National Graduate Program – Social Work stream (Feb 2024)

The ideal candidate  

We want the future leaders of the Australian Public Service - graduates who are bold, have big ideas and are forward thinkers. 

We're looking for a wide range of people to join us and we're committed to providing an inclusive workplace. We value our staff for their unique qualities, ideas and perspectives. 

For our social work stream, we're looking for graduates with a social work qualification that is recognised by the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW). You must be eligible for membership to the AASW. 

If you have the above qualification, you can apply to both our social work and generalist streams. If you’re assessed as suitable for both streams, we’ll try to match you to the social work stream first. Once you start, you’ll stay in the social work stream for the duration of the program. 

Range of work  

In the social work stream, you may work with disadvantaged individuals, families and communities. You’ll also work with stakeholders to inform business planning, service delivery and the design of programs. 

You’ll work on a range of projects and tasks such as some of the following: 

• assessments and interventions in relation to customers’ income support entitlements, safety, wellbeing and needs  
• short term crisis intervention  
• social casework as a planned intervention  
• community engagement  
• training, case consultation or professional advice to agency staff.  

What you'll get  

We offer:  

• a competitive salary, ranging between $63,760 - $71,063 depending on your qualification level  
• employer superannuation contributions of 15.4%  
• progression to an APS5 classification at successful completion of the program  
• a variety of leave options, including 4 weeks of annual leave  
• flexible working arrangements to assist you to maintain your work-life balance  
• a range of development opportunities to shape your career in the Australian Public Service.  

Why you should work for us  

We make government services simple so people can get on with their lives.   

Every hour of every day in Australia, people in need turn to the Australian Government for help. In those moments, our agency responds.  

Our work spans social security and healthcare, in addition to disaster relief, assistance to farmers and specialised services for vulnerable communities.   

We’ve touched the lives of every Australian in recent years, supporting the community through the pandemic and multiple natural disasters.  

We're an agency that helps people and we're committed to progress, constantly moving forward to deliver services that are simple, helpful, respectful and transparent.   

Eligibility  

To be eligible for the role, you must:  

• be an Australian citizen on 17 April 2023  
• have completed or due to complete an undergraduate or postgraduate degree, recognised in Australia, within 5 years prior to program commencement.  

Inclusivity  

We're committed to providing a work environment that values inclusion and diversity and supports all staff to reach their full potential. We have a range of workplace diversity and inclusion strategies, policies and initiatives in place to achieve this.  

We’re a Gold Status Employer, as recognised by the Australian Workplace Equality Index for our LGBTI+ workplace inclusion. The Diversity Council Australia (DCA) has awarded the agency inclusive employer status for the last 2 years.   

Our program includes an Affirmative Measure to help employ Indigenous Australians. You can apply to our program using this measure, through the Australian Public Service Commission's Indigenous Graduate Pathway.   

We also have an Affirmative Measure for Australians with disability. Our team would be happy to talk with you about any reasonable adjustment you require.