Suzanne Ross is a Wiradjuri woman and was an intern placed with the NSW Department of Premier and Cabinet (DPC) in the Natural Resource Commission team. After completing the internship with CareerTrackers, she subsequently applied for and joined the NSW Government Graduate Program as a graduate in the primary stream. Now, in the first of her three 6-month rotations, she is working in the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE). We interviewed Suzanne about her experience in both programs and her motivations for joining NSW Government.

1. What did you study and where? What made you want to study it?

I studied a Bachelor of Business and Bachelor of Laws (Honours) at the University of Newcastle. I wanted to study it because I’m passionate about equity and justice, especially in the area of environmental law.

2. What made you want to apply for the CareerTrackers internship at NSW Government?

I had heard other Indigenous students giving praise to the program and how it was changing lives. When an internship became available with Premier and Cabinet in the Natural Resource Commission team, which was directly related to my interests and studies, I jumped on the opportunity. It also provided me with an opportunity to experience working for NSW Government and the career opportunities it offered to graduates.

3. Do you think you benefited from the experience, how?

The internship was an amazing experience as it had direct correlation between my studies and the work I was doing. It also gave me motivation to continue with my studies. I also believe my internship helped me gain the confidence, skills and experience that were needed to succeed in getting to the graduate program, as I was able to demonstrate during the job recruitment process relevant transferable skills I had learnt.

4. What was your favourite part of the role?

The inclusiveness of the team I worked with and how they accepted me as part of the team I was engaged in the work from day one.

5. Did you receive support throughout the internship program?

I was supported throughout my internship by both my CareerTrackers advisor and my work managers and colleagues. Upon commencement a program development plan was set up and regular check-ins and meetings scheduled. This is a paid program, so it also provided me with financial assistance to continue my studies.

6. What advice would you give a student applying for the internship program?

My advice is to be brave and step outside your comfort zone.

7. What made you then want to apply for the NSW Government Graduate Program?

I had completed an internship with Career Trackers as part of the NSW Government internship program and knew from that experience this was my employer of choice for a graduate role.

8. Why did you select to be in a regional location and what has it been like for you?

I am working from the Newcastle office. This is where I grew up and I am settled here with my family, friends, and social interests. Regional areas are rapidly expanding and as a result, graduates in these areas have the same career and development opportunities as the graduates located in Sydney.

9. Can you tell us about placement so far and the work you have been involved in?

I am currently in my first of the required three rotations, which are each 6 months in length. I am working in the Department of Planning and Environment in a business group called People Culture and Communication (PCC). I am part of the project team of the Office of the Deputy Secretary (ODS). I have assisted in collating, reviewing, developing, and administrating key programs including the divisional risk register. I have provided executive support by scheduling meetings, preparing agendas, and following up any actionable items from these meetings. I was a guest speaker on a panel for International Women’s Day that was broadcast live as part of the DPE Inspiring Leaders Series and hosted by Grace Papers.

10. Did you receive support throughout the graduate program?

I have been supported throughout the program as well as during the application and recruitment process. The graduate program has valued my culture throughout, and I have not felt at any stage that I had to conform to a perceived graduate profile.

11. What advice would you give a student applying for the graduate program?

My advice would be to have an open mind and be ready to embrace new opportunities.

The NSW Government Aboriginal internship program is a career springboard for Aboriginal university students, providing hands-on work experience, leadership training and mentoring. Interns get hands-on work experience and direct insight into life working for NSW Government, building their interest in joining the public sector through the NSW Government Graduate Program.

There were many reasons why I chose the NSW Government Graduate Program: the wealth of experience I’d gather from working in different departments, its reputation amongst other graduate programs, and the opportunity to serve others. But the most prominent reason was that I wanted to work in an inclusive workplace that celebrated diversity. I’m an Aboriginal person with a disability and in my previous workplaces I often found it too challenging to balance my health needs with my responsibilities at work. I knew this graduate program would best enable me to find this balance, so I could do the best in my work and have an enriching career.

I felt supported throughout the whole recruitment process for the program. As an Aboriginal person, I was invited to an information session that helped me prepare for the assessments. As a person with a disability, I was offered alternate ways to complete each assessment, though I did not take these up. I was easily able to contact assessors if I had any concerns or questions. Once I had passed all the assessments, I was able to directly contact a representative from the graduate program who helped me in the final stages.

The recruitment process for the graduate program was long and tough at times, with some of the assessments really testing my resolve. There were moments that I felt like I had failed, but when I didn’t, I gained more confidence in my ability to succeed.

Prior to joining the program I studied Primary Education and worked as a teacher. I had my doubts going into the application process, as I wasn’t sure my background was the right fit - but I was able to use my skills, knowledge and experience to succeed. I never felt truly lost. No matter your background, no matter what you studied or where you worked previously - if you want to do this program, apply!

What helped me get through it was:

• I studied the core values of the NSW Public Service and reflected on how they resonated with me. This kept me motivated when times got tough and provided an anchor that I could refer to in all my responses.
• I read about NSW Government projects that I was interested in. As a teacher, this meant education or community-based projects.
• I reached out to friends and family for guidance and to help me prepare.
• Most importantly, I played to my strengths and brought myself to each stage of the process. I made sure that the interviewers knew who I was because I knew I wanted to work in a place that appreciated me, for me.

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.