Career Prospects at ACT Government

The professional development process Argon is very well documented, with clear objectives and qualities that each role should be achieving and displaying. It is easy to understand what is expected of each role and how you progress to the next level. You also have a dedicated professional development manager, who is supposed to help you manage your progress and meet your career goals.

Unable to really comment on this, but the graduate program offers a permanent position upon completion, which also moves grads from an ASO4 to an ASO5 role.

N/A. None have arisen yet.

When we finish our graduate program, we gain a promotion to the next pay grade (ASO5). Based on my observations, it is not difficult to move into temporary roles within the ACT Government that are at a higher pay grade.

It takes hard work, commitment, and the right attitude.

I get the sense that promotion is readily achievable within the organisation.

At the end of the Graduate Program, following satisfactory completion of the learning and development program and all rotation work requirements I will be promoted to the Administrative Services Officer Class 5 or equivalent. Opportunities seem to be available post-graduate program for acting and temporary positions and further promotion and career progression.

I think I will not have a difficult time progressing up as a public servant.

I can't speak too much about this yet because I'm in my first year of a grad program, however: Very good. Endless and varied opportunity.

In the grad program, I will be promoted at the end of the year which is agreed to prior to commencing. This is really reassuring and makes me feel valued in the workplace already. I have also witnessed a lot of career opportunities (both in regards to promotion opportunities and different work spaces that I may want to pursue) which I want to utilise in future.

Having entered as a graduate I feel now it is impossible to jump levels in promotion to suit what you bring to the ACTPS. I changed careers through a second degree later in life and the only way into the field is through a graduate program, yet I am stereotyped to be a person who just left university and has no clue about anything. I see this with other graduates also. Some bring a wealth of prior knowledge and experience (including being a supervisor/manager) from both life and previous careers, and yet are treated poorly and given mundane unrelated work. It is low in capacity and low in quantity. It devalues the worker. I feel there needs to be an understanding of the graduate before they are placed in a rotation, or even at a level 4 admin. One supervisor refused to give work unless it was level 4 work, another supervisor said you can work at a SOGC level but won't be paid for it, and another just gave both and never said anything. People have suggested to only apply for AO6 roles, because you haven't been in government long enough. Promotion seems opportunistic and based on who you know, what you know and how well you can conform to the cultural mindset of that directorate.

No comments, as I am still in a grad position.

Have some internal opportunities.

From what I have been told by colleagues, there are plenty of opportunities that present themselves to receive a promotion. However, in a lot of areas, in order to get promoted, you will have to move to a different area/team in order to move up.

They really encourage secondments / learning opportunities, leading projects / having ownership over tasks, and applying for promotions (providing resource for interviews and writing applications), women's mentorship program etc.

Promotion opportunities look to be good, and regular. Moving up the ranks seems like a straight forward process.

I can't really speak to this yet. But I feel equipped to. I don't know my prospects or how easy it is to but I will be sure to have the conversation.

Given that I am in a role, in a directorate, that is very different to what I was qualified for along with having a very different skill set and different ideas about where I would like my career to go, I am very unhappy with the role I have been placed in. Environmental roles advertised should also be under the policy and cabinet, which is where most of the environmental roles in EPSDD are currently classified under. Infrastructure should mostly be classified under engineering. Those with an environmental background do not have engineering skills and knowledge to perform the roles they were given, including myself.

Haven't been in that process, maybe later.

As a graduate it a great place to be. In future, there is great opportunity to rise, given the right trainings and professional supports.