council chamber

Norfolk Work & Skills 2022

The public sector

  • Do you want to make a positive impact on communities?
  • Have you thought about working in the public sector?
  • Do you want to deliver vital local services?

What is the public sector?

The ‘public sector’ is a range of organisations, such as councils, police, NHS, who are responsible for providing all the public services in the UK, including:

  • education
  • emergency services such as police, ambulance and fire
  • healthcare
  • housing
  • refuse collection
  • adults’ and children’s social care

There are loads of different career opportunities to choose from, which can have a real impact on the lives of individuals and communities in Norfolk.

The public sector offers:

  • many career opportunities
  • good pay and benefits
  • job security
  • plenty of opportunities for continuing professional development
  • good working conditions
  • good pension

From the emergency services and healthcare to education and social care, by choosing a career in the public sector you’ll get to work on issues that have a real impact on society and on the lives of others.

  • Planning and organisation
  • Problem solving
  • Communication
  • Leadership and management
  • Team working
  • Business skills
  • Customer awareness
  • Initiative
  • Digital and ICT skills
  • Reliability

  • English
  • Maths
  • Science
  • Psychology
  • ICT
  • Sociology
  • Law
  • Biology
  • Languages
  • Physics
  • Chemistry

  • Teaching assistant                               £13,800-£24,500
  • Catering manager                                £15,000-£30,000
  • Leisure centre assistant                       £16,400-£23,500
  • Housing officer                                     £21,000-£35,000
  • Nurse                                                   £24,250-£51,000
  • Building control surveyor                     £25,600-£60,000
  • Prison officer                                        £26,000-£38,000
  • Adults' or children's social worker        £27,600-£44,400+
  • Special educational needs teacher      £27,600-£46,000
  • Police officer                                         £28,000-£53,500
  • Data analyst                                          £28,500-£61,000
  • Public health manager                          £29,750-£62,000+
  • Cyber security professional                   £35,000-£60,000

(figures from the Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2021)

On the web...

NHS Careers

Find information on over 350 careers available in the NHS.

https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/

Civil Service careers

Find out about the wide variety of careers in the Civil Service.

https://www.civil-service-careers.gov.uk/

Get Into Teaching

Free advice and support to decide if teaching in a primary or secondary school in England is right for you.

https://getintoteaching.education.gov.uk/

Joining the Police

Everything you need to know about joining the police.

https://www.joiningthepolice.co.uk/

HM Prison and Probation Service

Find out about the different roles in the prison and probation service.

https://prisonandprobationjobs.gov.uk/

Public Services

Find out about the vast range of jobs in public services.

https://www.ucas.com/explore/career-path/1.3?assessmentId=false

Armed Forces careers

Find out about the variety of careers in the military - British Army, Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.

https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/careers-advice/careers-in-the-armed-forces