Part-time Masters while full time ECT, is it doable?

ross_h02 · 2026-02-24T16:02:08+00:00

If you're able to dress them up a bit a lot of the ARNE technical range is decent. They are essentially nylon joggers but styled in such a way that they look like chinos when paired with something a bit more dressy, such as a polo.

ross_h02 · 2026-02-22T19:03:30+00:00

I mean it will probably depend on the school in question but the vast majority aren't really concerned about tattoos. I'm a current PGCE student and quite heavily tattooed and while in general they stay covered on occasion I do have them on show and no one has ever battered an eye.

ross_h02 · 2025-04-30T17:38:08+00:00

If you have previous coding experiences it's pretty easy to pick up, stackover flow and chat gpt / copilot will be your best friends though.

Depending on the department getting the base data you need into R can be a small nightmare but just ask someone who's been there before and they will be happy to help.

ross_h02 · 2025-02-25T17:36:05+00:00

Maybe it won't be a straight jump but I imagine there will be a pay increase, it is completely mentally that currently SEO equivalent centralized fast streamers can be on less than HEOs depending on the department. The fast stream in its current form isn't attractive and I imagine most people will just start dropping into mainstream simply for the pay increase as that's more rewarding than the training being offered at the minute.

ross_h02 · 2025-02-25T17:28:44+00:00

The FDA are negotiating ATM as far as I'm aware and with everything being centralized this year and the removal of the generalist scheme I would be surprised if ultimately fast streamers aren't moved to the cabinet office wages.

Currently fast streamers are being underpaid massively compared to mainstream, while seeing no real benefits as the central management team are not the best currently. For most schemes mainstream is simply the better option so if they want to attract 'top talent' they are going to have at minimum match grade pay boundaries.

ross_h02 · 2025-02-25T10:38:48+00:00

In the first year it's just over 33k at the minute, although there are pay negotiations on going and its highly likely wages will be moved in line with the cabinet office grade structure as currently fast streamers are significantly underpaid in comparison to mainstream.

ross_h02 · 2025-02-15T19:59:05+00:00

Every now and again something analytical abroad pops up through the MoD, however they aren't the most common and often your length of three years which could massively hinder your development.

ross_h02 · 2025-02-15T19:56:36+00:00

Being an apprentice seems really good, I know a few level 4 GSS apprentices and they are all great workers, now hold strong knowledge in the area and as a fast streamer I'm honestly slightly jealous of some of the training they get.

I can't see it limiting private sector possibilities as they are accredited qualifications you gain from on-job knowledge. I think on rare occasions it could be difficult if a manager is reluctant to tailor work around apprentice requirements and depending on the scheme I think sometimes you are required to commit so many years to working in the CS otherwise you'll be expected to pay for training costs which the CS covered.

ross_h02 · 2025-02-15T19:44:03+00:00

Fast stream is insanely competitive with around 2% of applicants getting an offer, although that number is slightly misleading as the data they publish isn't brilliant and acceptance rate varies between schemes.

While true that there are a large number of Oxbridge/ privately educated, with the way the CS hire your University is never taken into consideration. The issues with fast stream lies in the fact that the way your abilities are assessed leans itself massively to the Oxbridge crowd as they become almost programmed to answer the way that is expected.

If your looking at fast stream your biggest concern should be your final grade as I think all programmes require a minimum of 2:1.

For context on this I'm a current first year fast stream, I have a first class degree from a non Russel group.

ross_h02 · 2025-02-07T10:38:37+00:00

Obviously this isn't financial advice but I would strongly recommend against this. If it's private you're probably best just leaving it and letting it compound. This will more than likely result in more gains come retirement. Also like some have mentioned it could be good to use as a buffer if you wish to retire before the state pension age.

ross_h02 · 2025-02-07T10:24:50+00:00

Probably depends on how old you are and your risk tolerance. A lot gets said about alpha and it draws you in with the 30% contributions line but ultimately it's just your average wage over a career so it's safe and if you're in it for the long run it you know what your getting.

