Graduate Development Program (GDP)
The Benefits
There are many benefits to being a graduate with the Department of Health and Ageing (the department).
Some of these benefits are:
- A variety of challenging work
- Opportunities for career progression
- Buddy and mentoring opportunities
- Leadership and people management training available
- Access to elective training courses
- Flexible work conditions
- Work/life balance and social networking opportunities
- Friendly and diverse work environment
- Relocation assistance
- Gym membership discounts
- A guaranteed APS4-level position upon successful completion of the GDP
- Leave entitlements in accordance with the department’s Enterprise Agreement 2011-2014.
Salary
We offer our graduates a competitive remuneration package of $53,652pa (plus 15.4% superannuation).Learning and development (L&D)
A comprehensive training and development program will teach you how government works and develop your skills for a successful career in the Australian Public Service (APS). You must attend mandatory training events in order to successfully complete the GDP.In addition to the mandatory training, all graduates have the opportunity to attend the whole-of-APS sessions for graduates run by the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC). These sessions include an introduction to government, the Great Graduate Debate and advice from high profile and senior executive staff (SES), who were once graduates themselves!
Support Provided to Graduates
To assist you during the year, you will have support mechanisms that include the graduate coordinator, fellow graduates, and a network encompassing both former departmental and APS graduates.Your graduate coordination team will be your "go to" point for anything to do with the GDP. Any concerns you might have with your work or colleagues should be raised with the coordinators.
Each graduate will be allocated a buddy, which they will meet early in the GDP. Your buddy is someone you can approach for advice while you are settling in—for example, where you can find a good doctor, gym, area to rent etc. Your buddy will be a previous graduate from within the department.
Graduates will also be provided with a mentor from within the department.
Monthly graduate meetings will be organised by the graduate coordination team. These sessions are important as they:
- facilitate networking
- enable graduates to become increasingly aware of the business of the department through interaction with guest speakers
- communicate upcoming graduate events and messages relevant to all graduates, and
- provide graduates with an opportunity to catch up with their graduate coordination team and discuss any questions and concerns.
