Wannabe 007s can have a spy profession like James Bond – even when they fail exams

Wannabe James Bond types can still have a career as a spy if they flunk their exams.

Secret security chiefs at MI5 will consider school leavers with just one GCSE – as long as it is in English and it’s a grade 4 or above. Spymasters are hoping to recruit dozens of new spooks on a starting salary of £32,000 for a special role.

The job is as a Foundation Analyst which involves examining data like video and audio files to look for threats. New recruits will be tasked with poring over intelligence “to put your natural curiosity and problem-solving skills to use.”

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MI5 want rookies to “help us to unravel the information that helps protect national security” from potential state enemies to see if they are linked to terrorists, extremists or organised crime gangs.

The move marks a change from previous MI5 recruitment which normally demands applicants to have a top university degree.

In the past the majority of graduates joining the security services were selected from Oxford and Cambridge.

But now the intelligence agency wants to increase diversity and recruit individuals who might offer different skillsets even if they are not academic.

Streetwise spooks could potentially move into other areas of the organisation’s work such as agent handling and intelligence.

Successful applicants will still have to pass a standard rigorous selection process where their background will be subjected to careful vetting.

That is to ensure they have no links to terrorists or criminal groups or whether they have any weakness that could be exploited by foreign agents.

The move has been seen as less like Rowan Atkinson’s spoof secret agent character Johnny English and more akin to hit Apple TV drama Slow Horses.

Starring Oscar winner Gary Oldman, it focuses on a unit of quirky spies from all sorts of background who show they are capable of pulling off missions.

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.”

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