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Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR)

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4.0
  • 1,000 - 50,000 employees

Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) Graduate Programs & Internships

  • Government & Public Service

Our Graduate Program offers:

  • two diverse work placements which provide the opportunity to work on a variety of programs and policies developed and implemented by the department 
  • a supportive, inclusive, and flexible working environment
  • on-the-job experience including the opportunity to work and learn from subject-matter experts  
  • various opportunities to be involved in a wide range of networks, social and fundraising events. 

When you join the DEWR Graduate Program, you become part of a graduate community. You will forge new connections with your peers and feel supported by your supervisors.

About us

Our purpose at DEWR is to support people to have safe, secure and well-paid work with the skills for a sustainable future.

Secure jobs are vital—driving future economic growth and providing people with certainty. We focus on connecting Australians who are starting, advancing, or changing their career with the relevant skills, knowledge and experience to gain or regain employment.

We do this by actively filling skill gaps to support Australia's economic growth by identifying industries with skill shortages, including emerging industries fundamental to the prosperity of individuals, businesses, and their nation. Three specialist Groups lead this work:

  • Skills and Training
  • Employment and Workforce
  • Workplace Relations

We undertake diverse work that supports people to gain the skills, knowledge and experience they need through secure employment to achieve their goals and aspirations.

Our work makes a difference to the lives of all Australians, and we want you to be part of it.

Our culture

Underpinning our important work is our focus on culture. We recognise that how we do things is equally important as what we achieve. Our people demonstrate the APS Values, which includes being open, thoughtful, curious and candid. We also value employee wellbeing and developing leadership through investment in capability. 

Diversity and Inclusion

We recognise that our people are our greatest strength. We strive to create a workforce which represents and understands the needs of Australians, while fostering a work environment that is inclusive, culturally safe, respectful and underpinned by integrity. We do so through the delivery of dedicated diversity and inclusion strategies, plans, programs, events and other initiatives.

We strive to create a diverse and inclusive workplace for everyone. We are committed to the attraction, retention and positive workplace experience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, people with caring responsibilities, people who identify as LGBTQIA+, people from cultural and linguistically diverse backgrounds and people who identify as neurodivergent.

We are committed to actioning the APS-wide Commonwealth Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Workforce Strategy 2020-2024, the Australian Public Service Disability Employment Strategy 2020-2025, and the APS Gender Equality Strategy 2021-2026.

Diversity and Inclusion Networks

Our employee-led networks are an essential part of our inclusive and diverse workplace. They offer a way for employees to connect with, find support, and thrive with others in the department.

Our Diversity and Inclusion Networks include:

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Network
  • Dis/Ability and Carers Network
  • Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) Network
  • Gender Equity Network
  • Pride Network.

The networks help to actively drive and promote diversity and inclusion initiatives, celebrating days of significance such as: NAIDOC Week, Reconciliation Week, Pride Month, International Day of People with Disability (among others) with events, engagement activities and other opportunities to get involved. 

Social Club

Taking charge of the department’s good vibes is the employee-led Social Club! The Social Club regularly hosts happy hours, the end of year party, pilates and sporting activities, as well as fundraising opportunities. Anyone can join and all ideas for future activities are welcome! 

Reward and recognition

We are committed to rewarding our employees for their contributions through formal awards and informal recognition. We host an annual Secretary’s Awards which formally recognises our colleagues who have made a significant contribution to the work of the department, both in how we work and what we deliver. 

Career development

We aim to grow leaders at all levels and empower them to make decisions about their work and where they want to go in the future. We offer a range of professional and personal development opportunities, including participation in the Jawun Secondment Program, mentoring programs, professional leadership programs and more!

Connect with us 

We want to hear from you! Follow us on LinkedIn and Facebook and keep up with what we’re up to here at #TeamDEWR. 

Recruitment Process

We work collaboratively with other APS agencies to recruit talented individuals through other specialty graduate and entry level programs. These speciality graduate programs are co-ordinated centrally by the Australian Government Graduate Program (AGGP). 

Applying to one of these speciality streams means you only have to go through the application and selection process for your selected speciality stream once. This streamlined process enables you to be considered for a range of Australian Government agencies. 

We are a participating agency in the Economics, Legal, Accounting, Human Resources, Digital (including ICT), Data, Generalist, and STEM Streams, and the Indigenous Graduate Pathway. 

Eligibility

To be eligible for our Graduate Program, you will be required to: 

  • be an Australian Citizen or going to be granted Australian citizenship before you commence and be able to provide evidence of this 
  • have successfully completed a Bachelor degree or higher within five years prior to the start date of the Graduate Program. You will be required to provide evidence of completion before the start of the program 
  • obtain and maintain a valid Australian Government Baseline security clearance 
  • relocate to Canberra for the commencement of the program if the position requires you to 
  • satisfy the relevant medical checks (if required for the position). 

Remuneration & Career Growth

The department offers excellent employment conditions with competitive remuneration, superannuation, and employee entitlements. Information relating to salaries is set out in our Enterprise Agreement and Determination. DEWR employees have access to a wide range of allowances and many forms of leave, also available in our Enterprise Agreement and Determination.

