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Department of Home Affairs

  • 1,000 - 50,000 employees

Christopher Tassone

I worked in the Data Warehouse as an EDW Developer and I’m currently working as a Data Scientist for the Advanced Analytics section.

What's your name and job title? 

My name is Christopher Tassone and I am an ICT graduate at the Department of Home Affairs. I completed my Doctorate of Philosophy and Bachelor of Software Engineering with Honors from the University of South Australia. 

Where did you grow up? 

I grew up in Two Wells, approximately 40km north of Adelaide. I started working as a carpenter apprentice on weekends and I was introduced to computer programming. I fell in love with the ability to solve complex problems by combining multiple methods and running my code and receiving instant feedback. It was then I decided to become a software developer.

After completing my Bachelor, my supervisor asked me to apply for a scholarship to undertake a PhD, continuing my research in the field of digital forensic visualisation. Last year I was awarded Doctor of Philosophy and realised how far I have come. I feel proud to have found a full-time job in this Department. 

How did you get to your current job position? 

I saw the Graduate Development Program advertisement in the public sector job search website early last year and applied. The selection process had several stages including an online test and face to face interview. I started the program in February 2018.

What does your employer do?

The Department of Home Affairs is a global organisation dedicated to the protection and prosperity of Australia.

What are your areas of responsibility?

The graduate program provides each graduate with an opportunity to move around the Department through scheduled rotations. The responsibilities will change based on the business area you have been assigned to.  

Through my various roles, I  have been responsible for conducting enterprise data warehouse roles, producing architecture overview diagrams to illustrate the connections between different datasets, systems and teams, working on different data exploration projects to identify potential patterns and value of new and existing datasets; and developing an Advance Analytics Confluence Lexicon page.

Can you describe a typical workday?

I worked in the Data Warehouse as an EDW Developer and I’m currently working as a Data Scientist for the Advanced Analytics section. My work is fluid and each day has new and exciting tasks and projects to complete.

My typical day can range from producing architecture documents and framework, going to meetings with other colleagues and understand what they do, providing professional advice, to leading projects with different stakeholders.

Suppose a student was considering your career. What would you advise them to study? 

My department accepts graduates from different disciplines including arts and sciences, economics, mathematics, business, finance and data analytics. Make sure you study your passionate area and don’t wait till the end of your studies to enter your chosen field! As soon as you start your studies, look for work experience, internships and apprenticeships or even donate your time to charities to build on your skills.

What sort of person succeeds in your career?

Some of the critical skills to succeed in my career include but not limited to:

  • critical thinking
  • complex problem solving
  • good judgement and decision making
  • excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • the ability to establish positive relationships
  • support a workplace culture that values diversity, respect and inclusion.

What do you love the most about your job?

I love gaining exposure to the Department’s hardware & data flow environments,  enterprise data analytic development and deployment capability across several domains including visa, cargo, traveller, trade and mail.

What’s the biggest limitation of your job? 

Every day, I enjoy being part of this Department. Being away from my hometown Adelaide is hard. However, my supportive colleagues have helped me settle into life in Canberra and I appreciate the Department’s flexible working arrangements, which assists when flying home to see my family.

What would your career be if you weren’t doing what you’re doing now?

I would have continued development of Point Of Sale software for a company I was helping.

Which three pieces of advice would you give to a current university student? 

  1. Keep upskilling! Especially if you have been unsuccessful with job applications, ask for feedback and use the questions you were unable to answer to help you fill in that gap of knowledge.
  2. Remember that applying for jobs is an art, customise each resume for that particular application and use the STAR method!
  3. Be humble and try to put yourself in other people’s shoes.