Welcome

Each year three of the four Parliamentary departments offer an exciting and challenging placement opportunity to graduates of Commonwealth departments or agencies. The 2022 Parliament of Australia Graduate Program (the Program) offers personal learning, career development, and ability to contribute to making a difference to the people of Australia. The Program offers passionate and committed graduates with an opportunity to expand their knowledge of the Australian Parliament and develop the skills and experience to become a future leader.

Applications for the 2022 Parliament of Australia Graduate Program are now open. We welcome applications from graduates from a diverse range of study disciplines and backgrounds. Applicants can apply for a placement with the Department of the House of Representatives, the Department of the Senate or the Parliamentary Budget Office.

About the Program

Placements are open to graduates who have been accepted into, are in, or have recently completed an existing Australian Government department and agency graduate program. The Program is designed to expose graduates to the parliamentary departments’ work in supporting the Parliament. Placements across the Department of the House of Representatives, the Department of the Senate and the Parliamentary Budget Office are offering placements, for period of three to six months.

The skills and knowledge graduates obtain through the Program may contribute to building the foundation for career progression and professional development. We are looking for high performing graduates from a range of disciplines who are highly motivated, with sound research and analytical skills, have effective communication skills and good interpersonal skills.

General information about the participating Parliamentary departments

Department of the House of Representatives

The Department of the House of Representatives provides services to support the efficient conduct of the House of Representatives, its committees and certain joint committees as well as a range of services and facilities for Members in Parliament House. The department is focused on supporting the House of Representatives to fulfil its role as a representative and legislative body. The Department also promotes the work of the House in the community and supports the conduct of the Parliament’s international and regional relations.

More about the Department of the House of Representatives

Department of the Senate

The Department of the Senate provides the secretariat to the Senate—enabling its legislative and accountability activities—and to dozens of parliamentary committees, whose work encompasses the Senate’s scrutiny functions and its exercise of Parliament’s broad investigative powers. In doing so, departmental officers provide the Senate, its committees, the President and other senators expert, impartial advice about Senate and committee operations.

The Department of the Senate also publishes the Senate’s records and produces an array of information resources so that people may understand and engage in its work. With colleagues across the Parliamentary Service, the Department of the Senate also provides specialised advice and logistical support to senators so they may undertake their duties.

More about the Department of the Senate

Parliamentary Budget Office

The PBO is a small, vibrant agency of around 44 staff. The PBO commenced operations as an independent institution of the Australian Parliament on 23 July 2012.

The purpose of the PBO is to inform the Parliament by providing independent and non-partisan analysis of the budget cycle, fiscal policy and the financial implication of policy proposals.

The PBO seeks to help level the political playing field by preparing policy costings and budget analyses for any parliamentarian who requests such services. The PBO also promotes transparency and public understanding of the budget and fiscal policy settings through its self-initiated program of published research.

More about the Parliamentary Budget Office

Placement opportunities

Where possible, graduate placements will be in areas which complement placements in their home departments or agencies. Placements may involve:

• working with a Committee Secretariat providing research and administrative support to Parliamentary Committees
• providing support to House of Representatives or Senate committee hearings
• promoting the community’s understanding of, and interaction with, the work of the Houses and the Commonwealth Parliament, or
• working in the Parliamentary Budget Office preparing costings of policy proposals, undertaking budgetary and fiscal policy research, or supporting the Parliamentary Budget Office's corporate functions.

Australian Parliament House stands on the traditional lands of the Ngunnawal and Ngambri peoples, also known as Canberra. Successful applicants will need to relocate to Canberra for the period of the placement.

Professional development

Placements offer graduates a valuable learning opportunity in a high-profile environment with relevant professional development. The parliamentary departments are committed to developing their people and graduates will have access to parliamentary-specific training during their placement. A placement in a parliamentary department is a graduate’s opportunity to be involved in the work of the Parliament without being political. A diverse range of challenging and rewarding work for graduates is offered through a variety of work areas.

Performance assessment

At the end of the placement, an assessment of the graduate’s work performance against set work objectives will be conducted by the graduate’s supervisor in consultation with the graduate. A written assessment will be forwarded to the graduate’s home department or agency at the completion of the placement.

Salary and conditions

Salary and employment conditions will continue to be administered by the graduate’s home department or agency. At the completion of the placement, the relevant parliamentary department will reimburse the graduate’s associated salary costs on receipt of a tax invoice from the graduate’s home department or agency.

Other conditions while participating in the program include:

• extensive training and development
• experiences unique to the Parliament House
• flexible working conditions
• health and wellbeing initiatives, and
  comprehensive support network.

Eligibility

Graduates who have been accepted into, are in, or have recently completed an existing Australian Government department and agency graduate program are eligible to apply. The endorsement of the home department or agency must be confirmed through the application process. Applications without this confirmation will not be considered. Graduates are assessed based on their academic achievement and work experience.

Given the diverse work of the Australian Parliament, graduates from all relevant disciplines are encouraged to apply for placements with the Department of the House of Representatives, the Department of the Senate or the Parliamentary Budget Office. In addition, placements within the Parliamentary Budget Office require demonstrated analytical, research and evaluation skills in the areas of economics, finance, statistics or commerce and have, or be in the process of obtaining, a baseline security clearance. Successful applicants will be placed in work areas that complement their experiences while meeting operational demands of the relevant parliamentary department.

Diversity

We encourage graduates from all backgrounds to apply, including those with a disability. We value differences and flexible thinking and aim for all graduates to feel supported to do their best work.

The Australian Parliamentary Service strongly encourages applications from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander graduates. The Parliamentary Service Indigenous Employees Network includes in its membership any Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander graduates working in the Australian Parliamentary Service.

Selection process

Applications are subject to a merit-based selection process. As a minimum requirement applicants must:

• be participating in, been accepted into, or have recently completed, a graduate program with an Australian Government department or agency
• hold, as a minimum, a bachelor’s degree from an Australian university or a degree recognised by the National Office of Overseas Skills Recognition as equivalent
• be an Australian citizen, and
• for placements in the Parliamentary Budget Office hold, or be in the process of obtaining, a baseline security clearance.

To be successful in obtaining a graduate placement with a parliamentary department, applicants will need to possess the following:

• an appropriate academic degree
• proven high-level analytical, research and evaluation skills
• demonstrated excellent written and oral communication skills
• a proven ability to contribute ideas and demonstrate initiative and flexibility
• a proven ability to organise, schedule, prioritise and complete assigned tasks
• an interest in parliamentary procedure and practice, and
• proven high-level analytical, research and evaluation skills in economics, commerce or finance (Parliamentary Budget Office applicants only).

How to apply

Applications for the 2022 Program have now closed.

Applications for placements in 2023 will open in October 2022.

Further information

Further information is available via the recording (below) of the recent information session. The recording provides an overview of the program and more information about the types of placements across the participating APH departments.

For further information please contact:

Kate Leonard
Assistant Director, People Strategies
Department of the House of Representatives
Telephone: (02) 6277 4284
Email: hrm.reps@aph.gov.au

Natalie Rose
Assistant Director, Human Resource Management
Department of the Senate
Telephone: (02) 6277 3475
Email: hrm.sen@aph.gov.au

Karen Nothard
Corporate Support Officer, Corporate Strategy Branch
Parliamentary Budget Office
Telephone: (02) 6277 9515
Email: hr@pbo.gov.au