School leavers who did badly in their exams can still have a career as a spy in the secret security services, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.
MI5 is looking for potential spies with just one GCSE, providing the qualification is in English and it’s a grade 4 or above.
Spymasters hope to recruit dozens of school leavers or older adults on a starting salary of £32,000.
The role – called a Foundation Analyst – involves examining data, such as audio files, from potential state enemies to see if they are linked to terrorists, extremists or organised crime gangs.
Most roles within MI5 and the other intelligence agencies usually require applicants to have a top university degree.
And there was once a time when the majority of graduates joining the security service were selected from Oxford and Cambridge.
But now MI5 – currently depicted in hit Apple TV drama Slow Horses, starring Oscar winner Gary Oldman – says it wants to increase diversity and recruit individuals with virtually no academic qualifications.
Those selected could also potentially move into other areas of the organisation’s work such as agent handling and intelligence.
Successful applicants will have to pass a rigorous selection process where their background will be subjected to careful vetting to ensure they have no links to terrorists or criminal groups or whether they could be targeted by foreign agents.
Those selected will complete a three-month training course before joining a four-year programme in which the trainee spies will complete three posts.
The advert says: ‘Whether you’re just starting your career, or looking to change careers, this is an opportunity to put your natural curiosity and problem-solving skills to use, as you help us to unravel the information that helps protect national security.’
Colonel Philip Ingram, a former Army intelligence officer, said: ‘This is a fantastic move.
‘Not everyone matures at the same rate and this will help many who are late developers or neuro-diverse but have the wider skills and potential needed.’