Regional communities across Australia stand to benefit from new Australian Public Service (APS) jobs as part of the APS Academy Campus Initiative, now open for applications.
Welcoming the new roles, the Minister for the Public Service, Senator Katy Gallagher said the APS Academy Campuses would enable Australians wanting a career-change and students in Darwin, Newcastle, Launceston and Townsville to up-skill in data and digital roles in the APS, “while remaining at home in their communities”.
“The APS Academy Campuses will offer around 300 flexible data and digital training and entry-level employment opportunities with the APS over three years,” Senator Gallagher said.
“This includes paid apprenticeships, cadetships and internships, with graduate placements to follow in 2024,” she said.
“Programs range from short-term internships to one- to three-year placements where students earn as they learn.”
Senator Gallagher said that like the private sector, the APS was struggling to find enough people with the necessary technical skills to fill roles in the data and digital space.
She said the Academy program was a positive step towards dealing with the issue and to ultimately keeping those workers in the APS.
“People have told us that they want to have careers in the APS but don’t always want to leave the communities where they live, simply to take up new training opportunities interstate,” the Minister said.
“That’s why we have decided to make these training opportunities available in some of our larger regional towns and cities,” she said.
“This will attract aspiring public servants who will get the right skills to have the best chance at jobs in the APS while continuing to contribute to the places that they call home.”
Senator Gallagher said that from early next year, APS Academy Campuses would be co-located at the University of Newcastle, with campuses at Charles Darwin University in Darwin and James Cook University in Townsville opening mid-2023.
She said a further APS Academy Campus would open at the University of Tasmania in Launceston in 2024.
“While the APS Academy Campuses will be located at universities, they include opportunities for students to undertake vocational education and training (VET) or tertiary study while working as APS employees,” Senator Gallagher said.
“This is an exciting program and I encourage anyone that is considering a career in the data and digital space to apply for the APS Academy Campus Initiative.”
Further information on the APS entry level program can be accessed at this PS News link.
