Originally Posted by Unregistered

Just to allow for an alternative perspective - I was in a SB's Policy Division when I first graduated from college, and it is not true that fresh hires will be stuck in secretariat-like work. No doubt as a fresh hire one would have to take the initiative for such work, but I also had the chance to partake in actual work such as the drafting of papers. Policy work has a lot to do with writing, and such work can go back and forth between divisions within the SB itself or other agencies. For instance, amendment to a single clause in an Act would require ample input from various divisions and agencies, justification and clearance in a form of a paper. You also have to be comfortable defending views from other divisions and agencies. Such papers more often than not also require multiple amendments. Sounds tedious, but it makes sense. It is ludicrous to think that refinement of policies can be done in a jiffy - such is the nature of Policy work in civil service

But I digress.

I cannot speak for ministries, but what I can share from my experience in a SB that fresh hires do get exposure to actual work in Policy. It is not just the arrangement of meetings and minute-taking. And while the experience in Policy might not be that transferable outside of CS, it is valuable within the CS. Colleagues in Policy have ample opportunities to be seconded to other agencies. Likewise, large corporations sometimes have divisions that specialize in maintaining relations and etc. with the government. That remains an option for individuals in Policy as well.

Hope this helps others who are thinking of a career in Policy or related divisions within the CS.