About the job

Job summary

At the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), we encourage applications from everyone, particularly groups currently underrepresented in our workforce. We pride ourselves on the positive impact diversity has and promote inclusivity and equality of opportunity for all. Our recruitment process is anonymised, which means that your name, date of birth and other personal details will not be seen by the sift panel.  

Are you studying a Computer Science/Software Engineering or equivalent degree with a one-year industrial placement to start in September 2024?

Do you want your placement to be with an award-winning leader in digital transformation?

If so, we would love to hear from you!

Would you like to find out more about the role, the digital team and what it’s like to work at DVLA? If so, we are organising a familiarisation session where you can virtually 'meet the team' on Monday 19th February 2024 at 11:30. 

Please click here to book on.

Job description

The Year in Industry Graduate Placement is a role within multiple ITS Technical Areas.  The role will be an entry level into IT, and is aligned to the Trainee Engineer role which undertakes the development and support of DVLA’s applications both internal and public/customer facing and infrastructure both on premise and cloud.  

Responsibilities

Your responsibilities will include but will not be limited to:

• Working on technical implementation of applications and infrastructure. On larger projects, working within a technical framework of the project to meet customer requirements.
• Using both recognised and/or specialist programming languages and technologies.
• Developing, testing, and supporting of developed systems.
• System support for all environments including production.
• Continuous Improvement and defect resolution.
• Supporting the creation of standardised documentation. Develop skills and understanding of the DVLA tech estate.
• We will place students into different technical areas.

For further information about the role please see the attached role profile. 

Additional Information  

Applications will be accepted from full time/part time/job sharers. Full time roles at DVLA consist of 37 hours per week. Part time and/or flexible working may also be available subject to the needs of the business. If you have a flexible or part time working requirement, you should contact the vacancy holder in advance of making an application to avoid possible disappointment later in the process should your desired working arrangements not be compatible with the requirements of the role. To contact the vacancy holder, please use the job contact details listed under ‘Contact point for applicants’. 

This role will be based in Swansea, and we will be operating a hybrid working model that allows you to work between home and on-site giving you greater flexibility about where and when you work, subject to business needs and this also allows for ongoing support, development, and collaboration with colleagues. 

Therefore, the expectation is that you will spend a minimum of 60% of your working time based at your principal workplace (DVLA). We would encourage you to discuss the working arrangements for this role with us during the recruitment process. 

Person specification

You will be studying a Computer Science/Software Engineering or equivalent degree with a one-year industrial placement to start in September 2024.

We are looking for enthusiastic, organised, technically minded individuals, who can work well as part of a team, manage and prioritise tasks effectively under pressure and organise their work.

We strive to ensure that DVLA is a great place to work where everybody can be their true self, be treated with dignity and respect, and according to their individual needs. We have a number of staff network groups run by staff to support their colleagues. 

Working for the DVLA Digital Team 

At the DVLA our work matters. We’re at the forefront of digital within government, providing new and improved services that are reliable, easy to use and offer value for money for our customers. With over 50 million driver records and over 40 million vehicle records, the opportunity to work at this scale is unrivalled across the region. Our services generate billions in revenue and make a difference to the lives of 9 out of 10 households in the UK. 

If you would like to read more about the great opportunities with the DVLA Digital Team then click here. 

Our people are transforming our digital services, head over to our DVLA Digital Services Blog to read about what we have been up to. 

Due to the evolving nature of the business, vacancies can become available at any time. Therefore, this campaign may create a reserve list to fulfil demand if it arises which will be held for a period of 9 months. 

Further information

This post is offered on a Fixed Term Appointment (FTA) basis to complete a finite piece of work.  

Permanent Civil Servants will be appointed on an inward loan and subject to the terms of the agreed inward loan. You must have your home departments approval to return to them at the end of the loan before you apply. Internal candidates will return to their previous post at the end of the loan period, which will need to be agreed with your line manager in advance. If your home department cannot agree to release you on loan, there is the opportunity for you to move across to the department on a fixed term appointment. In this instance the Department for Transport would become your home department and if there is no role available for you at the end of this appointment, you would be subject to the redeployment and redundancy process. 

If you're employed by a non-departmental public body (NDPB) by moving jobs this will involve a change of employer and you may break the statutory rules on.

Benefits

• Best in class learning and development tailored to your role.
• An environment with flexible working options where we encourage a great work-life balance. 
• A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity with a range of staff communities to support all our colleagues.
• Generous employer contribution of at least 26.6%, depending on rate of salary and chosen pension scheme.
• Digital communities with clear career frameworks.
• On-site gym plus personal training available.
• On-site nursery, restaurants and coffee bar.
• 25 days holiday, increasing by 1 each year (up to 30).
• Free parking.
• Ability to buy and sell annual leave. 

 Visit our careers website or to find out more about the great opportunities and benefits of working at DVLA. 

