The Government Campus
Explore the Government Campus, including our learning curriculum.
The Government Campus is transforming learning for the whole Civil Service. Whatever role you hold, whatever level you work at, wherever you work, the Government Campus will enable you to progress through your career with ambition and armed with the skills, knowledge and networks you need.
Contents
- How to learn
- Our learning curriculum
- Our approach to evaluation
- How we are continuously improving the Government Campus
- How to stay in touch with the Government Campus
How to learn
We often think of learning as something we do in classrooms or training courses. In fact, most of our learning is done outside the classroom - in the workplace, through conversations with friends, in our private lives. There are many ways to learn, but it’s helpful to think about learning in three ways:
- Learning through experience
- Informal learning from others
- Formal learning such as training
Watch this four minute video to find out more about these different types of learning as well as the science behind how we learn.
The best way to learn is through seeking experiences, engaging in challenging tasks and solving problems. Don’t do it alone; get the help of others. Read the 39 steps brochure for inspiration on workplace learning.
You can then use formal learning - including training available through our learning curriculum - to boost your understanding and to take your career in a new direction.
Our learning curriculum
Our learning curriculum offers a wide range of high quality learning designed to meet your needs, whatever your requirement and whatever stage of your career. We have organised the curriculum into five strands:
- Foundational skills you need as a civil servant
- Skills you need to work in government
- Skills you need as a leader and manager
- Specialist skills you need to grow professional expertise
- Domain-specific knowledge you need within your organisation
Foundational skills you need as a civil servant
Your learning journey begins on your first day. If you are new to the Civil Service - or rejoining after a period away - a strong induction will help you to succeed in your new role. You also need to understand your responsibilities as a civil servant, whatever your role. More information can be found on the ‘Foundational skills you need as a civil servant’ page.
Skills you need to work in government
The Civil Service is a large, complex, modern organisation. Some of the skills you need to succeed in the Civil Service - such as writing and communication skills - are common to all organisations. Others - such as understanding Parliament and legislation - are more specific to working in government. More information can be found on the ‘Skills you need to work in government’ page.
Skills you need as a leader and manager
Everyone in the Civil Service is a leader and you can demonstrate leadership at all levels. Leadership can be learned through programmes and developed through practice. As you progress through your career, you may also become a manager of people, teams or even organisations. More information can be found on the ‘Skills you need as a leader and manager’ page.
Specialist skills you need to grow professional expertise
Everyone in the Civil Service should be a member of at least one profession. Government professions develop the capability of a group of people with specialist skills, knowledge and expertise. For example, finance or operational delivery. They also define the awareness level learning that creates the essential capabilities every civil servant needs. More information can be found on the ‘Specialist skills you need to grow professional expertise’ page.
Domain-specific knowledge you need within your organisation
Domain knowledge is the knowledge and understanding civil servants need to work effectively in their specific subject area, such as national security, health or international relations. More information can be found on the ‘Domain-specific knowledge you need within your organisation’ page.
We also offer a wide range of apprenticeships which cover all areas of the curriculum and are suitable for all stages of your career. These qualifications allow you to learn and develop whilst you are in your job and enable you to apply your new knowledge, skills and behaviours as you progress through the course. Apprenticeships can be up to postgraduate level and, depending which level you study, last from 12 to 48 months.
Our approach to evaluation
The learning curriculum is evidence-based and impact-led. We use the latest evidence, working with academic experts, to make sure the learning curriculum is as effective as possible in developing the knowledge, skills and networks civil servants need, in the way which delivers most value for the public.
We are investing in high quality evaluation to ensure that we understand whether the Government Campus is having the intended impact, for who, in what contexts, and why. This allows us to scale up the things which are working well and explore alternatives where we identify potential improvements in efficiency or quality. This work is governed by our evaluation strategy.
How we are continuously improving the Government Campus
The Government Campus is delivered through the learning frameworks, centrally-managed contracts that save time and money by allowing organisations and individuals to purchase learning without procurement. We work closely with our suppliers to continuously improve the frameworks, including the process of booking learning. We are beginning the process of re-tendering the current learning frameworks and, as with previous iterations of the frameworks, we are identifying how the future services can be improved in quality, efficiency and reach.
Alongside this, we are developing the Government Skills Campus, a cross-government learning platform which will provide better access to the learning curriculum and intelligently suggest targeted learning and career development opportunities to all users. It will also provide enhanced skills data to inform better workforce planning and management across the Civil Service.
How to stay in touch with the Government Campus
You can:
- Receive monthly updates on the Government Campus by signing up to Campus News.
- Follow Government Campus on Twitter and LinkedIn.
- Email us to ask any questions.
If you are a learning and development professional within government, please join Learning Connect.
Documents
Last updated 8 May 2024 + show all updates
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Added section on "How to learn"
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Updated the text to add a link to strand 3 and more information on where users can access training, as well as to remove out of date information.
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Added a link to the 'Leading to Deliver' prospectus, under strand 3.
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First published.