Local government needs high calibre people on board at a senior level. The challenges and opportunities for senior managers have grown and local government is no different from the rest of the economy in recognising the need to develop talent from within. We need to recruit our graduates carefully so that they have the attributes to make it through a testing programme, a programme which exposes them to genuine challenges early on in their development.
As part of the government’s initiatives to improve capacity and modernise the sector, the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) has received funding to create, develop and manage the national graduate development programme (the ngdp).
We want to provide our National Management Trainees (NMTs) with a base of skills, experience and the opportunity for personal growth through a series of structured placements and national events. That way they can make a real contribution to local authorities by challenging accepted wisdom and practice. They can enhance the sector by becoming powerful and influential agents of change. These are tough challenges and the potential impact of the graduates we recruit could be limitless.