Aidan

Parliamentary Budget Office – 2024 graduate program

'Participating in the PBO graduate program gave me useful insights into the workings of Parliament and the opportunity to broaden my technical skillset as I had hoped. 

However, what I didn’t expect was the sheer variety of opportunities on offer. From a behind the scenes look at Question Time to discussions with agencies from overseas, there is a surprising diversity in activity for a primarily quantitative role.  

The guidance I received throughout the program was invaluable to my own professional development. I deeply appreciated having the support to extend myself and take on greater challenges and responsibilities. 

I greatly enjoyed my time in the program and would strongly encourage any analyst with an interest in data or modelling to consider the opportunity.' 

Alexander

Parliamentary Budget Office – 2021 graduate program

“The graduate program was a positive experience, and it gave me the opportunity to utilise my quantitative skills. I have learnt a range of skills and had the chance to work on a large variety of costings. Having the chance to interact directly with political advisers was an insightful experience, and one opportunity I did not anticipate prior to commencing the program.”

Amelia

Department of the House of Representatives – 2022 graduate program

“I was interested in a placement at Parliament House because I had always wanted to learn more about the mechanisms of government– just how do the laws that we help to administer come to pass? I was placed in the Information Management Office of the Department of the House of Representatives, in a team that looked after the external communications functions of the Department. This meant I did tasks like creating social media content and publishing media releases, which was a really interesting change from my work in my home agency.

The most valuable aspect of the graduate program is the proximity it gives you to the work of Parliament. Nowhere else in Australia will you be waiting in line for lunch behind journalists, Member of Parliaments, and senior public servants, and then get the opportunity to watch them all work together at a committee meeting! I’ve also really appreciated the chance to learn about public affairs and communications, and I know my experience and learnings from working in the Information Management Office will travel with me throughout my career.”

Alice

Department of the Senate – 2022 Graduate Program

“The Parliamentary Graduate Program provides an excellent opportunity for public servants at an early stage of their career to gain invaluable exposure to and understanding of a key pillar of the Commonwealth Government system. Working in the Senate, I was able to participate in the Estimates process. A key mechanism engaged by all government departments, I was able to develop an understanding from the inside that will be invaluable to my future contributions to the public service. In particular, observing the contribution of the estimates process to the development of departmental policy agendas has been illuminating. Respecting the importance of this key accountability mechanism to overall good government is something I will carry with me throughout my career.”

Anna

Department of the Senate – 2022 Graduate Program

“I have gained a lot of insight into parliamentary processes, the work of the Department and of the Senate, and have further developed my own skills. It has been invaluable for my own personal development, and I am sure will also be of significant value to my home agency upon my return.”

Charlotte

Department of the Senate – 2022 Graduate Program

“The Parliament of Australia Graduate Program is an invaluable experience! I consider my time with the Department of the Senate, and in particular my placement as a graduate in the Education and Employment Committee, to be one of the best opportunities I have taken to enhance my career. A placement in the Committee Office provides graduates with the opportunity to partake in work of Senate Committees, gain a broader understanding of the context driving the work of executive government, and enables graduates to see how Senators collaborate and achieve outcomes beyond the Chamber.

As a graduate, I was given carriage over the Inquiry into the Australian Research Council (Ensuring Research Independence) Bill 2018. This involved calling for submissions from the public, receiving and reviewing submissions, organising and participating in a public hearing and drafting the Committee’s final report. I also assisted the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee run public hearings for the Inquiry into the Religious Discrimination Bill 2021 [Provisions] and assisted the Economics Committee in relation to the Inquiry into the Sterling Income Trust. As a graduate, you are exposed to a breadth of subject matter areas and work across the Committee Office. I also got to experience Senate Estimates hearings from the ‘other side’ and assisted with basic procedural and administrative tasks (such as tabling documents) during the hearings.

The Department of the Senate graduate program is a unique and rewarding experience that I would recommend to any former graduates interested in understanding Senate practice and procedure, and those keen to see democracy in action!” 

Diana

Department of the Senate – 2022 Graduate Program

“The opportunity to work in the Department of the Senate appealed to me for so many reasons. I was particularly excited to learn more about parliamentary procedure and to gain a better understanding of the role of the Senate. However, my placement in the Additional Committee Support team exposed me to experiences much richer than I could have anticipated. I was able to work in very close proximity to senators and senate committees on topical issues such as an inquiry into the Religious Discrimination Bill. These experiences gave me a firsthand understanding of how senate committees influence policy making and legislative development, particularly through their role in scrutinising complex bills and issues. This has broadened my understanding of the stakeholders involved in passing legislation and will no doubt assist me in developing policy when I return to my home department. My placement with the Department of the Senate exceeded expectations and I would strongly recommend applying.”

Jessica

Department of the Senate – 2021 graduate program

“During my time in the Senate Committee Office, I focussed on inquiry work which included being the first-point-of-contact for all public questions around an inquiry, analysing submissions and preparing briefs for the Committee, conducting inquiry research, and organising public hearings. I also provided administrative assistance to Senate Estimates.”

Katrina

Parliamentary Budget Office – 2024 graduate program

'I applied for the PBO Graduate Program to gain real-world experience in quantitative analysis and to further develop my expertise as a policy analyst in my home agency. I also found the PBO’s unique role in Parliament House as an impartial entity serving parliamentarians highly intriguing. 

