Australian Government
The Australian Public Service (‘APS’) has a wide range of opportunities for law students and graduates. Most of the main governmental departments and agencies offer graduate programs, which may consist of both legal and non-legal positions. Accordingly, even if a given department does not offer legal-specific positions, law graduates are able to work in areas such as policy, projects and communications. Other positions are advertised as vacancies arise, and the APS also provides several Apprenticeship, Cadet and Indigenous Career pathways.
For the most part, Australian Government positions are based out of Canberra. Many graduate programs will provide relocation assistance to successful applicants to facilitate their move to Canberra. Graduate applications tend to be advertised early in the year – between February and June – and are advertised on the Australian Public Service Jobs website and the Australian Public Service Employment Gazette, which is published online weekly.
The Australian Government graduate programs value qualities in their applicants such as:
- Leadership
- Creative and critical thinkers
- Communication and problem solving
- Strong academic achievement
- High ethical standards
The APS offers generous leave and flexible working conditions, above average superannuation contributions and the opportunity to influence the future of all Australians for the better. The organisational culture of the APS is shaped by the APS Values and Employment Principles.
As each department or agency may specify their own levels of pay and employment conditions, and have different application dates, prospective applicants are encouraged to contact each agency or department directly to ensure they have relevant and detailed information.
