ICT Skills
Australian Public Service (APS) ICT Apprenticeship Program
Each year the APS is seeking candidates to take on an ICT Apprenticeship in an Australian Government agency.
Apprentices gain valuable experience working in an APS environment, and the associated study leads to a Certificate IV or Diploma in Information Technology.
APS ICT Apprenticeship Program
APS ICT Cadetship Program
The APS ICT Cadetship Program is employing current university students to work part-time in an Australian Government agency while completing a university undergraduate degree.
Mentoring Programs
Women in IT Executive Mentoring (WITEM)
The WITEM Program was established in the APS in December 2005, with the aim of accelerating the development of leadership skills for women within the IT industry and profession. The Program forms part of a longer-term strategy of attracting and retaining women within the APS, and combines 1:1 mentoring, together with cross-organisational learning and facilitated group networking.
WITEM Extend
WITEM Extend is a mentoring program aimed at middle-management female executives that combines mentoring from senior ICT professionals from within the APS together with cross-organisational learning and facilitated group networking. The Program harnesses the skills and experiences obtained by past mentees from WITEM Programs. It provides an opportunity for these WITEM graduates to mentor women working in professional IT positions who aspire to leadership positions at executive and senior executive levels.
Smaller Agency Mentoring (SAM)
The SAM Program, modelled on the WITEM Program, aims to provide professional development and guidance to Chief Information Officers (CIOs) of smaller agencies in the APS, assisting them with progressing their APS ICT careers. The SAM Program pairs CIOs or Senior Executive level ICT officers from larger agencies with CIOs from smaller agencies.
Enhancing the APS ICT skills base
The Review of the Australian Government’s use of Information and Communication Technology made several recommendations targeted at enhancing the management of the APS ICT skills base:
- creation of a whole-of-government ICT career structure
- development and maintenance of a whole-of-government strategic ICT workforce plan
- equip organisational leaders to harness the benefits of ICT
- establishment of a whole-of-government tele-working policy
- sponsorship of annual ICT awards
- reduce Canberra-centricity of government ICT activities.
Enhancing the APS ICT skills base
Further information
In 2005, AGIMO released an ICT Professional and Skills Development Taskforce Report, Meeting the Demand for ICT Skills in the Australian Public Service - Today and for the Future, which outlined several priority recommendations.
In 2008, AGIMO created the ICT Reform Program to implement the Government's directions regarding the recommendations of the Review of the Australian Government's use of Information and Communication Technology by Sir Peter Gershon.
Recommendation 4 of the report included a number of items aimed an enhancing the ICT skills base within the Australian Public Service.
Contact us
For further information regarding the apprenticeship program, contact the APS apprenticeships team.
For further information regarding the cadetship program, contact the APS cadetships team.
For further information regarding the mentoring program, contact the Mentoring team.
For further information regarding the Enhancing the APS ICT skills base program, contact the ICT Skills Reform Team.