Philippa Bullock

6.00 AM

My first alarm goes off- for the person I want to be.

6.30 AM

And my second alarm goes off- for the person I am. I get out of bed and start getting ready for the day!

8.00 AM

I hop on the bus and head to work. The buses in Canberra are great because they announce each stop- perfect for lost Canberrans in the making!

8.30 AM

Time to start work! I spent the first hour working on research for my graduate major project. Grads at SWA are enrolled in the Australian Public Service Commission (APSC) Graduate Development Program, which means that, while we do 3 placements at SWA, we undertake training and complete a major project through the APSC. This is great because it allows me to work with other grads on a meaningful project of value to the Agency and community- none of that hypothetical stuff like uni!

9.00 AM

I make my way to my favourite coffee shop, about a 1-minute walk away. As part of the APSC grad program, I get paired with other grads across the APS for “coffee roulette” networking sessions. Today I’m meeting someone from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry!

9.30 AM

I meet with some members of my team. During this rotation, I am working in the Strategic Policy and Coordination section. Today we are generating ideas for how to launch the new Australian Work Health and Safety (WHS) Strategy! This 10-year Strategy will be very impactful as it will guide the work of SWA and its Members and contribute to the work and understanding of all in the WHS system.  

12.30 PM

It’s time for lunch, so I head to “the spot” (i.e., where we grads meet for lunch every day).

1.30 PM

My supervisor and I attend a meeting with a university conducting research for SWA. The research explores interventions to manage work-related psychosocial hazards in the aged care sector, and the research team share their insights and findings so far.

2.00 PM

Following the research meeting, my supervisor advises that we must consult the Psychosocial and Consultation Policy section (the section I was in last rotation!) to see if there are specific areas of the research they would like included in the upcoming progress report. I jump on Outlook and schedule a meeting for tomorrow.

2.30 PM

With International Day of People with Disability approaching, I turn my focus to my role as Disability Champion of the Workplace Inclusion Network. I begin gathering resources on creating inclusive digital, physical and social environments to add to the internal communication articles I am writing. Then I start to think about planning an event to recognise the day among staff.

3.00 PM

For afternoon tea, I swing past the social club snack shack (I wish I could tell you I opted for the healthy pack of apricots!). I think all my “selfless” contributions have singlehandedly funded the Christmas party…

Then I make tea in the kitchen. Check out that kitchen view! You can even see Parliament House- which would surprise my family, who like to think all government employees work there!

5.00 PM

Head to the bus stop and home.

5.30 PM

I go for a long afternoon walk and call Mum.

6.30 PM

I cook my Marley Spoon meal while catching up with my flatmate, Sarah. Sarah is also an APS grad but at the National Indigenous Australians Agency.

7.30 PM 

Sarah and I watch Friends in our Oodies (unattractive yet necessary Canberra attire!) and debate why Rachel and Joey should have stuck together.

10.00 PM 

I wind down for the night and head to bed.