Your Commitments

There are some basic commitments that you and your organisation will need to sign up to in order to participate in the scheme.

Starting salary
All GPGS graduates are taken on at EO level (or equivalent) and participating organisations set their own starting salaries accordingly. Candidates are made aware of your organisations' offer before they are asked to express a preference for placement. Once in post, trainees are eligible for award of pay increases and any allowances or performance bonuses as determined by your department or agency.

Commit to a full time permanent contract for the trainee and prepare to manage the career progression of the trainee once their two years on the scheme come to an end
Upon successful completion of the scheme, trainees should have gained the experience to enable them to apply for jobs at Higher Executive Officer level or equivalent. Your organisation should provide support during the two years to enable the graduate trainee to identify and develop the necessary competencies and experience to compete for promotion once the scheme is complete.

Nominate a scheme champion to participate in the Entry Schemes Board
If your organisation has previously taken a GPGS trainee, they may already be represented on the ESB. This group is your forum to give your views, shape the scheme and ensure it meets your needs. If you do not already have a representative it will be important to nominate one.

Assign the trainee a mentor, and provide line management and HR support to the trainee
To ensure the trainee settles in and becomes effective as quickly as possible, the mentor and line manager should be identified and introduced to the trainee on their first day if not before. On their first day they should also be made familiar with the policies and procedures of the organisation.

Commitment to releasing the trainee for all their formal training and development
Learning and development is a key part of the scheme and is invested in heavily by GPS. On average it works out at about 3.4 days per month, which is comparable with other professional learning and development programmes. The accelerated pace of the GPGS programme means it is critical that the graduate trainee attends. Failure to attend may result in involvement in the scheme being revoked.

Ensuring the trainee has exposure to a wide range of procurement related projects
The GPGS is designed to develop procurement professionals with a range of skills. Departments and agencies must put time into planning the development of the individual, including identification of competencies to be developed and organisation of a range of placements in order for the trainee to acquire a broad range of procurement experience during the scheme..