Guidance

Register for an induction to the Civil Service

The Induction to the Civil Service course covers the basics of working in government.

Induction is a crucial moment. The quality of your induction influences how you feel about your new organisation. Induction provides the foundation for performance on the job, but also for future success in navigating the wider organisation.

The Government Skills and Curriculum Unit (GSCU) has built an online Induction to the Civil Service course. This is aimed at new joiners, to help them grasp what it means to be a civil servant.

The Induction to the Civil Service course covers the basics of working in government, including:

  • the benefits and obligations of being a civil servant
  • working with ministers and Parliament
  • understanding devolution
  • knowledge of the government professions and functions, and what they offer

It is also a chance for virtual interaction with other new starters. There is no charge for the course.

Induction to the Civil Service is on the FutureLearn platform. Participants have access to a wealth of information with articles, videos, quizzes, tests and activities spread over three modules, and a digital certificate of completion. Participants can dip in and out of the course, learning at a time and pace suitable to them.

The FAQs document should answer most queries about the course.

Civil Service Induction FAQs - ODT

Request an accessible format.
If you use assistive technology (such as a screen reader) and need a version of this document in a more accessible format, please email accessible.formats@cabinetoffice.gov.uk. Please tell us what format you need. It will help us if you say what assistive technology you use.

Register for Induction to the Civil Service

If you have a gov.uk or equivalent government email address

Register for the induction on the Civil Service Learning website.

If you don’t have a government email address

If you are the line manager of a new starter who does not yet have a government email address please visit the Induction to the Civil Service homepage on Civil Service Learning and select the most relevant induction for your new starter. You will be taken to the platform FutureLearn and you can share this page with your new member of staff who can still register from a personal email address and work through the course while they are waiting for official IT.

Alternatively if you are a new starter who does not yet have a government email address, you can register your interest for forthcoming induction courses by using the appropriate Eventbrite link below. You will be asked for details of your line manager or HR/recruitment team contact.

Sign up for an induction course on Eventbrite:

Published 7 October 2021
Last updated 22 January 2024 + show all updates
  1. New dates for the Civil Service Induction have been added.

  2. First published.