Associate Programme
Become an Associate
Step into public sector placemaking—bring your expertise to create lasting, impactful change to communities across England.
Why become an Associate?
Employment
Secure a public sector job
Receive a minimum 12-month employment contract of between £30-55k, with a forward-thinking Authority
Community
Join a cohort
Transition into a public sector career alongside like-minded professionals, all passionate about making better places
Support
Receive training
Gain valuable training on the essentials of working in local government through our Associate Course.
Our Associate Programme supports built environment professionals looking to gain career experience working in the public sector.
In a world facing climate change, economic instability, and social injustice, the need for people to use their skills towards shaping better places is stronger than ever.
However, it also presents a challenge. Change has to happen from within the system, but working within the system can be tough, whether facing financial constraints, changing politics, or technical barriers. It needs people who know when to follow the rules and when they need to be redesigned.
The Associate Programme is designed for built environment professionals looking to transition into the public sector and use their skills for the public good.
What's included?
What our Associates have said
Testimonial
Joining the Associate Programme was the best professional decision I've made...I've learned so much more than I would have in the private sector
Andrej Mecava, Spring 2022 Associate
Testimonial
Had I applied for a public sector role as an individual rather than through Public Practice, I would have had serious imposter syndrome
Lauren Shevills, Spring 2022 Associate
Testimonial
Being part of Public Practice has not only put my skills to better use, it has made me feel like a better citizen
Tilly Ford, Spring 2020 Associate
Testimonial
My experience in the private sector might not have opened a door for me in the public sector without Public Practice
Mark Stancombe, Autumn 2022 Associate
Who can become an Associate?
We’re looking for motivated built environment professionals who are committed to making a positive social impact through public service.
Ideal candidates have strong civic responsibility, adapt well to change, and thrive in collaborative environments. They are ready to navigate the unique challenges of public practice.
In addition to being aligned with our values, to be eligible to become an Associate, you must:
- Have the right to work in the UK
- Be able to commit to an employment contract for a minimum of 12 months
- Can commit to a job located in England
- Be willing to accept a salary of £30,000 – £55,000 per annum
- Have at least three years of built environment experience in one of our eight disciplines. Although we have no fixed requirements regarding your qualifications or age, you must have at least three years' experience in one of these disciplines.
How do I become an Associate?
Through completing our assessment process, we get to know each candidate and match them to a relevant local authority job as they become available.
Our application process identifies your strengths and readiness for public service through a series of tailored assessments. This includes evaluating your motivation, relevant attributes, and placemaking expertise.
Once we have a role that we believe is a good fit, you complete an interview with the Authority and if successful, secure the job contract and join a Cohort and training programme.
Below is an overview of how the process works; we've also written a short article titled 'How does someone become an Associate?' explaining it in more detail.
Step 1
Submit an application
We open for applications twice a year (see our Calendar for these dates). Completing the application involves answering questions and submitting materials.
Step 2
Pass our assessments
If your application is successful, you will be invited to take part in several online assessments within a specific time frame. Usually a few weeks after our application window has closed.
Step 3
Join our Candidate Pool
If you meet our requirements after all assessments, you will join our pool of candidates and be considered for any suitable roles we receive in the coming year(s).
Step 4
Interview with Authority
You will be invited to an interview if a suitable role becomes available that we believe would be a good fit for you.
This final assessment will vary depending on the role and the Authority and is often online. During this interview, you will also have the opportunity to ask more questions about the role directly to the Authority.
Step 5
Confirm contracts
If you and the Authority are happy to proceed, you will confirm contracts and conduct the Authorities onboarding processes.
You will be directly employed by the Authority.
Step 6
Start in post
You will start your new job as soon as is feasible and join the next upcoming Cohort and Associate Course.
Watch our Associates talk about their career journey
Apply
We accept applications to become an Associate twice a year, once over the winter and once in the summer. To be the first to hear when applications open sign-up to our public newsletter.
We are now open for applications.
To apply, you’ll need to complete an online application, which we recommend submitting at least a few days before the deadline (6 January). You can always return and update your responses.
Preparing your application may take between an hour to a couple of hours depending on how readily you can access and provide the application materials.
If you cannot submit the application using the online form for accessibility reasons, you can submit it in an alternative format—please email us or call 020 3740 1233 to discuss your needs.
CV
Your CV should NOT include personal information such as your date of birth or a photo of yourself. We've created a simple CV template on Google Docs that you can download and edit if you don't already have one.
Please save your CV as your "fullname_CV" e.g. JessLittlewood_CV
Right to work
We ask for applicants to upload either a valid copy of their passport or proof of right to work in the UK.
Work Sample
We ask applicants to provide an example of their work linked to their professional background. You will need to provide a project title, dates, project image, and a 100-word description that specifically talks about your role in the project and what skills this project demonstrates you have. You can write in paragraphs or bullet points.
This work sample will be used to check you are suitable for the programme, so please be clear about your specific involvement in the project.
Answer to three questions
Please take your time when answering the application questions and ensure you answer the specific questions being asked. You will have 100-250 words per answer, which you can write in bullet points if you prefer. Answers under 100 words will be disqualified, and any word beyond the 250 limit will not be scored; any hyperlinks provided will not be clicked on or viewed either.
Our assessors will score your answers anonymously. They adhere to a clear set of marking criteria and will not see any other information submitted in your application form. We want to know your motivations and opinions for applying, so please make your answers as authentic as possible.
At the end of the application questions, please confirm that the answers are yours. Attempts to copy answers from other sources will be flagged for plagiarism.
Personal Information
We ask for both employment and job preference data in one of the online tabs, as well as two further tabs of data, one for diversity tracking and the other for our impact tracking.
Applications are open and close on 6 January
Applications opened on 26 November and will close on 6 January 2025, 10 am GMT. Click on the link below to begin your application.
