Ahmed, Corporate

“The Department understands that you are a graduate and teaches you to grow into a role while at the same time providing you with the experience and knowledge that will allow you to progress further along your career in years to come. The satisfaction of being an APS graduate is doing something that is very meaningful and working hard in a worthwhile cause while still having the time to enjoy life itself.

The learning and development program was very helpful in the general scheme of things to have a wide variety of courses that allowed graduates to develop themselves in many different skill sets and discover what they would prefer doing in the future.

I greatly valued the opportunities of being trusted with meaningful work and at the same time being able to work alongside very experienced and skilled people, who personified the spirit of the APS to the fullest by working hard but also living life to the fullest.”

Leigh, 26, Schools

“Undertaking a Graduate Program is a fantastic opportunity to not only develop a range of different skills, but also to experience various aspects of an organisation in a supportive and friendly environment. It allows you to better understand your likes and dislikes, as well as your strengths and the areas that need improving. One of the best aspects of doing the DEEWR Graduate Program is knowing that you have a network of colleagues in a similar position as you, and you can draw from this network in times of need.

Undertaking the learning and development courses provided by the department helped me to develop a range of transferable and specific skills that I can utilise in my current position. Taking part in these learning and development courses is a fantastic way to gain the experience and skills necessary to progress your career. 

The Graduate Program has been a fantastic introduction to working in DEEWR and the public service. The friendships and networks I have formed will aid me in my future career endeavours. The knowledge and skills I have obtained will also help guide me in my career path and will serve me well in future job opportunities.”

Tanbir, Corporate

“As a fresh graduate of University, I didn’t have work experience. The DEEWR Graduate Program gave me the opportunity to learn from scratch. I learned about work behaviours, working in a team, taking a leadership role and lots of on the job training which is exactly what I need when I completed university.

I thought the graduate program was totally designed to give us the opportunities to see things in a bigger picture. It really helped me to decide where I wanted to go and now, every day I feel like I am just one step closer to my future goal. The Graduate Program didn’t only help me to direct my career but also made me a true professional, a leader and a better person.

Having a couple of rotations during the Graduate Program was really significant to me. I got to work with few different teams, more people and different challenges. Finally, at the end of my both rotations, I could work on what I am interested in. That was just an absolute added value for me.”

Pritanjali, 24, Corporate

“Sometimes after university, you’re still not entirely sure about what you want to specialise in (in your field of study). The DEEWR Graduate Program allows flexibility and rotations throughout different areas of the organisation, allowing you to gain a wide range of knowledge and experience across different areas.

The Learning and Development opportunities provided on the Graduate Program were valuable in providing an introduction to the Department. These are opportunities that may not arise as a normal employee due to business requirements, so being able to attend different courses was a bonus.

So many Executive level staff started off as Graduates which shows the benefits are endless! I have already had career opportunities as a result of completing the Program, so I’m confident in knowing that having knowledge from the very bottom levels takes you a long way up.”

Kate, 23, Employment

“The DEEWR Graduate Program gave me the opportunity to apply my knowledge and skills to a professional policy-oriented working environment. You get additional support from the coordinators of the program and the other graduates as you go through your year of new experiences, hard work and a great deal of change.

The training that I was given through the DEEWR Graduate Program gave me a great deal of information that I needed to better understand the workings of the Department and the public service more broadly. The experience in my rotations allowed me to do very different, but equally rewarding, work. The people I have met throughout the Graduate Program- fellow graduates and other work colleagues- have been important contacts and sources of information and advice. The knowledge and experiences that I have gained will continue to help me develop myself and my career in ways that, I’m sure, I’m yet to realise.

In my rotations, I have been lucky enough to do a variety of work. I was lucky enough to organise and travel to various locations around Australia interviewing stakeholders (e.g. jobseekers, employers, employment services providers, local governments, etc) affected by DEEWR programs. The fieldwork is currently being used to evaluate programs that were introduced by DEEWR in response to the deteriorating economic conditions brought about by the Global Recession.”

Rawdon, 36, Strategy

“Although I finished my undergraduate degree in 1999, I chose to enter the APS via the Graduate Program. I believed the graduate program would allow me to develop further reaching relations across the department to allow me to make a more informed decision at the conclusion of the program with respect to the area I would best be suited to.

The learning and development opportunities provide graduates with explicit instruction in the skills necessary for day-to-day work in the APS, as well as the behaviours that are expected of APS employees at all times. The learning and development emphasis is both a crucial component in understanding why we as members of the APS do what we do, and how we do it.

I have come to know many of my fellow graduates over the course of the program, and this has helped me develop a holistic concept of DEEWR which is important for grasping the interrelatedness of one’s work as a member of a team, the work of one’s branch, and so on up to the level of the department’s current strategic plan. This not only benefits the department, it provides context to one’s work, thereby rendering it more meaningful.”