Debate contribution: Civil Service: Vacancies

Debate contribution by Ms Cara Hunter on 24 February 2026.

MLA: Ms Cara Hunter
Party at the time: Social Democratic and Labour Party
Date: 24 February 2026
Type: Debate contribution
Business: Oral Answers to Questions
Heading: Civil Service: Vacancies
Assembly identifier: Official Report component 5404299

Text

Minister, in America, the state of Pennsylvania ran a successful pilot of the removal of university degrees from the essential requirements of 90% of civil service job applications. Currently, it takes up to 11 months to fill a Civil Service vacancy here, and many people without degrees feel left behind and frozen out of such opportunities. Would it not be fairer and wiser to explore doing the same thing here?

70 words. Text as published by the Northern Ireland Assembly.

Part of an exchange

This follow-up belongs to: Oral question AQO 3171/22-27.

Assessment

Not analysed

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