Career Directions Advice
Shan Shan Li, Internship Co-ordinator
Shan Shan is a graduate of the University of Western Australia in Psychology and English. She is also a graduate of Curtin University of Technology in Finance and Accounting. She joined the Advantage program at the beginning of 2005 and since then has been involved in various roles at AELC. She currently holds the role of Internship Co-ordinator for the Ausaid Leadership Development Program managed by AELC for the Australian Government.
Cassie Crofts
AELC Marketing & PR Co-ordinator
Cassie Crofts is currently completing her final semester of a Public Relations degree at Curtin University, and is a member of the 2008 WA Business Icon Executive Team. She is a quintessential Generation Y-er, wanting everything today and unable to live one day without FaceBook.
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Graduate Programs In The Government |
Let's be honest here, if we had the choice between a graduate program in the Government or a similar position in the corporate world most of us would choose to be in the latter.
Generally speaking, people perceive the myriad of government departments as old, boring and operated by mindless drones. It isn't exactly the image of sex appeal, excitement or great pay.
Now the corporate. The corporate is the shiny; excitement, fun, big challenges - and there is more likelihood of advancement through the ranks.
I'm not going to argue with you about it because honestly speaking, there is a grain of truth in this belief. However, by only focusing on corporate graduate programs you are doing yourself a great disservice.
Government departments provide some of the best opportunities for training and development as well as a comprehensive career development program. While advancement in later years may be met by the great wall known as bureaucracy it is an excellent place for you to learn and develop your professional portfolio.
There is no reason for you to go through the stress of working in the private sector when you can start your career within a government graduate program where you will be trained by the best, and still have your cake!
Don't see it as an experience in the death of your soul because you have no other alternatives; view it as an opportunity to see the inner workings of your local, state or Federal government.
Learn all you can. Take the training, work in a field of your choosing, and at the end of your one year graduate program if you still wish to move on to the greener pastures of the the corporate sector then go forth with the knowledge that you have got something to offer. By then you will have experience.
In WA, a university graduate will often begin at a Level 2 or 3 position in a graduate program (higher pay). If you don't want to work for our state then there is the Federal government; Defence and many others. It doesn't matter what you studied at university, there will be a position for you somewhere in the government. IT, commerce, law, Arts and even Agriculture, as long as you have that piece of paper, you have a chance in a department within the government. |
