Join a profession
Grow your skills, progress your career and build your network.
A professional community
“Engaging with the Grants community has been hugely beneficial for me. Their expertise has helped me bridge the gap between my commercial background and the specific challenges of managing government grants, while also giving me the chance to share my own insights, and ask them lots of questions!”
Florence West, Grants Profession.
Government professions are groups of people who share common skills, expertise, and knowledge across departments and agencies. They’re more than just networks – they’re professional communities that support your training and development, help you excel in your role, and connect you with colleagues who understand your work and its challenges.
Being part of a government profession is an important part of every civil servant’s career journey. Wherever you work, whatever you do, there’s a Civil Service profession waiting to welcome you and help you develop. There are 32 different professions in the Civil Service, from Project Delivery to Science and Engineering.
Our Join a profession initiative helps civil servants find their professional home in the Civil Service. We all have at least one profession that supports us in our role or interests — subscribe to our newsletter to learn more.
Which government profession am I in?
Every civil servant is a member of at least one profession, and you can be a member of more than one depending on your role. Some professions need a qualification to join but several are open to all. Civil servants can use this page to join one of the 32 government professions available to them. It’s easy to do and helps you in your career.
Line manager’s guide to conversations about professions
Are you a line manager? Find out how you can support your staff in engaging with their professions with our line manager’s guide.
How to join a government profession
Choose a profession from the links below to find out how to connect. If you feel a profession is a good fit, then follow the professions’ instructions to sign up.
Government professions with open membership
These professions are open to all colleagues whose work fits with the professions’ aims.
*links to Government Finance portal
Government professions with membership requirements
These professions may require you to work in a specific role or have a specific qualification in order to join them.
Some professions with membership requirements offer general information for non-members who understand more about how they work and the standards they adhere to.
See all government professions with membership requirements
If you’re still unsure about which profession is right for you, please try our professions matching tool. It’s still in development, so this is an early access version.
Questions about professions?
What is a profession?
A profession is a group of people with common skills, knowledge and expertise who work across government on behalf of departments, agencies and functions. There are currently 31 Professions, sometimes split into four broad groupings: Operational Delivery, Policy, Functional professions, and Specialist professions.
What is the difference between a profession and a function?
A profession focuses on developing specialist skills, knowledge, and career pathways for people, while a function is a grouping of work aligned across government that sets strategies, standards, and delivers services.
How do I benefit from joining a profession?
Benefits include access to specialised learning developed and approved by the profession, defined career pathways, specialist networks, professional development opportunities, and career progression support.
Do I have to join a profession?
Every civil servant should be part of a profession to help you develop your professional knowledge, skills, learning and career development.
Is there a profession for everyone?
Yes, there is a relevant profession for every role in the Civil Service. You are able to join more than one profession if that best suits your role or career aspirations.
Helpful information
Link to Professions guidance page
Link to Civil Service Professions page
Link to Specialist Skills Guide
Link to Government Campus Prospectus Online
Link to Join a profession articles on A Modern Civil Service Blog