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ACT Government

3.9
  • 1,000 - 50,000 employees

ACT Government Graduate Programs & Internships

  • Government & Public Service

Apply for the 2025 ACT Public Service Graduate Program today! 

Be part of something bigger and turn your ambition into action. 

The ACT Public Service is a professional, diverse and progressive organisation. Our work directly serves the needs of the Canberra community. Working with us, you can make a difference to people’s lives every day. 

Join our 2025 ACT Public Service Graduate Program and we can support you to develop skills, knowledge and networks to build an exciting and rewarding career.

We offer you:

  • A competitive salary (starting at $84,061) and accelerated opportunity for promotion. 
  • 10-month development program, including role rotations, designed to support you to establish and grow your career in the ACT Public Service. 
  • Flexible work arrangements and a healthy work/life balance.
  • Financial support for relocation to Canberra to join the ACT Public Service.

An unrivalled range of career paths, including but not limited to:

  • Finance and Commerce
  • HR and Business
  • Engineering
  • Environmental Science
  • ICT
  • Legal Policy (non-practicing roles)
  • Arts and Humanities

2025 ACT Public Service Graduate Program Eligibility - You must:

  1. Be an Australian or New Zealand citizen or currently hold Australian Permanent Residency, 
  2. Have completed a tertiary qualification in the past five years, and
  3. Be available to commence with the Program in early February 2025.

ACT Public Service is an inclusion focussed employer:

The ACT Public Service actively supports workforce diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive workplace. As part of this commitment, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, neurodiverse people, culturally diverse people and those who identify as LGBTQIA+ are encouraged to apply. 

Recruitment Process

Candidates will undergo a  range of assessment for the 2025 ACT Public Service Graduate Program. All assessment is designed and developed to assess candidate's alignment with the ACT Public Service (ACTPS) Values and Behaviours and our ACTPS Shared Capability Framework. All our assessment is virtual, including our Assessment Centres!

Applications for the 2025 program are open now and will close Sunday 28 April 2024 at 11:59 AEDT. 

Our process includes:

  • Video pitch.
  • Shortlisting and matching of your qualifications, skills and experiences to the needs of the ACTPS
  • If successful, progression to a written assessment.
  • If successful, progressions through to the Virtual Assessment Centre (VAC).
  • At the VAC, a panel of three ACT Government employees will assess you against a series of activities.

During the VAC you should anticipate behavioural or evidence-based questions, practical exercises (eg aptitude test, situational role-plays, written exams). Evidence-based questions usually aim to gather concrete and specific information about you and usually start with the following phrases:

  • Describe a time when you...
  • How did you...
  • Give a recent example of...

Australian citizens, Australian permanent residents and New Zealand Citizens can participate in the ACT Public Service Graduate Program.

Note that a New Zealand citizen who resides in Australia and holds a Special Category temporary residence visa (SCV) under the Commonwealth Migration Act 1958 is treated as a permanent resident of Australia for the purpose of assessing that person's eligibility to be employed by the ACT Government but does not affect a person's residency status in relation to any other federal, state or territory law. 

Remuneration & Career Growth

The 2025 ACT Government Graduate Program offers a starting salary of $84,061 per annum plus superannuation. On successful completion of the program, graduates are promoted to an ASO5 (or equivalent) Classification on a salary of $93,784 per annum plus superannuation.

ACT Government employees are entitled to various types of leave including four weeks of annual leave and 3.6 weeks of personal leave per annum. Employees can also use compassion, Defence reserve, community service, maternity, bonding and parental leave.

Under ACTPS Enterprise Agreements, graduates may be eligible to receive reimbursement for reasonable costs associated with relocating to the ACT. For further information take a look at the Agreement or speak with the ACTPS Graduate Program Manager about reasonable relocation costs and what is required to access this entitlement.

Graduate Reviews

Overall Score
4.1
Overall score based on 43 reviews
They Score Best in…
8.8
Work Hours
8.5
Management
8.5
Salary
8.4
Diversity
What Graduates Say About Them
  • Flexible work arrangements, interesting work, good workplace culture, ability to try different roles within a short timeframe.
  • The values of the government permeate entirely through, leading to conditions, environments, and working relationships that are respectful, supportive, and purpose driven. Flexible working arrangements including time and place. Strong opportunities for professional development and career growth.
  • Progressive and dynamic culture. WFH flexibility. Training experiences. Cultural experiences.
  • The rotation structure has absolutely worked in my favour and to my benefit. I have enjoyed the range of experiences that I have had a chance to be involved in. It has allowed me to think about future career movements and areas of Government that I would consider working in.
  • Welcoming and respectful environment.
  • Not having much say about the roles we are placed in during the graduate program having to do 3 PDPs in each role (3 months), and doing 3 rotations.
  • Having to pay for parking in order to attend work. It’s basically a pay cut.
  • Limited progress on your career path due to the diversity of the Graduate Program, but this could be beneficial as well.
  • Lack of clear and consistent procedures on how to complete work, timesheets and breaks.
  • Sometimes team members not going to office often to meet.

Jobs & Opportunities

Locations With Jobs & Opportunities
  • Canberra
Hiring candidates with qualifications in
B
Business & Management
C
Creative Arts
E
Engineering & Mathematics
F
Food, Hospitality & Personal Services
H
Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences
I
IT & Computer Science
L
Law, Legal Studies & Justice
M
Medical & Health Sciences
P
Property & Built Environment
S
Sciences

Graduate Success Stories


  • Graduate stories
Rachel Bernabe studied a Bachelor of Communication in Public Relations and Bachelor of Event and Tourism Management at the University of Canberra and is now a Content Marketing Officer, VisitCanberra at ACT Government.

Rachel Bernabe

  • Graduate stories
Ashleigh Cockburn studied a Bachelor of Social Science at the University of Waikato and is now a Policy & Programs Officer at ACT Government.

Ashleigh Cockburn


A Day In The Life Of


  • Day in the life

Rachel Bernabe

Rachel Bernabe studied a Bachelor of Communication in Public Relations and Bachelor of Event and Tourism Management at the University of Canberra and is now a Content Marketing Officer, VisitCanberra at ACT Government.
  • Day in the life

Alannah Freeman

Wherever we go we always have to check in either with the landholders or park rangers. This helps us build relationships with other land managers and also keeps us safe since they know where we are in case of an accident.

Videos


ACT Public Service Live Q&A 2022

Watch this live Q&A to see the ACT Public Service team answer your burning questions about their graduate program.

ACTPS Graduate Program

The ACT Public Service is a unique organisation where your work makes a difference in the landscape and community around you.

Advice


Any there any tips for the ACT Government graduate program virtual assessments?

Arrive early, be prepared, be yourself & dress properly.

What are the citizenship requirements for the ACT Government graduate program?

You must be an Australian citizen, permanent resident or a New Zealand citizen to apply for the ACT Government graduate program.