The writing tests won't stop, especially for internal competitions. I hope the multiple choice insanity that is the PSC/PSRS goes by the wayside.PublicServant wrote: ↑Thanks so much to both of you for responding. A couple of quick comments:
Re: "very specific competencies" --> I wonder if this is in the process of being phased out? For one of those myriad writing tests (I won't say which competition), I was exposed to Blueprint 2020. As part of that initiative, it looks like there's a specific action to mitigate this. From this website:
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Aha -- central vs. core. Looks like I was conflating the two. (Thanks for that!) It looks like the three you mentioned are the only ones that are considered part of the central agencies. I found a couple of interesting links. Here's one from the Library of Parliament in 2009 (er, it also includes the PMO as a central agency, bringing the total to four, but I've seen plenty of other references to just the three you named). Here's another PPT (in the form of a PDF -- I've linked to the cached version, otherwise it would have auto-downloaded upon clicking) in 2015.
I'm likely going to land in the EC classification, so I, too, don't know about classifications like CS or PG.
I wonder if you have any thoughts about folks who start as EC's in the core public admin and move to the a separate agency (into an ES classification) or someone who starts at a separate agency (ES classification) and moves into the core public admin (EC classification). From what you're saying, it sounds like experience at a central agency might help one move to whichever department/agency they wish, but moving into a central agency from another department might be more challenging. Might it be even more challenging for someone coming from a separate agency to a central agency?
As I write this message, I guess what I'm trying to shine a light on is the internal culture around the perceived hierarchy of EC (core) and ES (separate) [Note: I highlight perceived because I vaguely remember there being a discussion on here before about the prestige around working for a central agency and I want to be clear that my perspective about this is more sociological/anthropological -- i.e. I'm just trying to understand the culture to which I'm about to enter and not place any judgment on right/wrong or worse/better]. For the most part, what I've been able to find is similar to what you've said (there's a perceived difference between a central agency and the core public admin for EC's), but I haven't been able to find anything about whether there's another difference when considering ES (separate). The folks I've talked to offline aren't EC's, so they're not entirely sure about any perceived difference and I'm starting to suspect that my lack of ability to find anything about it might point to the fact that I'm looking for something that doesn't exist.
You seem to have a lot of confusion between central agency vs core vs separate agency vs department.
The "core" public administration are the departments found in schedule 1 and IV of the Financial Administration Act. Essentially, they are the departments (GAC, IRCC, Health, PWGSC...). The core public admin also includes Treasury Board and PCO. Central Agencies are Finance, TBS, PCO and PMO. PMO, however, is staffed with political appointments so it is not really part of the public administration. Don't expect to see job openings at PMO: expect them at PCO. Separate Agencies are outlined in schedule V of the FAA. Department has a long definition. What you are thinking, it sounds like, is a line department. Line departments are the main departments of the public administration.
About 5 years ago, the EC classification was created to replace the ES category. The ES category is not a category that has a collective agreement with Treasury Board . Some of the separate agencies' staff have collective agreements with TB and others do not.
If the ES positions are similar to the ones that predate the EC, there would not be too many issues switching between the two. There isn't any hierarchy between the two because they do not coexist, as far as I know.
Central agency experience is definitely highly valued; however, you need to be able to return to the department. For example, an FS cannot work at a central agency and simply decide to work at GAC. There are other parts of the core public admin where the experience is highly valued (OAG, for example)