Graduate Program
Graduate rotations and learning and development
The time you spend in our Graduate Program is designed to give you a taste of different areas of the diverse and busy workplace you will settle into on completion of your graduate year. Our department develops and implements national policy, programs and legislation to protect and conserve Australia's environment and heritage, and to promote a sustainable and water-wise future.
You are offered a year of professional development, delivered through three work rotations of approximately three months, each of which will take place in a different area of the department.
Graduates workshop
About the rotations
The three rotations you will partake in are sourced from the many different sections of the department who have put forwards bids to have a Graduate work with them. Graduates are highly regarded within the department and we usually have more rotation bids than we have graduates.
Each rotation provides an opportunity to gain and develop new skills, and to contribute to the policy, program and corporate aims of the department while letting you see a wide spectrum of the departmental activities.
While you will be in a supportive environment with the help of an experienced team who are committed to your development, the work you do in each rotation is real; with real outcomes and departmental impacts. Our supervisors are encouraged to let their graduates see the work of the Section, the Branch and the whole Division. You may be taken to various meetings in interesting locations as an observer or as a participant.
First rotation placements will be decided before you arrive. We allocate you according to the work that is offered but we take into account your background and your area of study. For the second and third rotations, you will be encouraged to research different areas within the department and select three from those put forward. You are encouraged to work in different Divisions each rotation.
There is also the exciting possibility of work placements outside of the ACT in locations such as:
- The Australian Antarctic Division and National Oceans Office in Tasmania
- Booderee National Park in NSW
- Kakadu National Park in the NT
- The Australian National Botanic Gardens in the ACT
- The Supervising Scientist Division in Darwin.
Learning and Development Program
As a part of our Graduate Program you will partake in an extensive Learning and Development program which includes a mix of on-the-job experience and formal training courses, as outlined below. The aim of these training activities is to complement and expand on the on-the-job training you will receive on a daily basis.
Core training activities:
- Induction: An induction course at the beginning of the program which will introduce you to key staff of the department and the expectations of the program and the Australian Public Service (APS). The induction will also provide a social opportunity for you to liaise with other graduates.
- Core Training: Your core training will be mostly completed during your first rotation. You will be scheduled to attend seminars and workshops focusing on essential public service skills or areas of knowledge. They are likely to include: Negotiation Skills, Business Communication & Influencing, Writing for the APS, APS and Legislative Decision-Making, Project Management, Workplace Diversity, Policy Development.
- Field trip: You will be required to plan a field trip that takes you out of the ACT and into the community to see first hand the issues that the department is or has been involved in. The site visits will enable you to develop skills in project management and expand your knowledge of the work of the department. All graduates are expected to be involved in at least one aspect of the field trip organisation, either through planning, implementation or through the post field trip presentation.
Other development activities:
- Internal Development Opportunities: As a Graduate you will be provided with a number of other learning opportunities to assist with your specific development needs. The department also conducts regular seminars on a variety of topics which Graduates are encouraged to attend where appropriate.
- Mentors: You will also have two senior mentors who will be committed to supporting your development and career.
- Buddying: If you are successful in securing a position with our graduate program, you will be assigned a graduate Buddy from the previous year's intake, who will be available to answer any questions you might have to ease your transition into the department, the APS and Canberra in general.