Job security may feel out of your control during these difficult economic times, but there are things you can do to improve your chances. The following practical steps could prove useful.
Learn while you earn
While ultimate control over your job clearly lies with your employer, there are things you can do to increase your worth, demonstrate flexibility and promote yourself as a valuable member of the team.
Many employers, particularly those in housing, have a sound and deep-seated belief in training their staff to maximise their workforce's capabilities. As an employee it is worth taking advantage of this ethos and grab learning opportunities as they come along. Taking a qualification is flexible, and can be studied in ways that suit both staff member and employer.
Study can be work-based or taken on through distance learning packages which mean it is easier than ever to combine working and learning. Being aware of new qualifications may also give you an advantage; pilot schemes trialling new courses often come with funding attached, meaning less of a financial commitment for your employer. It is worth checking for new vocational qualifications in your industry.
Green jobs
Jobs developed as a result of the government's new environmental policy, the Green Deal, are likely to provide new opportunities, especially for staff with STEM skills (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). The ambition for improved household and commercial energy efficiency has created a number of jobs which share a need for these skills.
Check for new training offers such as those part-funded by government. These provide training in energy assessment and advice, the starting point of the Green Deal.
Redeployment or redundancy
As a public sector worker the practice of redeployment means that if you are at risk of losing your own job, you may be well placed to take on another role within the company. Flexibility equals added security.
The offer of alternative work will be based on how well the proposed job matches your current role, how well your skills fit the new position, as well the pay, status, hours and location of the new job. In general, if you have 80% of the skills base required for the alternative role, you should be prioritised over other external candidates. You can find out more about redeploying through the government information service Direct Gov.
If it is unlikely that you will survive the current wave of redundancies, knowing where to get sound advice is the next best thing and may lead to an alternative and interesting future.
Many of the necessary skills for public sector jobs are highly transferrable and a careers adviser should be able to assess your situation and research alternative careers and opportunities for you. They can help you recognise your skills and work out how to transfer them to a different role, whether similar to your existing job or something completely different. The Next Step careers service offers free advice.
Cathy Lindsay-Carl is a careers adviser for Asset Skills, the sector skills council for housing, property, planning, cleaning and facilities management.
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