Rise — emerging leaders internal talent scheme

Rise is a 12-month leadership development scheme for colleagues in the grade Admin Assistant (AA), Administrative Officer (AO) and Executive Officer (EO), who are looking to build a strong foundation in leadership skills or aspiring to progress to the next level.

Rise will help you to develop the core skills, tools, and techniques to take control of your career. It will also aid in building a strong understanding of the fundamentals of management and leadership.

Laura Hall is an MOD employee who successfully applied to join Rise and wrote about her experience which was published on the scheme’s internal website.

Why did you join?

I joined the RISE Talent Scheme as I was new to MOD and was keen to network and gain a broader understanding of others’ roles and contributions to the wider MOD. I knew that I wanted to progress into management and wanted to learn the skills needed to effectively manage a team whilst meeting others who were in a similar position to my myself. The RISE Scheme was also an opportunity to develop my confidence and self-awareness which would guide me in achieving my career aspirations.

What have you got up to on the scheme?

After being successful in applying for the RISE Scheme, I was invited to the RISE Launch Event at MOD Main Building where I met with my cohort and carried out team building activities which was followed by inspiring talks from Permanent Secretary David Williams and Civilian HR Director Vicky Smith.

During the first 4 months of the scheme, I completed the Management Fundamentals course via the Government Campus. This consisted of attending online workshops with my cohort and completing workbook activities on modules such as Leading a Team, Communicating Purposefully, Managing Performance and Problem Solving.

Throughout the scheme, I have attended a range of online talks on subjects such as ‘Barriers to Female Leadership’, ‘Ministers and Parliament Sessions’ and ‘Emotional Intelligence’. I have had the opportunity to network with my cohort peers via Action Learning Sets and Peer Learning Groups to share experiences and support at each stage.

I am currently at the 6-month project stage of the RISE scheme which is allowing me to use my newfound skills and knowledge to lead a project outside of my everyday role and demonstrate Civil Service behaviours which will further support me with my career progression.

What have you got out of the scheme?

Since being on the RISE Scheme, I have changed roles and taken a promotion to Higher Executive Officer (HEO). In my new role, I have become a line manager and have been able to put the knowledge and skills that I’ve learnt on the scheme into practice to allow me to support and lead my team members. I have found the ‘Insights Discovery’ workshop particularly helpful in developing my self-awareness and improving my interpersonal skills by understanding different personality types. The RISE Scheme has enabled me to meet individuals who I would never usually cross paths with and learn about roles within MOD that I previously had little knowledge about.

What are you hoping to go on to achieve?

I am looking forward to completing the RISE Scheme and attending MOD Main Building to celebrate my cohort’s successes over the past year. After the RISE Scheme, I will continue to use the skills learnt in my role and empower my own team to take up opportunities that arise.