ACT Public Service Graduate Program

The ACTPS Graduate Program offers you the unique opportunity to kickstart your career in public service and contribute to the Canberra community that you live and work in. We are looking for motivated, innovative, and dedicated individuals to help shape the future of our national capital.

What we offer you

• A 10-month development program, including role rotations to support you to establish and grow your career in the ACT Public Service.
• One of the highest graduate salary packages in the Australian public sector, beginning at $86,750. After successful completion of the program, you'll be promoted to an ASO5 and have a salary of $95,722 (subject to increases in the 2026 – 2029 Enterprise Agreement).
• A diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment that values unique contributions and diversity of thought.
• Flexible work arrangements that support a healthy work/life balance throughout your career.
• The opportunity to select your top three directorate preferences in order of priority. Learn more about our directorates and agencies.

Eligibility requirements

The graduate program has been developed for a full-time employee with the aim to deliver high quality permanent employees to the ACT Public Service.​

Who can apply

To be eligible for the 2027 ACTPS Graduate Program, you must:​

• have the right to work full-time in Australia until at least December 2027;​
• have completed an Australian recognised qualification that meets the Australian Qualifications Framework (Bachelors Degree, Bachelors Honours Degree, Masters Degree or PhD), within the past three years (completed between 1 January 2024 and 31 December 2026); and​
• be available to start full-time work in the ACT in February 2027.​

What does ‘right to work’ mean?​

You can apply if you are:

• an Australian citizen​
• a permanent resident of Australia​
• a New Zealand citizen with a current passport​
• a citizen of another country with a current visa that enables full-time work for an unrestricted period in Australia until at least December 2027.​

You must be able to provide evidence of your ‘right to work’ in the form of one of the following;

• Australian birth certificate
• Australian or New Zealand passport
• Australian citizenship
• Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO), confirming your right to work full-time in Australia until at least December 2027.​

You must be able to submit your official academic transcript demonstrating completion of your tertiary qualification before the commencement of the program in February 2027.

The ACT Public Service is an inclusion focussed employer

We actively support workforce diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive workplace. As part of this commitment, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability, neurodiverse people, culturally and linguistically diverse people and those who identify as LGBTQIA+ are encouraged to apply.

What we're looking for

The ACT Public Service is a values driven organization. Our values form the basis of our culture and are considered through the graduate recruitment and assessment process.

Our Values and Signature Behaviours are:

• Respect
• Integrity
• Collaboration
• Innovation

In addition to our values we're looking for graduates that:

• are innovative and analytical thinkers
• have strong communication skills
• can work effectively in a team environment
• have a strong customer service focus
• are enthusiastic and pro-active
• are committed to quality
• have strong time management skills.

For more information on the ACT Government or the specific services we provide to the Canberra Community, go to directorates and agencies and About our ACT Government.