry routes.

We’re passionate about better lives for the people of Essex. And for us, that means employing a diverse workforce, drawing on the different values and experiences that not only reflect the communities that we serve, but make us a better performing organisation.

Whether you are just starting to think about your career options, searching for your first job, want to gain professional qualifications, you’re looking for a change of career or to return to work following a break, our entry-to-work routes aim to support everyone.

However you join us, we’ll tailor to the process, ensuring we support you in a way that works for you. And it doesn’t stop there…once you become part of the team, we’ll work hard to ensure the right opportunities are available so you develop and grow, and take ownership of your future with us.

Find out more about Our Organisational Strategy

Opportunities in Entry to Work

Guaranteed Interview Schemes

We have three Job Interview Schemes within Essex County Council:

Disability Confident – for applicants with a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on your ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

Armed Forces Covenant – for all veterans, reservists and their families.

Care Leaver Covenant – for applicants who have been looked after by a local authority at any time during their life.

All of the schemes listed above mean that we’re committed to interview applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job.
Apprenticeships

We offer a range of apprenticeship opportunities from Level 2 to 7, covering Accounting, Business Administration, Customer Service, Youth Support Worker, Education, HR, Leadership, Marketing, Water Environment Worker, and Payroll, to name just a few. Over the next few years, we will continue to develop Green Apprenticeships within ECC to ensure we achieve the 2050 target of being net zero carbon.

Apprenticeships are a great way to start your career or to change your career and learn something new. During your working hours, you’ll have a dedicated 6 hours per week of off job training – this is where you will complete the theory part of your apprenticeship. There are over 650 apprenticeship standards, which you can view on the Institute for Apprenticeships website.

Earning and learning at the same time, it doesn’t get better than this!

Our new ‘Apprenticeship Stories’ page delivers eight unique experiences from our employees – click the button below to hear from our apprentices.

Apprenticeship Stories
Accessible Apprenticeships

As well as standard apprenticeship programmes, we also offer accessible apprenticeships. If you have had an Education Health Care Plan, LDA statement or previous statement of need, this could be for you. The length of the programme and hours you work each week can be flexible to meet your particular needs and the Institute of Apprenticeships ensures end-point assessments are reasonably adjusted as required.
Career Insight Days

Our Career Insight Days are designed to give secondary school students an insight into our organisation, with a focus on a particular area, such as Environment and Climate, Social Care, Business Support, Waste and Circular Economy, Procurement, Policy and Cabinet Office.

Students will attend interactive workshops run by our colleagues, as well as develop an understanding of entry routes into ECC. Our Career Insight Days will be running in person within a school setting.
Autism Internships

At Essex County Council, we’re very aware of the unique contribution autistic individuals can make to our organisation. If you’re aged 18 or over, one of our 20-week paid internships could be a great opportunity. Each Internship is person centred, meaning that we fit the role around what works best for you to make you shine!

You will be supported by the Entry to Work Team during the recruitment process by undertaking a vocational profiling session which allows you to tell us more about yourself – we know there’s more to you than a CV! Once you’ve started your paid Internship, you will have regular check-in with the Entry to Work Team, as well as having the support and guidance from your work buddies and line manager.

Hear the unique experiences of our autism interns on our ‘Autism Internship Stories’ page, linked through the button below!

Autism Internship Stories
Graduate Schemes

We offer a variety of graduate programmes within ECC:

Graduate Programmes

Our graduate programmes are within Finance, Procurement, Pensions, Legal or Technology Services. Three years in length, our graduate programmes offer great experience, the chance to work with hugely experienced colleagues and high-calibre training, as well as a recognised qualification in your chosen discipline. They are designed to fast-track you into management positions once you’ve completed graduate programme.

As part of the graduate programme, you will also complete a Level 7 Apprenticeship standard, which is the equivalent of a Masters.

Graduate Internships

We offer a range of internship opportunities throughout the year within our teams such as Active Travel, Finance, Procurement, Research, Insight and Innovation, Housing, Policy and lots more. The internships are from 8 weeks in length and give graduates the opportunity to develop their knowledge within a working environment.

10,000 Black Interns

Working with 10,000 Black Interns, ECC make annual pledges to offer paid placements with the aim to transform the horizons and prospects of young Black people in the UK. Applications are in November, with start dates in May.

Learn more about this programme on our Intern Stories page, linked through the button below!

Intern Stories
Care Leavers

Essex County Council has a statuary duty to support, protect and empower Care Leavers. As well as our Job Interview Scheme for Care Leavers, we also provide support during the application process such as a digital brochure which details each step of the process with ‘top tips’, the team also provide reassurance ahead of the interview itself.

The Entry to Work Team also hold an annual Career Insight Day, specifically for Care Leavers. This is run during National Care Leavers Week. The Day is a chance for ECC employees to discuss their roles and career pathways. Previous attendees have undertaken valuable work experience placements and work shadowing opportunities after attending the Day.
T Levels

We currently offer T Level placements within Business Support.

T Levels are a relatively new early careers pathway and allow students aged 16-19 to gain practical experience whilst working towards their T Level qualification. The placements run for a minimum of 45 days and are unpaid.
Return to Practice

Our Return to Practice Programme is for individuals looking to return to either Social Work or Occupational Therapist positions. The programme is person centred, meaning that we put you at the heart of the recruitment process – we will work with you to accommodate your work requests, whether this be part time hours, location of work or business area. You’ll be enrolled on a 6-month training programme to achieve your re-registration then progress to a qualified position within Essex County Council.

What sets our Return to Practice Programme apart from the others is that you’re paid you’re your first day, even when you’re undertaking the training programme, plus we’ll even pay for your re-registration! Vacancies will be advertised at various times throughout the year.
Work Experience

Our Work Experience programmes are for individuals over 18 who are seeking experience within a specific business area.

We currently offer Legal Virtual Work Experience annually in June. This week-long initiative is open to undergraduates and graduates from all academic backgrounds and covers a diverse range of activities. Participants will have the opportunity to engage with colleagues from Essex Legal Services, gain insights into Cabinet Meetings, conduct Legal Research, and much more.

Stay tuned for upcoming team-specific work experience weeks in various other teams – more information coming soon!

Ad hoc requests

At this time, we are unable to provide guaranteed ad hoc work experience placements within Essex County Council. If you are looking for work experience as part of your educational curriculum, you will need to arrange this directly with an Essex County Council employee. The Entry to Work Team are able to offer support with your paperwork, insurances and compliance checks.