During my time as Graduate Analyst, I delved into a variety of policy areas, some of which were completely new to me. I gained invaluable insights into the policy process, especially the impact of particular parameters on the budget balances. The PBO work culture also fostered my ability to work independently, with tasks often requiring self-direction. 

Working at Parliament House offered a very unique experience – the Senate and House of Representatives are just a walk away, meaning you can just drop in and watch Question Time in-person! Working in the heart of Australian democracy and politics truly highlighted the importance of the work I was doing. 

The PBO Graduate Program has been instrumental in honing my analytical skills and in providing first-hand exposure to the policy development process. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to build their analytical skills, understand policy development, and work with an amazing and supportive team.' 

Matthew

Parliamentary Budget Office – 2021 Graduate Program

“Being a graduate at the PBO gave me a great insight into the unique role that the PBO plays in informing Parliament and the wider public about fiscal policy issues. The PBO provides graduates with the opportunity to contribute to published reports, deepen their knowledge of policy frameworks, and expand their technical skills. It’s a great opportunity for APS graduates from all backgrounds.”

Rajya Abo-Shaban

Parliamentary Budget Office – 2021 graduate program

'I highly recommend the PBO grad program for its opportunities for personal growth, close interaction with Senior Executive Staff, strong supportive teams, and networking with staff across the parliamentary departments.

Through my involvement in diverse projects and collaboration with various teams, I developed invaluable skills that are transferrable across the APS. 

Some of the things I learned include communicating to executives with influence, utilising tools like Power BI, understanding governance and finance functions, project management and acquiring data analytics skills.

The PBO fosters an extremely supportive team who are willing to guide you the whole way to achieve your goals.'

Savannah

Department of the House of Representative – 2021 Graduate Program

"I applied for the Parliament of Australia Graduate Program because I am passionate about social policy and wanted to understand how issues and policies that impact diverse communities are discussed and scrutinised. As I am early in my career, I also considered it important to gain a deeper understanding of how Parliament operates and to develop new skillsets that I could bring back to my home department.

During my placement, I worked in the Committee Secretariat for the Standing Committee on Indigenous Affairs, Standing Committee on Agriculture and Water Resources and Joint Standing Committee on Northern Australia. It was valuable to work across different committees, as each was at a different stage of its inquiry. This meant that I supported the Secretariat with a variety of tasks, including writing summaries of submissions, researching topics, analysing key themes and diverse perspectives, and organising witnesses to appear at public hearings.

The most enriching part of my placement was drafting a chapter of the final report for the Standing Committee on Indigenous Affairs. I learned about the distinct challenges faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in employment and business, and also the success stories from communities and entrepreneurs. I developed my written communication skills by pulling together evidence from submissions and public hearings, in a style that was very different to what I was accustomed to at my home department.

Overall, the Graduate Program built my interest in parliamentary proceedings (beyond Question Time!) and I appreciated the wide range of opportunities to further my knowledge, such as the Committee Office and Parliamentary Sittings debriefs, Library webinars on a range of topics, and Departmental staff tours around Parliament House. I would recommend the Graduate Program to anyone who is interested in deep diving into research topics and can adapt to tight deadlines with a strong attention to detail."

Sharda

Department of the House of Representative – 2021 Graduate Program

I was interested in the Parliament of Australia Graduate Program because I was keen to gain insight into the critical work of Parliament, in supporting democratic processes within Australia. Further, I was eager to contribute to and have exposure to the inner workings of Parliament.

Throughout my placement, I worked in the Committee Secretariat for the House Standing Committee on Tax and Revenue, the Standing Committee on Industry, Innovation, Science and Resources, as well as the Standing Committee on Health, Aged Care and Sport. I worked on a range of tasks to provide research and administrative support to the Committees. Being exposed to the different stages of an inquiry was useful. I drafted sections of a report for an inquiry, reviewed and summarised submissions, and assisted with the planning of public hearings. In particular, I found it interesting to engage with the community to promote the community’s understanding of the work of the House of Representatives and more broadly, the Parliament of Australia.

The Graduate Program provided me with a worthwhile experience to fully understand the role of parliamentary committees in our system of government. I gained skills and knowledge to better understand the relationship between the Parliament and the Executive. By providing support to certain House Standing Committees, I better understood the strategic context within which Australian Public Service functions. I developed my research and analytical skills while working on different inquiries. It was great to be afforded a variety of opportunities to learn about parliamentary practice and procedure.

Ultimately, the Graduate Program was a highly valuable experience, through which I developed a well-rounded understanding of parliamentary processes.”

Sacha

Parliamentary Budget Office – 2022 Graduate Program

“I have really enjoyed my time at the PBO and have learned a substantial amount in a relatively short period of time.

The supervision and mentorship I have received has been exceptional and has greatly helped me to learn and grow during this experience. I have been extremely grateful for my supervisor’s continued support and guidance, and the ability to work in person in the office.

I have enjoyed the opportunities that the PBO has provided to engage more broadly in the political process- I was particularly glad to be given the opportunity to attend Senate Estimates as an observer.

The matrix structure that costing analysts operate within has given me the opportunity to engage with multiple different policy areas which has been valuable for my development both in policy area understanding/technical skills as well as the development of soft skills such as communication, stakeholder management, prioritisation and time management.”