Driving the month: delays, data, and document deadlines
A month of movement and one major pause. There's been a long-awaited refresh of the upcoming competitions calendar. One major competition is now officially delayed, another is launching in mid-November, and elsewhere, candidates are either uploading documents or still waiting to hear what’s next.
AD5 Generalist becomes Graduate, but don’t overthink it. EPSO confirmed that the AD5 Graduate Administrators competition is now scheduled to open for applications in early 2026. While the terminology change from “Generalist” to “Graduate” caused a ripple of confusion, nothing has actually changed. It’s still the same competition aimed at entry-level administrators. A university degree is required, but no professional experience. In fact, the “Graduate” title was also used back in 2019, so no need to read too much into it. What’s clear is that EPSO plans to launch this one with its new testing provider, Open Assessment Technologies, and the upgraded IT platform.
Data specialists, Luxembourg is calling. A new competition for Experts in the field of data management and data knowledge (AD7) will open for applications on 11 November. These roles are based in Luxembourg, and while the field of data is broad, the Notice of Competition will provide more detail on exactly what profiles are being sought. As usual, András Baneth will host an info webcast on 12 November to walk candidates through the NoC and answer questions. Worth tuning in, especially if you’re a data-driven type.
Communication AST3s, you’re up. Candidates for the AST3 Communication competition sat their tests on 29 October. The next step is to upload supporting documents by 14 November. This includes diplomas, work certificates and anything else needed to prove you meet the eligibility requirements. Time to dig through your archives if you haven’t already.
Building specialists: still waiting on blueprints. The Building management specialists competition, covering four different profiles, closed for applications on 17 October, and things have gone quiet since. EPSO has yet to announce how many candidates applied per profile or when the tests will take place. While we wouldn’t expect a test before Christmas, stranger things have happened, so keep an eye on your inbox.
CAST continues, but dates are thinning out. The next CAST Reasoning Skills test date is set for 19 November, and beyond that… nothing. EPSO hasn’t published any additional dates, which is unusual given that these tests are typically held monthly. For those preparing, EU Training is running a full-day reasoning skills workshop on 8 November, perfect timing to sharpen your approach before test day. Fingers crossed EPSO updates the calendar soon.
Questions? We've got answers. If you’ve got questions about anything, from the AD5 delay to CAST test prep or what’s really expected in the data competition, join us for our next Ask Me Anything webcast on 13 November. Bring your queries, concerns, or just curiosity. We’ll cover the latest EPSO updates and offer preparation tips live.