Victorian Government Reviews

You would be surprised at how many VPS employees at varying levels began as graduates. It is a fantastic opportunity to join the public service and will be looked on favourably to other governmental entities. Some rotations offer their graduates continuing positions as promotions.

The goal of the organisation is literally social responsibility everywhere so. Would be a bit concerning if we were only interested in turning a profit.

Across all three teams I've been a part of, everyone has been easy to get along with, friendly, and kind. There has not been much interaction outside of work hours. The tasks I work on tend to be quite individual, though I have no problem asking for help or advice when necessary and colleagues are always happy to make time and help out. Amongst others in the graduate program, there has been plenty of socialising with outside of work hours catchups, after work drinks, an occasional weekend picnic, coffee catchups etc.

Extremely diverse and accepting organisation. There are many employee support networks established to represent and support staff who identify with specific minority communities. In addition to this, there are leave policies in place that recognise cultural and medical leave, and you can have discussions with your managers to establish a flexible working arrangement to suit your personal needs.

My role and responsibilities include managing actions under the adaptation action plan, internal and external stakeholder engagement, developing and managing grant programs and broader climate change works. In my other rotations I have also been responsible for writing briefs and correspondence and risk reporting and analysis.

I have had a great experience with managers, who have to undergo their own learning workshops to be able to manage the unique circumstances of having a graduate in their supervision. In addition to managers, you may have a separate supervisor (who is not a Manager) in your team who is there to support you through your rotation and monitor your progress. It is expected that you share your performance plan (you will find out all about this resource) with your supervisor to track your work progress and goals. It is a VPS standard to have routine 1:1 chats with your supervisor/manager to share feedback with one another and raise any concerns if needed.

All the offices I have worked in are close to public transport. Some are nicer than other (view, kitchen facilities ect.) but all are functional. Most teams have been relaxed in terms of dress code which is good for me as a grad as I don't want to spend too much on work clothes. Others feel a little fancier which has at times made me feel out of place from the rest of the team.

For the grad program the recruitment started in March or April the year before. after applying I did psychometric testing, a recorded video question, a zoom group interview/activity and then finally an interview with two interviewers. I got a call about a week after the final interview and got an offer. The process after that was quite slow as the job didn't start for another 6 months but I got my contract within 2-3 weeks of the offer. The public sector focuses heavily on the STAR format for interview questions: Situation: Set the scene and give the necessary details of your example. Task: Describe what your responsibility was in that situation. Action: Explain exactly what steps you took to address it. Result: Share what outcomes your actions achieved.

Entry level pay is quite low, but many opportunities to progress.

There are a number of mandatory online and in-person Learning and Development workshops over the course of the program. Most of these are really insightful, and you will not be assessed on your observations. There are of course optional learning workshops always on offer that can be found on your department's intranet.

Vic Gov is really flexible in understanding flexible working arrangements. The initial discussion with managers may feel a little bit uncomfortable, especially for graduates who feel they may not have much bargaining power, though the pay off is worth it to be able to support your unique working requirements. There is a growing movement to allow flexibility with in-office expectations, as some cannot faithfully meet the 3 day requirement.

Average, as I'm not sure that I can point to any specific sustainability measures, but would be keen to hear about what VPSC has committed to in this respect.