The Australian Public Service (APS) provides a wealth of career, graduate, and entry-level positions for students. There are numerous ways to kickstart your career in the APS. Here is a handy guide that provides advice, including testimonials from students that have secured APS jobs. 

What career opportunities are there in the APS? 

There are a wide range of career opportunities in public service, including in industries that provide service delivery, policy, corporate services such as information technology, human resources, records management, accounts processing and ministerial and parliamentary processes, technical and professional jobs such as lawyers, journalists, accountants, scientists, engineers, librarians, inspectors and economists, and project and administrative support roles. A list of government departments and agencies can be found here. 

What are the benefits of working in the APS?

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, there are 2.4 million public sector employees nationwide across federal, state and local governments. This figure is rising each year. There are many benefits of working in the APS, including job security, a work-life balance, competitive salaries and training and development. The APS offers full-time or part-time jobs, either on a non-ongoing (temporary) or ongoing (permanent) basis. Some jobs are offered on an irregular or intermittent (casual) basis.  

What are the different ways you can begin your career in the APS?

Here are the different ways in which you can begin your career as a student or graduate in the APS depending on your circumstances.

School Leaver Programs

High School graduates can apply for the Australian Government School Leaver Program, which provides full-time employment in a government department or agency, a competitive salary, paid holidays and superannuation. The program also involves studying for a Certificate IV in Government or Human Resources. After successfully completing the 12-month program, graduates have the opportunity to advance to the APS level 2. Applications are typically open mid-year for commencement in the following year. 

Cadetships

Cadetships are catered to university students studying full-time and involve work placements during study breaks. There is typically some form of financial assistance provided. 

Internships

Internships involve part-time or study break work placements, typically in the final year of study. They do not involve financial assistance.

Graduate Programs

Graduate programs span one year and consist of the agency providing training and professional development to recent graduates. Ongoing employment is provided upon satisfactory competition. 

Vacancies

APS vacancies are advertised in a weekly electronic publication known as the APS Employment Gazette. However, job-searching in this way can be quite overwhelming as the gazette is often hundreds of pages long. So, before beginning your job search, it is worthwhile thinking about why you want to work in public service, what agency you would prefer to work in and what type of work you would like to do. This can help narrow your search and avoid rifling through hundreds of job listings. 

Where else can you find APS Jobs?

APS jobs are advertised on the individual government department or agency websites, so if you have a particular sector of interest, begin your search here. You can also narrow your search by looking at APS Jobs, filtering results by department/agency, classification and location. The Career Pathfinder is also a useful tool that matches roles with your individual skills and interests.

Many departments and agencies have a non-ongoing/temporary employment register located on their website that people can apply to which is then used to fill short-term and short notice vacancies. 

You can also find them right here on GradConnection! Here are just some of the APS employers we have on our site:

• Australian Government Graduate Program
• Australian Taxation Office
• Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
• Department of the Treasury
• Department of Education - Victoria
• NSW Government
• Victorian Government

What does Career Progression in the APS look like?

The APS also has Work Level Standards classifications that differentiate between the responsibilities and duties of employees. APS Level 1 and 2 are entry-level positions that mainly consist of clerical work. APS Level 3 requires some prior administrative experience, while APS Level 4 is the starting point for a university graduate. More detailed information about leadership and accountability, independence and decision-making capabilities, stakeholder management, service delivery, program and project management, and technical functions for each level can be found here.

What are the eligibility requirements to work in the APS?

To be eligible, most positions require Australian citizenship. Some job openings are restricted to existing APS employees. Employees are also sometimes required to hold security clearances. 

The APS also has vacancies that particularly encourage recruitment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and people with a disability. 

What do current APS grads have to say?

Amy* (Messengerial Attendant): 

I got my job through a program that the Department of the House of Representatives runs specifically for university students. This meant I wasn’t competing with graduates or people with more experience, and also meant the role was only part-time to fit around my studies. There are other programs like this, you just have to look for them. They are often pretty low in the APS levels, but they are a great way to get your foot in the door. Some departments also offer cadetships, which means they will help pay for your studies.

Another thing I would recommend to begin in the public service as a university student is to sign up for employment registers. Each department has one of these, and when they have particularly large projects or need someone on a casual or part-time basis, they often draw from the employment register. I have had several friends get a part-time job in the APS through an employment register.

Sarah* (Data and database officer in a governance and value stream delivery section):

Someone I had worked with briefly in the past recommended me for the job to their supervisor. Then, I had an interview for the role. It was a bit more of an unorthodox way into the APS. 

* pseudonyms used