Information for Aboriginal graduates

The NSW public sector is a culturally safe and inclusive place where Aboriginal employees including graduates feel supported, respected, valued, and empowered in their roles and to pursue their career aspirations.

Our program comes under the NSW Government Aboriginal Employment Strategy. As part of this strategy, we are committed to maintaining a high level of Aboriginal participation in the Graduate Program. Our aim is to increase the Aboriginal workforce and this includes growing the career paths for Aboriginal students to join the NSW public sector.

The NSW Government Graduate Program has partnered with Indigeco, an Aboriginal employment services provider, to provide tailored, culturally appropriate support to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander applicants during the recruitment process.

If you identify as Aboriginal in your application, you will be able to opt in for this support. Indigeco will then contact you throughout the recruitment process to discuss the options available to you.

I started working for NSW in a Clerk Grade 1/2 HR Administration role at Legal Aid while I was completing my HR degree. I worked at Legal Aid for four years and held roles in Human Resources and the Aboriginal Services Unit. During my time at Legal Aid I also undertook a six-month secondment with Office of the Children’s Guardian as a Children’s Employment Officer.

From Legal Aid, I moved to the NSW Public Service Commission. I worked as a Senior Advisor in the Aboriginal Workforce Development team and also in the Leadership Academy team as a Program Manager. I’m now working at the Ministry of Health, managing the Organisational Development team. I’ve been here for just over three years. This year is my 10th year working for NSW Government.

The Aboriginal networks that I’ve been part of in my different workplaces have been a huge sense of support and connection for me over the past 10 years. People I’ve met through these networks have supported and mentored me throughout my career and have played a huge part in my journey to date.

My mum has also always been a very inspiring role model for me and for many years she worked for Family and Community Services. When I saw the role at Legal Aid, she encouraged me to apply and supported me with my application. I hadn’t applied for a government role before, so I had no idea how to respond to selection criteria: a requirement of the recruitment process.

I would encourage anyone looking for a new role to consider working for NSW Government. I get an enormous sense of fulfilment knowing that as a public servant, I am working to support the people of NSW. Working for NSW Government has given me the flexibility to undertake further studies while working and simultaneously progressing my career and starting a family. It opens up so many diverse job opportunities that you may have never even dreamed of. There aren’t many employers that have the same breadth of opportunities available for you to transfer to new roles or undertake secondments and come back to your home agency afterwards.