  

Things you need to know

Selection process details

This vacancy is using Success Profiles (opens in a new window), and will assess your Behaviours, Strengths, Experience and Technical skills.

For this role you will need to submit a Personal Statement of up to 750 words. We need to understand how your skills and experience meet all the Essential Criteria for this role. You can use any part of your life to demonstrate your skills and experience, but it must be relevant to the role. You can refer to your work experience, education, hobbies, or interests. 

You can decide the best way to structure your Personal Statement. You may choose to address each of the Essential Criteria on their own. Or you can give one example that covers all the Essential Criteria we are looking for. Click here for further guidance on submitting your Personal Statement. 

It is essential when submitting your Personal Statement that you provide as much detail as possible, within the word count, against the Essential Criteria outlined below as this will be used to assess candidate suitability to move to the next round in the recruitment process. 

For your Personal Statement, please provide details of the degree you are currently studying (university name and course title) and provide detailed evidence of the following Essential Criteria:

Your current exposure to IT and what you are hoping to gain during your Year in Industry placement. Please consider: any learning undertaken on your course or in your own time; what things interest you in this field; your aspirations and how will Year in Industry help you reach your career goals. (250 words).

A time when you have faced a difficult challenge and explain what you learnt from it. Please consider: What the challenge was and how you overcame it? Could you have done anything differently? (250 words).

A time when you have enjoyed working with others and working as part of a team. Please consider: What the task was and what part you played? (250 words).

The sift is due to take place on 27th February 2024.

Interviews will be held on 12th and 13th March 2024.

This interview will be conducted via a video interview, details of which will be provided to you should you be selected for interview. 

We will try to meet the dates set out in the advert. There may be occasions when these dates will change. You will be provided with sufficient notice of the confirmed dates. 

If invited to interview, this may consist of a range of question types. These could include questions around behaviours and how you would respond in any situation as well as specific examples of things you have done. 

The selection process will be designed specifically for the role. As a result, your assessment will include: 

• An interview.

You’re encouraged to become familiar with the role profile, as you may be assessed against any of the criteria recorded within. 

The Department for Transport alongside other Government Departments recruit using Success Profiles. This means for each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate in order to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job, drives up performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.  

Please take note that DVLA does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker License sponsor and are unable to sponsor any individuals for Skilled Worker Sponsorship. 

Note to current Civil Servants: If your current department do not agree to a loan, you will still be offered an appointment on a fixed-term basis but please be aware that if you are not able to return to your previous post this could result in redundancy from the Civil Service on the conclusion of your appointment. Please contact us if you would like more information. 

Reasonable Adjustments

As a Disability Confident Leader employer, we are committed to ensuring that the recruitment process is fair, accessible and allows all candidates to perform at their best. If a person with a visible or non-visible disability is substantially disadvantaged, we have a duty to make reasonable changes to our processes.

Complete the “Assistance required” section in the “Additional requirements” page of your application form to tell us what changes or help you might need during the recruitment process. For instance, you may need wheelchair access at an interview, or if you’re deaf, a Language Service Professional.

If you need a reasonable adjustment so that you can complete your application, you should contact Government Recruitment Service via dftrecruitment.grs@cabinetoffice.gov.uk as soon as possible before the closing date to discuss your needs.

Document Accessibility

If you are experiencing accessibility problems with any attachments on this advert, please contact the email address in the 'Contact point for applicants' section.

This job advert contains links to the DfT Careers website. Our website provides useful guidance and information that can support you during the application process. If you cannot access the information on our website for any reason, please email DRGComms@dft.gov.uk for assistance.

Further Information

For more information about how we hire, and for useful tips on submitting your application for this role, visit the How We Hire page of our DfT Careers website. You can find detailed information about the recruitment process and what to expect when applying for a role.

Pre-employment Checking

Applicants who are successful at interview will be, as part of pre-employment screening, subject to a check on the Internal Fraud Database (IFD). This check will provide information about employees who have been dismissed for fraud or dishonesty offences. This check also applies to employees who resign or otherwise leave before being dismissed for fraud or dishonesty had their employment continued. Any applicant’s details held on the IFD will be refused employment. 

A candidate is not eligible to apply for a role within the Civil Service if the application is made within a 5-year period following a dismissal for carrying out internal fraud against government.

Feedback will only be provided if you attend an interview or assessment.

Security

Successful candidates must undergo a criminal record check. People working with government assets must complete baseline personnel security standard (opens in new window) checks.

Nationality requirements

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

Working for the Civil Service

The Civil Service Code (opens in a new window) sets out the standards of behaviour expected of civil servants.

We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition, as outlined in the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles (opens in a new window). The Civil Service embraces diversity and promotes equal opportunities. As such, we run a Disability Confident Scheme (DCS) for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum selection criteria.