‘I Spy’ Career Opportunities

On Tuesday 31 January a representative from the Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) came to RGS Worcester to deliver a Careers Seminar on the broad range of interesting career opportunities offered in British Intelligence.

Established after the start of The First World War as the Government Code and Cypher School, today, GCHQ works to protect the UK from cyber-attacks, terrorism and espionage using cutting-edge technology, technical creativity, and a range of partnerships.

More than 4,000 people work across GCHQ locations, including Cheltenham, London, Bude, Scarborough and Manchester. GCHQ offers career pathways into a wide range of areas and recruits people with a broad skill set. These pathways include technical roles in cyber security, specialist roles in linguists, mathematics, corporate roles in project management, legal and HR services and many other career pathways. GCHQ offers careers where people can really see they are making a difference.

The representative informed pupils about the range of entry points GCHQ offers for school leavers or graduates, including degree apprenticeships. The process of applying for a job at GCHQ involves a stringent application and vetting process which includes interviews and assessments. Anyone who has attempted the GCHQ Christmas Challenge puzzle will understand the standard required!

The Careers Seminar provided a fantastic insight into life and career opportunities at GCHQ. There was great interest with nearly 100 pupils in attendance and excellent engagement as pupils asked a range of interesting questions to understand more about the personal skills and academic requirements needed to enter the Intelligence Service.