Our Development Programs
Want to make a difference? Defence is seeking graduates from across all academic disciplines to take up the challenge of working for one of Australia's most dynamic organisations, with a mission of national and international significance.
Defence offers civilian staff the opportunity to play a real part in keeping Australia secure, to support intelligence operations nationally and internationally, and to support peace keeping missions overseas. We are one of Australia's largest government departments and as such, we are able to offer rewarding careers across the widest possible spectrum of employment categories. You name it, we do it.
As a civilian Defence Graduate, you will be selected to undertake a development program targeted to suit your knowledge and skills to best prepare you for an exciting and challenging career. Defence offers four development programs from which to choose, these include:
- The DMO Materiel Graduate Scheme
- The Intelligence & Security Development Program
- The Defence Pathways - Graduate Development Program; or
- The Navy Civilian Engineer Development Program
Each program offers differing career development pathways that are either specialist or generalist in nature, comprise rotation placements, internal and external training, and are tailored to suit the needs of both the graduate and the organisation.
The Benefits!
Position type
All of our graduates are employed as permanent full-time employees upon commencement of the program. So once employed, you don't have to worry about competing for a position at the end of the development program.
Ongoing development
A career in the Defence APS will support you from entry and onward as you professionally develop and progress. Our logic is simple - as you grow and develop your skills and experience, so does the contribution you make to corporate and team goals. You will receive training and development specific to your graduate development pathway. Further study is encouraged once you have completed the development program, with a wide range of post graduate university study supported by Defence. We value our employees and place importance on encouraging further career and knowledge development and training through such programs as Studybank and access to degree programs through University of NSW ADFA campus.
Salary
All Development pathways are graded at an APS4 level. This means your starting salary would be $61,694, plus an additional 15.4% employer contribution to superannuation. Depending upon the length of the development program for which you are selected, your salary on completion of the program may be at a higher grade. Defence APS staff are employed under the Defence Enterprise Collective Agreement.
Leave Entitlements
As full-time Defence employees, graduates are offered generous leave entitlements, including 20 days annual leave per year, public holidays, paid Christmas stand-down plus one "unspecified purposes leave day", which we call the DeCA day. It's always nice to have one day up your sleeve when you don't need a reason to have a day off.
Flexible Work Options
Flexible work hours are offered as an alternative to the traditional 9–5 work day and allow staff to vary their daily arrival or departure time to fit within their work area requirements and their lifestyle. Generally, the span of time within which staff can work their required hours on a flexible basis is 7am–7pm, but individual arrangements should be negotiated to fit in with your team and work requirements. Access to flexible working hours is predominantly available to employees at the classification of APS Level 6 (or equivalent) and below, but local arrangements can be entered into for Executive Level staff.
Flexible work hours can take a variety of different forms including a ‘compressed working week’, where employees work their standard weekly hours in fewer days than normal. Other flexible work options such as part-time work or job sharing are also available to assist employees whose lifestyle, private commitments or fitness status are incompatible with full-time or standard hours of employment.
Relocation Expenses
Transition from study to career can be a challenging one. For many, it is the also first time they have lived away from home, and most graduates are moving interstate. We work hard to make the whole process as easy as possible for you, and offer a generous financial package to meet the costs involved with relocation.