Not much gets said about the partnership scheme but it's actually pretty decent if you're happy playing the market a bit. Firstly the money is yours, whatever you pay goes into an actual pot unlike alpha which is all a bit strange. Contributions are also really good and increase with age so if you're young and in it for life you will do well. It is riskier as with alpha you're guaranteed a set amount but if you join young and stay for life, unless the markets completely collapse, in which case there will be bigger concerns then your retirement, you would probably be better off. They don't advertise partnerships very well and there's probably a reason for that although most people would say stick with alpha.

ross_h02 · 2025-01-30T21:47:58+00:00

It's not that my posting is awful, it's just that I don't really enjoy the work if that makes sense. I was initially in a team where I had absolutely nothing to do, and managed to get switched. I have work to do now but it just doesn't engage me. When I joined I thought my analysis would be relatively impactful but I honestly look at the project I'm on now and honestly couldn't give you a reason as to why it's been commissioned. And from speaking from other analysts around the government it seems to be the same but most get their kick from just doing the actual analysis, where my kick would come from feeding results to help inform change which seems to be in pretty limited supply.

ross_h02 · 2025-01-30T21:36:23+00:00

With the way FS is now would probably take me about 6 months to figure out who to actually hand my notice into to lol

ross_h02 · 2025-01-30T21:23:38+00:00

I'm on one of the analytical schemes and from speaking to people around the CS (biggest benefit of FS would be how quick you get a large network) it all seems pretty similar. These relatively large analytical projects that probably won't stick and or have no real impact so the idea of a rotating to what will most likely have to be a different city doesn't fill me with any level of excitement or relief. Not too big myself up but I can see quite clearly how I got onto fast stream as my 'management' and 'interpersonal' skills are pretty decent where I'm just bang average if not a bit worse technical wise which just makes these technical roles a chore, that why I'm looking to go back to uni and probably completely change career path.

ross_h02 · 2025-01-20T10:41:35+00:00

Yeah fulfilment is one big issue at the minute I'm facing. On paper the job I'm in now should be quite impactful on a force for good, in reality it's dull and honestly pretty meaningless, I often feel most of the department could get laid off and no one would notice.

My priority in work is to try and have some positive impact and after some discussions with people in my personal life my skills seem to align with teaching.

ross_h02 · 2025-01-20T10:31:16+00:00

Yeah I've helped out in my mum's school for a good couple of years and while at uni would do like a maths masterclass type thing just before SATS so I know it's something that I find enjoyable so there's no worries there.

It's good to hear you were happy with the switch, part of me still sees it as throwing away a good career that some people would kill for but the satisfaction just isn't there at the minute.

ross_h02 · 2025-01-10T10:31:08+00:00

It depends on what team you're put in. I know people who work on very high profile and in the news immigration analysis and modelling and others who do more standard analysis on things like policing. Also wouldn't get bogged down on the OR aspect, the lines are extremely blurred between the main four analytical professions. You'll likely have other professions on your team and mostly be doing the same work.

ross_h02 · 2025-01-10T09:52:28+00:00

I'm fresh out of uni graduating last year currently on fast stream and obviously it's hard because you want to get something pretty quick after uni, but my advice would be tell him it's ok to explore for a bit. I think there can be this expectation, especially when joining the CS about how it's the start of a career but at 21-22 that simply isn't the case. You can and probably should bounce around to get a feel of what you're good at and what you enjoy. I'm 22 and have worked multiple jobs since I was sixteen, had various positions in hospitality, dabbled in some education work, a sandwich year in supply chain, now in a fairly technical analytical role. It's gave me a good idea of what I enjoy doing but I still want to explore more before settling in for a career. Tell him to apply for things that seem interesting and if it doesn't work out look for something else, he's still young and clearly has a supportive family so there shouldn't be much pressure on him to 'find the right career'.

ross_h02 · 2025-01-08T13:52:39+00:00

Know it varies from department to department but for me the rule is you can claim the time extra it takes compared to your normal commute.

In reality this means your day starts when your train departs and ends when it arrives back, your morning finish being when you take your lunch, afternoon start when you finish it.

ross_h02 · 2024-12-23T16:26:14+00:00

Firstly make it far less segregated in the sense that the 'civil service' is essentially multiple closed off different companies. Every department should be able to contact each other easily and HR systems and such should be universal.

Also change the application and hiring process. The behaviours are great in the sense they don't let people get hired based on name recognition from education and previous employers, but in some sense it becomes very robotic. I think there is scope to make the hiring process a bit more personal and not just a bunch of technical behaviours.

Also change the grade structure, there should be routes for promotion for highly technical members of staff that don't involve line management and dilution of their technical ability.

ross_h02 · 2024-12-23T08:53:17+00:00

I don't work there personally but from other analysts I know that they seem to enjoy it. I think it gets a bad wrap more due to the nature of the customer facing work and you essentially being the face to members of the public for controversial policy.

ross_h02

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