Introduction
The Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (DEEWR) is committed to achieving the Australian Government’s goal of ‘Closing the Gap’ in Indigenous disadvantage. With key responsibility for four of the six ‘Closing the Gap’ targets endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments, we are at the forefront of this national priority.
As an employer, DEEWR values the skills, experiences and perspectives of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees, and recognises that their contribution increases the capability of the department to effectively deliver Government policies and programs to the community. We are committed to encouraging the ongoing professional development of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait employees, including participation in Australian Public Service (APS) wide initiatives.
In our Reconciliation Action Plan, we have publically declared our vision to “be a leader in achieving a reconciled Australia, working for and with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples”. This includes a commitment to recruit, retain and develop more Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff and build the capacity of all of our employees to respond effectively to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.
Consistent with these commitments, on behalf of partnering APS agencies, DEEWR is proud to introduce the Indigenous Australian Government Development Program (IAGDP) for 2010.
Background
The IAGDP is based on a program originally developed in 2002 to increase both the number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples within the APS and the number of employees with Contract Management skills. At that time, Contract Management was an identified area of skill shortage within the APS, and therefore represented an excellent field upon which to build career pathways.
Between 2003 and 2007 the program was conducted on four occasions, engaging 121 participants within twelve different APS agencies. During this time, positions were offered in all capital cities as well as a number of regional centres including Alice Springs, Cairns, Geraldton, Orange, Rockhampton, and Townsville.
To learn about the experiences of past participants, please visit our Previous Participants’ Stories page.
Whilst Contract Management continues to be a core skill set within the APS, since 2007 other fields which offer similar sustainable career opportunities have emerged. In response to this, the nature of the Diploma of Government qualification upon which this program is based has been redefined.
In 2010, positions on the IAGDP may focus on the fields of:
- Contract Management
- Project Management
- Community Capacity
More information about the Diploma of Government, including a brief overview of these fields, is contained within the About the Program page.