I applied for the AIHW Graduate Program in mid 2009 having completed a Bachelor of Business (Property) in 2006, working as a real estate valuer for 2 years and still having to complete half of the subjects in my Psychology Honours. I was living in Adelaide at the time and the job market there was dead, I was broke and I had no choice but to apply for interstate jobs. It was totally by chance that I stumbled across the AIHW graduate program (I had never heard of the AIHW until then) but I liked what I saw and applied. Before I formally accepted, I checked with a local friend who said that Canberra was a great place to live, so I packed up and moved to Canberra (with the help of our awesome HR team) at the end of November 2009.
I wasn't sure what to expect when I first started, but I was very impressed with how friendly and helpful everyone was in my team, as well as the Housing and Homelessness Group as a whole. My role consists of working within a project team of IT qualified people to develop a new homelessness data collection system. Whilst I don't have the in-depth IT knowledge of everyone else in my team, they make me feel like an integral part of the team due to the unique contribution I make through my business document writing skills. The work culture is very supportive and the managers at all levels are very accessible and welcoming. Everyone also laughs at my jokes which is nice.
The AIHW as a whole is a very welcoming place which has a distinct emphasis on developing its employees through training and work experiences. The internal training offered is of a very high standard and I am receiving support while I finish my Honours as well. The staff at the AIHW come from a surprisingly wide variety of educational fields and there is such a diverse range of interests that it is easy to fit in no matter what you are into. There is a definite emphasis on work life balance and many people across the AIHW come together for a friendly, if uncoordinated, game of handball, squash or soccer during their lunch break.
I can unreservedly say that the AIHW is one of the best workplaces I have worked within. This is without a doubt due to the people working here, who are supportive and actively try to make it a great place to work. It may not be well know, but it is definitely unforgettable.
If you have any questions about my experience of working as a graduate at the AIHW, feel free to contact me scott.shirren@aihw.gov.au
Scott Shirren