A career with us allows you to access many benefits including:

  • relocation assistance to move to Canberra (if applicable)
  • excellent employee conditions with competitive remuneration, superannuation, and employee entitlements
  • permanent ongoing employment in the Australian Public Service
  • career progression on successful completion of the program from APS Level 3.1 to APS Level 5.1
  • an Employee Assistance Program for wellbeing and career support
  • dedicated buddy and supervisor
  • Graduate Sponsor passionate about seeing you thrive and succeed
  • structured learning and development program
  • networking opportunities
  • access to study assistance on successful completion of the program
  • performance discussions to set your career goals and aspirations
  • yearly health allowance
  • access to flexible working conditions
  • pay rises in line with our Enterprise Agreement.

Graduate Reviews

Overall Score
4.0
Overall score based on 11 reviews
They Score Best in…
8.1
Satisfaction
7.0
Office Work Environment
7.9
Salary
8.5
Work Hours
8.1
Satisfaction
7.0
Office Work Environment
7.9
Salary
8.5
Work Hours
What Graduates Say About Them
  • The flexibility and ability to work on tasks that are useful towards the department.
  • The work-life balance and flexibility
  • Job security and ability to work on projects where you can see the identifiable impact.
  • The breadth of work and contributing to work that genuinely makes a difference in society.
  • There is a real sense of comradery and a focus on gaining and maintaining a positive workplace culture.
  • At times because of my level, I am out of the loop of the direction of my team and conversations held between higher level employees.
  • Some areas of the department are knowingly overworked and understaffed. Benefits of the workplace are not evenly distributed across the department such as the above.
  • There is a lot of red tape, and bureaucracy, which can make work feel slow.
  • Poor communication at some levels and the integration of different working areas leads to unproductive work practices.
  • Lack of progression, slow processes, hierarchy, unpredictable culture between areas

Jobs & Opportunities

Locations With Jobs & Opportunities
  • Canberra
Hiring candidates with qualifications in
B
Business & Management
C
Creative Arts
E
Engineering & Mathematics
H
Humanities, Arts & Social Sciences
I
IT & Computer Science
L
Law, Legal Studies & Justice
M
Medical & Health Sciences
P
Property & Built Environment
S
Sciences
T
Teaching & Education
Current Jobs & Opportunities

Graduate Job

Canberra
Our current focus is on embedding and resourcing DevOps and agile methodologies, and human-centred design into our ways of working.
Applications Close
17 Apr 2024
Start Date
22 Jan 2025 - 26 Feb 2025
Salary
AUD 69,863 - 83,908 / Year

Graduate Job

Brisbane, Canberra & Sydney
Do you want to work with a wide variety of rich data sources from across our department’s broad remit, while advancing and learning new data skills?
Applications Close
15 Apr 2024
Start Date
22 Jan 2025 - 26 Feb 2025
Salary
AUD 69,863 - 83,908 / Year


Graduate Success Stories


  • Graduate stories
Everyone in the department brings their own skill sets and knowledge to the different teams.

Keely Dwarte

  • Graduate stories
Everyone in the department brings their own skill sets and knowledge to the different teams.

Keely Dwarte

  • Graduate stories
My team helps the department facilitate the collection of Australian schools data to better empower decision making from both a policy and funding perspective.

Harry Shield

  • Graduate stories
My team helps the department facilitate the collection of Australian schools data to better empower decision making from both a policy and funding perspective.

Harry Shield

  • Graduate stories
Everyone in the department brings their own skill sets and knowledge to the different teams.

Keely Dwarte

  • Graduate stories
Everyone in the department brings their own skill sets and knowledge to the different teams.

Keely Dwarte

  • Graduate stories
My team helps the department facilitate the collection of Australian schools data to better empower decision making from both a policy and funding perspective.

Harry Shield

  • Graduate stories
My team helps the department facilitate the collection of Australian schools data to better empower decision making from both a policy and funding perspective.

Harry Shield


A Day In The Life Of


  • Day in the life

Raagavi Jeyaseelan

  • Day in the life

Raagavi Jeyaseelan

  • Day in the life

Prachi

Prachi Nagrath studied Bachelor of International and Global Studies at the University of Sydney and a Former Graduate (2019) - Policy Officer at DESE.
  • Day in the life

Prachi

Prachi Nagrath studied Bachelor of International and Global Studies at the University of Sydney and a Former Graduate (2019) - Policy Officer at DESE.
  • Day in the life

Raagavi Jeyaseelan

  • Day in the life

Raagavi Jeyaseelan

  • Day in the life

Prachi

Prachi Nagrath studied Bachelor of International and Global Studies at the University of Sydney and a Former Graduate (2019) - Policy Officer at DESE.
  • Day in the life

Prachi

Prachi Nagrath studied Bachelor of International and Global Studies at the University of Sydney and a Former Graduate (2019) - Policy Officer at DESE.

Videos


2024 DEWR Graduate Program

Hear from Jemma, Luka, Alwyn, Matthew, Ruby, Michael, 2022 Graduate Alumni. Learn about their experience and key highlights of the DEWR graduate program.

Bolwen's Story | 2023 DESE Graduate Program

“The biggest thing I got out of the graduate program experience was the opportunity to try working in different areas of the department…this laid a great foundation in finding out what I was interested in pursuing in the long term.” – Bolwen, 2021 graduate

2024 DEWR Graduate Program

Hear from Jemma, Luka, Alwyn, Matthew, Ruby, Michael, 2022 Graduate Alumni. Learn about their experience and key highlights of the DEWR graduate program.

Bolwen's Story | 2023 DESE Graduate Program

“The biggest thing I got out of the graduate program experience was the opportunity to try working in different areas of the department…this laid a great foundation in finding out what I was interested in pursuing in the long term.” – Bolwen, 2021 graduate