Helping new starters develop Civil Service knowledge

The new online induction course is aimed at all new joiners to the UK Civil Service. It looks at cross Civil Service, so it doesn't replace the important induction processes in your team, Directorate, Department/Agency and Profession.

What will I get out of it?

The course will look at the benefits of joining the Civil Service (including development opportunities), the range of cross Civil Service organisations and networks, and the basic things you need to know about being a civil servant including the Civil Service Code and your legal and financial responsibilities. It will introduce some basic learning about e.g. government, devolution and Parliament.

When does it start, and how much time will it take?

The online course will start on Monday 1 September 2025. It is divided into three modules over three weeks which is a total of approximately 6 hours of learning, but will remain open for a period of time after that. There are no “live” moments, you can work through the articles, quizzes, videos etc at your own pace. The very approximate time commitment is two hours per week but you might spend more or less.

Some people find it helpful to block off some time in the calendar each week to concentrate on the learning.

How will I access the course?

Once you have registered your interest here, you will be sent a registration link to the FutureLearn platform in advance of the course start date. You will need to register on FutureLearn and complete the pre-survey to access the Induction.

Can I access the course using any device?

Yes, FutureLearn should be accessible via all work and personal devices including PCs, laptops and mobiles. There may be exceptions if you work in a high-security environment with restricted internet access.

Please be advised that we may collect comments you make in the Civil Service Induction for promotional purposes.

Please note that we may use anonymised comments from the course in material promoting the induction to other civil servants. We will only use data from the course to promote Civil Service Induction, share top tips from participants and use your feedback to improve future inductions.

We will contact you occasionally to provide updates on induction materials (eg new versions of the post-course pack) and to signpost new opportunities from Government Campus.

You give initial consent to these updates by signing up to this course but you can ‘unsubscribe’ at any time. Please email civilserviceinduction@cabinetoffice.gov.uk if you would like to do so in advance.

Civil Service Induction, 1 September 2025