Graduate opportunities

Are you a graduate who is passionate about making a positive contribution to your community while also fast-tracking your career in local government? We are a host organisation for the national impact Local Government Graduate Programme.

Over the two-year programme, two graduates will complete four rotations across various departments within the council, gaining valuable experience in areas such as HR, Planning, Housing, Sustainability and more.

Start your career with purpose

We believe in building a workforce that reflects the vibrant, diverse and forward-thinking community we serve. Our graduate opportunities are designed for ambitious, socially-conscious individuals who want to make a real difference in people’s lives.

How to apply

To apply for this programme, candidates must apply directly on the Impact website and complete an application form. The application window is typically between October and January and once selected you will be required to complete several national assessments, after which you may then be invited to a final interview at the council. More details on this application process can be found by visiting the Impact: The Local Government Graduate Programme application | Local Government Association.

Hear from our Impact graduates

Tom Scarborough - Graduate Trainee

Why did you choose Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council?

There were lots of reasons! Our council is very well managed and in a strong financial position compared to many other local authorities. This means there’s lots of opportunities on offer that I might not be able to find elsewhere and a consistently high standard of public services that staff can take pride in.

As a newcomer to Basingstoke, I felt it had lot of unique character. It offers the benefits of a town combined with the opportunities and economic strength of a city, a mix of smaller local businesses and large companies. I found this pretty intriguing and thought it would be an interesting place to spend a two-year scheme in.

This council is also incredibly forward-thinking and always striving to improve, with a big focus right now being on digital channels and the customer experience as a whole. This aligned with my degree background in digital design and user experience and I’ve been fully supported in exploring these interests further.

How have you found the start of your placement?

Our first few weeks were spent meeting with different staff and learning about the service areas. We had the chance to meet with most of the heads of services during this time, which was incredibly helpful in building that familiarity early on, especially since it's a large organisation. I was also able to ask plenty of questions, which allowed my ideas about which placement to choose to develop naturally.

I’m now settled into my first placement and working on a very exciting project in digital transformation- since it’s only just started, I feel like I’ve had a high level of ownership over it so far.

What has been your highlight of the scheme?

The highlight has definitely been the people. From working in different parts of the building and interviewing various service areas for my project, to even just chatting whilst making coffee, everyone has been super friendly and welcoming. It might seem small but being new to the area, it’s made a big difference in helping me settle in.

I’ve really appreciated the freedom to explore my specific interests when choosing a placement - I always felt supported in finding a project that aligned with my individual strengths and curiosity. I’m grateful for this, having heard of other councils where placements are just assigned without much input from the graduates.

I’m also really lucky to be receiving one-to-one mentorship from the chief executive, which is a massive opportunity for me! I can bring specific topics or skills I’m interested in developing to our sessions, where I can then benefit from his knowledge and experience. I think it’s rare to have access to this level of insight as a newcomer, so I feel very fortunate.

How did you find the application process?

The application process was quite long and involved three rounds: a situational judgment test, a self-recorded video interview, and a four-hour online assessment centre (which I found especially challenging). The long waits between each stage made it even more difficult and I never expected to make it so far. But I’m glad I stuck with it—it was definitely worth it in the end.

Tell us about your experience of the interview process.

One advantage of going through so many rounds beforehand was that the final interview felt much less stressful. By that stage, we’d already demonstrated our ability to handle the job, so it felt more like a test of compatibility.

I was interviewed by a panel from the senior leadership team and asked fairly general questions about why I chose Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and what areas interested me. Since I had already spent so much time learning about the sector and where I might fit in during the earlier rounds, I felt well-prepared and confident. Two weeks later, I was told I’d been successful!

Jemima King - Graduate Trainee

Why did you choose Basingstoke Deane Borough Council?

I chose Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council for their strong values, welcoming culture and the opportunities if offers. The council’s commitment to sustainability, innovation and delivering high-quality services aligns with my own values. I was particularly drawn to the flexibility of the graduate scheme, which allows us to explore our interests through tailored placements – an opportunity that isn’t always available in other councils. This combined with the chance to work on meaningful projects that have a real impact, Basingstoke and Deane felt like the best place to develop my career.

What have you learned so far?

Working at Basingstoke and Deane has given me the opportunity to gain a wide range of experience over the past year and a half. I have worked on a variety of projects, from addressing youth recruitment in HR to reviewing and renewing the Net Zero strategy in Climate Change. These experiences have allowed me to lead in research and policy analysis, as well as engage with internal and external stakeholders.

I have also benefitted from mentoring by senior members of the organisation which has given me valuable insights into leadership. More recently, I have been involved in producing a new Change Management Framework which has helped me develop an understanding of project and change management and has given me experience in implementing organisational change.

What has been your highlight of the scheme?

The best part about being on this scheme is being able to explore my own interests with the support of an additional qualification that will hopefully help my future development. As a result, I was able to create the first Early Careers Network at the council. With the support of what I have learnt both on the course and in my placements, I was able to apply this and start up a new social network that allows young people across the council to meet and connect, as well as offers the opportunity for skill development and training opportunities. This has allowed me to meet even more people across the council and develop skills in management and forward planning which I wouldn’t have been able to otherwise, as well as contributing to the wider sense of community in the organisation.

How did you find the application process?

Overall it was a very long process, the applications opened in October and then there were subsequent stages where applicants were cut, until we chose five preferred councils in the final stage, then we found out if we were successful in about June.

Tell us about your experience of the interview process.

As we'd done the full process prior to this, we just had an interview, mine was with Sarah Cragg and Russell O’Keefe. It was relatively simple, from memory it was just a few questions and a conversation because of the work done previously. I was able to do it online which was helpful as I was on Southampton and it was in the middle of my final university exams. I know that if it was in person that they offered a tour which I'm sure would have been good.

I know that other councils that offered interviews to me requested a full applicant day where they met councillors and toured the town but that felt completely unnecessary, I didn't end up attending the other interview because they refused to offer alternate dates and it felt very over the top, so was more than happy with Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council approach - felt much more genuine and trusting of the work we'd put into the entire process.

Emily Charlton - Graduate Trainee

What have you learned so far?

Being an Impact graduate at Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has taught me so much. I have been given so many opportunities across the council - my first placement was in the economic development team to lead on the forthcoming Future Economy Framework.

In my first six months I have led on research, data collection, presented at stakeholder engagements and worked closely with senior colleagues. I also had the opportunity to support the wider team in borough events and cultural activities.

Beyond my placements, I have been involved in staff networks such as the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Working Group and delivering anti-racism training.

The CMI qualification has supported my development in strategic leadership and management including project management, leadership styles and change management. This has supported my growth within the council as I can apply the learning to my day-to-day work.

What has been your highlight of the scheme?

My favourite part of being an Impact graduate is being part of Impact networks - communities of graduates with shared interests or geographical proximity. Networks often hold events and other extra-curricular activities. I co-chair the Gender Equality Network and lead on the networks events. This has given me an opportunity to develop skills in event planning and management and have delivered events that have been really well received by the network. Whilst being involved in the network I have been able to work closely with graduates from across the country who I would not have normally had a chance to meet.

Tell us about your experience of the interview process

There was a fairly standard interview with Russell O’Keefe and Sarah Cragg. It was around half an hour of question and answers followed by an introduction to the council by Sarah.

Graduate level entry roles

Throughout the year we also have several ad-hoc graduate-level role vacancies. Keep an eye on our current vacancies page or sign up for job alerts to stay informed!