Human resources workers within the public sector play a key role in organisations and institutions with large staff numbers, such as the NHS, education establishments, local councils and central Government.

HR officers, managers, consultants, advisers, recruitment specialists, are the workforce heartbeat of authorities up and down the country and there is a high demand for skilled and competent staff members sought by recruitment agencies.

The sector covers a wide range of ranked job roles, with salaries ranging to reflect this. Administration jobs can have starting salaries of £15,000 while more senior workers can earn up to £50,000 and beyond, depending on the sector and responsibilities.

For example a vast NHS hospital will require a large taskforce for managing its many personnel, while a low populated local authority may not need quite as many staff members within its HR department.

Employees within this sector gain HR qualifications approved by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, which takes them towards management level, while some have degrees and post-grad exams.

Employment in this sector can be challenging at times, especially when issues arise within organisations such as staffing problems and disputes. In these difficult economic times, the public sector can require a robust and proficient HR workforce for this reason.