Entry to work

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

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.

Entry to Work Opportunities

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 690 apprenticeship standards approved for delivery, which you can view on https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards

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.
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.
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-ins with the Entry to Work Team, as well as having the support and guidance from your work buddies and line manager.

Hear about the unique experiences of our Interns on our ‘Autism Internship Stories’ page.
Career Insights Days

Our Career Insight Days are designed to give students in years 10 and 12 an insight into our organisation, with a focus on particular areas, such as Environment and Climate, Project Management, Communication and Marketing, 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 are held in person within a school setting, following the school timetable.
Care Experienced

Essex County Council has a statuary duty to support, protect and empower care experienced individuals. As well as our Job Interview Scheme for care experienced, 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.
Return to Practice

Launched in 2023, our Return to Practice Programme has been designed specifically for qualified Social Workers and Occupational Therapists who are looking to return to practice within Adult Social Care (ASC) or Children and Families (C&F). 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! Applications for the programme are open twice a year. The first is January with an expected start date in May. The second is in June with an expected start date in October.
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.
T Levels

T Levels are an alternative to A levels, Apprenticeships and other 16 to 19 courses. Equivalent to 3 A levels, a T Level focuses on vocational skills and can help students into skilled employment, higher study or Apprenticeships. Each T Level includes an unpaid industry placement that lasts at least 315 hours which allows students to get valuable experience in the workplace.

We currently partner with South Essex College and Chelmsford College to host a number of Industry Placements within various teams, such as Infrastructure Delivery (for Construction T Levels) and Resourcing, Transformation, Delivery & Support, Adopt East & Sustainable Growth (for Management & Administration T Levels).

Graduate Pathway

We offer a variety of graduate pathways:

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 gain a recognised qualification in your chosen discipline. They are designed to fast-track you into management positions once you’ve completed the graduate programme.

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

We offer paid Industry placements, which are between 40 – 52 weeks and undertaken as part of an individual’s degree (sandwich year). University students can apply their academic knowledge in the workplace, enhancing their professional skills, enabling them to learn more about a particular sector, business or job role and preparing them for their future career. These are advertised on an ad hoc basis.
Internships & Short placements

We offer a range of paid internship opportunities throughout the year within various teams such as Active Travel, Finance, Procurement, Research, Insight and Innovation, Housing, Policy and lots more. The internships range from 8 weeks to one year in length and give university students and graduates the opportunity to develop their knowledge within a working environment. These are advertised on an ad hoc basis.

As well as the above, we partner with Anglia Ruskin University to provide their students with paid 8-12 week Spring & Summer Internships within various teams, and with University of Essex to provide their Journalism Students with an unpaid 5 day virtual short placement.
10,000 Black Interns

Working with the 10,000 Black Interns Foundation, ECC make annual pledges to offer paid 6 week internships to university students and graduates of black heritage, with the aim to transform the horizons and prospects of young Black people in the UK. Applications open in September, with placements starting from May. Applications are made via the Foundation’s website Application Form – The 10000 Interns Foundation

Learn more about this programme on our Intern Stories page, and watch our video for insights from the interns here.
SHoKE and Live Briefs – ARU partnership

We partner with Anglia Ruskin University to provide university students from underrepresented communities opportunities to solve business problems that make a social impact. Projects typically focus on organisational challenges relating to social value initiatives and sustainability. Student teams generate ideas, scoping, analysis and research, formally presenting their findings at the end of the project with a presentation and report. SHoKE projects range from 24 hours to one month.

Live Briefs provide students with real-world tasks to produce a fresh and creative solution, or ideas, that can benefit ECC. A Live Brief gives students the opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills to a professionally relevant task and is an integral part of their assessments. Live Briefs are one trimester / term.