What this kind of post involves

A permanent post is ongoing employment with no end date, carrying full benefits and, in the public service, a defined salary level with annual notch progression. These are advertised competitively and the selection process is considerably more formal than for programme placements.

How the selection usually runs

Applications are screened against the stated minimum requirements first, mechanically — not meeting one is fatal regardless of the rest of your application.
Shortlisted candidates are interviewed by a panel, and for many posts a competency assessment or practical exercise follows.
Verification of qualifications, criminal record and references happens before an offer, and it is a common point of delay.

What you leave with

Ongoing employment with benefits, and in government a position on a salary scale with a defined progression path.

Where this leads next

Notch progression within your level
Satisfactory annual performance assessment.
The next salary level up
Competing for an advertised post at that level — levels are attached to posts, not to people.
Supervisory or management post
Experience at the level below, plus the qualification the higher post specifies.

A typical route, not a guarantee — progression depends on vacancies, funding and your own performance.

Watch out for this

The screening is mechanical and happens before anyone reads your CV: the advert’s own application instructions are applied as written, and an incomplete or unsigned form is discarded whatever the rest of the application says.