Updating Results
Menu

Department of Defence

4.1
  • #2 in Government & public service
  • 1,000 - 50,000 employees

Natasha

Natasha studied a Bachelor of Commerce/Arts (International Relations) at The Australian National University and is now a Graduate at the Department of Defence.

I completed a Bachelor of Commerce/Arts (International Relations) at the Australian National University.  I have discovered that a graduate placement within the Department of Defence has allowed me to incorporate my interests and skills in both of these areas, experiencing three diverse rotations around Australia.

As a Procurement and Contracting graduate, I remained in Canberra for my first rotation within the Commercial Division of the Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG) where I gained a valuable insight into the unique complexities surrounding military capability procurement and worked on contracts ranging from acquiring ammunition to multi-million dollar aircraft.

My second rotation took me to Melbourne where I worked with the Financial Investigation Service. Here I was exposed to engaging with Defence Industry and ensuring that pricing was fair and reasonable which is a key part of acquisition within Defence. I met wonderful people and was able to experience business from a regional perspective.

For my third rotation, I worked in a project supporting a critical military capability in Sydney. Here I was kept challenged and gained valuable experience in meeting the operational demands of a large Navy capability. The team is an innovative blend of military personnel, public service civilians and industry personnel and this allowed me to engage with the core essence of how the Department of Defence does business. Being able to directly see the ships I was supporting cemented the value of being a graduate in this Department.

My overall experience has been exceptional allowing me not only to travel and live in three different cities over 18 months, but also to experience three very different areas of a huge, nationwide organisation. As a graduate, I have been welcomed into an engaging atmosphere and have received opportunities to engage with all parts of the organisation from briefings with senior leadership to hands on tours to the regional bases.  I also gained access to a national network of other graduates and have made amazing new friends.