Graduate Development Program (GDP)
What we offer
Get your career off to a healthy start with the Department of Health and Ageing’s Graduate Development Program (GDP). Our 12- month GDP offers three workplace rotations in a dynamic work environment, and a diverse and challenging career path.
What work will you do?
The Department of Health and Ageing is a dynamic Australian Government department that seeks to promote, develop, and fund health and aged care services for the Australian public. You will work on policies that make a difference to people’s quality of life, to communities and to the country.
Our graduate program is divided into 4 streams:
- Information and Communication Technology Stream
- Generalist Stream
- Legal Stream
- Health Science Stream
You do not need a specialist health degree to join the department; we take people from most tertiary academic backgrounds.
All our graduates undertake three workplace rotations over a 12 month period. There is even an opportunity to undertake a rotation in health portfolio minister’s office (accessed through an additional selection process).
Our graduates get to undertake a variety of interesting work which may include:
- Supporting program management and policy development
- Analysing and evaluating policy
- Applying legislation
- Supporting project and contract management
- Conducting research and analysis for reports
- Preparing briefing material for conferences and ministerial visits
- Working on briefings, speeches, reports, letters, ministerials and minutes
- Liaising with state and territory offices
- Working with other graduates to organise events and networking opportunities
- Corporate support (e.g., human resources, information technology, financial management and legal services)
The benefits
- 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 program completion
Training and development
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. You must attend mandatory training events before you can successfully complete the Graduate Development Program.
To assist you during your program, you will have support mechanisms that include the graduate coordinator, fellow graduates, and a network encompassing both former departmental and APS graduates.
After successful completion of the program, you will have a permanent role within the Department of Health and Ageing and will advance from a Graduate APS to an APS 4, which means a pay rise to launch your new career. Our graduates are competitively placed at the end of the program to build a career within the Australian Public Service.
Working with us
What we do
The Department of Health and Ageing has a diverse set of responsibilities, but throughout there is a common purpose, which is reflected in our vision statement: "Better Health and Active Ageing for all Australians".
We lead the development of Australia’s health and aged care system by providing expert policy advice, analysis, program advice and other services to our Minister, Government and other external stakeholders and clients. From mental health awareness to obesity and nutrition, infectious disease control, pharmaceuticals, aged care and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, we develop policies and implement large programs that have a direct everyday impact on the community.
Our current priorities include focusing on healthy lifestyles, early prevention and best practice handling of chronic disease; progressing reforms to ensure choice and access to quality aged care services; working with state and territory governments to deliver efficient, value for money health and aged care services; leading a whole-of-government approach to strengthening Australia's readiness for disease threats, national emergencies and other large scale health incidents.
Working Conditions
Graduates are entitled to access leave in accordance with the Department’s provisions and conditions of employment are detailed in the Enterprise Agreement 2011-2014.
More information about working at the department is available at http://www.health.gov.au
Our Values
The Department of Health and Ageing upholds the principles and practices of workplace diversity and equity in employment. As a result, employees enjoy a workplace full of people from different backgrounds and experiences. Our Equity in Employment strategies address the removal of employment-related bias that may be experienced by groups of people including:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people;
- people with disability;
- people from Linguistically and Culturally diverse backgrounds; and
- people who identify as gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and/or intersex.
We are an active employer of people with disability and are one of the largest employers of people with disability in the Australian Public Service. The Department aims to increase the number of people with disability employed in the department and strongly supports and encourages people with disability to join its workforce.
Our Graduates
“I really enjoyed the learning opportunities I had during my rotations. Over the year I helped to manage a child mental health program, assisted with the running of a high profile recruitment process, and gained policy and project management experience whilst working on an outcome of the Living Longer, Living Better aged care reforms."– Sam, 2012 DoHA Graduate
“I moved to Canberra for the graduate program at DoHA and I have really enjoyed living here. I found it very easy to make friends with the other graduates, a lot of whom were also new to Canberra. My favourite rotation was in the Audit and Fraud Division, which I returned to at the end of the program. Overall, I have really enjoyed the year in Canberra and the graduate program!” – Kylie, 2012 DoHA Graduate
"Although I don't have an educational background in health policy, the graduate program gave me an opportunity to work in a broad range of topical program and policy areas. This access to development opportunities outside my area of expertise was the most rewarding part of the program.” – Ben, 2012 DoHA Graduate
How to apply
We’re seeking Highly motivated graduates who are prepared to tackle complex subjects which affect the lives of Australians everyday. This means people who:
- aren’t afraid of a challenge;
- have leadership potential;
- have strong analytical skills;
- have great organisational skills;
- have excellent communion skills;
- can work as part of a team
- are prepared for issues that can be difficult yet also rewarding;
The majority of graduate positions are located in Canberra and therefore applicants must be willing to relocate to Canberra.
Degree/disciplines
You do not need a health related degree, however you must have an interest in government and health related issues. We consider applicants with an undergraduate degree from a broad range of disciplines, including accounting and finance, chemistry, commerce, communications, data analysis, economics, health, HR, information and knowledge management, IT, law, marketing, OH&S, pharmacy, population health, science and bioscience.
When to apply
Our applications are scheduled to open from 1 March 2013 and close on 14 April 2013, 5pm AEST.
Eligibility
Applicants must be an Australian citizen or a permanent resident of Australia who has applied for Australian citizenship and have a minimum three-year undergraduate degree from a recognised tertiary institution.
Applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, people with disabilities, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and mature aged applicants are keenly sought.
How to apply
To apply go to: www.health.gov.au/graduate
The application form will include basic eligibility questions and written application questions that will address capabilities from the APS4 capability map. See the health graduate website for more information.
You may participate in a cognitive ability test, a telephone interview and an assessment centre. The assessment centre will last for approximately half a day and will include a written work sample test, a group discussion and a behavioral interview.
Further information
Please see our website at http://www.health.gov.au/graduate.
