The AIHW Graduate Program provides an opportunity for graduates to gain exposure to the broad work undertaken across the AIHW by participating in cross-agency projects and managing the Social Club. Graduates are also provided with the opportunity to participate in internal and Australian Public Service (APS) wide graduate events. At the AIHW we value a positive, friendly, cooperative and productive workplace where people are treated with respect and courtesy, and diverse and unique attributes are recognised and valued. We are committed to providing flexibility in working arrangements to recognise the importance of balancing work commitments with family, caring and other personal commitments of employees outside of work.
We are committed to creating genuine opportunities for all, and encourage applications from Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people(s), people with a disability and people from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
AIHW Graduate Program: Become apart of the data narrative! Indigenous Graduate Pathway
This year we are participating in centralised recruitment through the Indigenous Graduate Pathway. As an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander you will be able to complete one application and be considered for multiple Agencies and Departments within the Australian Public Service (APS).
Whether you start your career with us, or somewhere else in the APS you will do meaningful work from day one.
Visit the Indigenous Careers website to apply and find out more.
AIHW Graduate Profiles
Name: Adam
Team: Aged Care Data Improvement Unit
Position: Data Analyst
When did you join the AIHW Graduate program?
January 2022
What did you study at university?
Master of Economics and Public Policy
What has your experience of the grad program been?
Challenging… in a good way. Working at the AIHW will require you to expand and adapt your understanding of data. However, opportunities for collaboration with your fellow grads, partnered with support of colleagues with broad subject matter expertise, mean you do not have to go through it alone. Diverse and frequent training modules, guest speakers and forum discussions, also provide gateways to further your understanding of the Institute, and the broader health and welfare landscape.
Most interesting or fulfilling project you have worked on?
As an AIHW graduate, I assisted with the development and roll-out of Australia’s Disability Strategy online dashboard. This project provided exposure to diverse experiences, such as R-coding for data analysis and graphic design for website content. The process also provided opportunity to work alongside numerous external stakeholders and various AIHW units, including Communications & Engagement, and Website and Publishing & Data Visualisation teams.
What are the best parts of working at the AIHW?
Working at AIHW provides not only access to, but also understanding of, some of Australia’s largest health data assets. The institutional knowledge carried by your colleagues provides an unrivalled opportunity to understand and engage with Australia’s health and welfare data, supporting the maintenance and development of holdings that in turn power better policy decisions across the nation.
Do you engage in any extra-curricular activities at the AIHW?
As an AIHW graduate, you are responsible for oversight of the AIHW Social Club. This assignment provides a great opportunity to meet and collaborate with fellow grads, and has seen me delivering mangos, organising soccer matches, and cooking and baking for charity!
What advice would you give to any future applicants or graduates?
You will experience and truly get stuck-in to long term projects. That is, you will experience work as it really is, rather than surface level features. So, if you already know what you’re interested in, then, the AIHW graduate is program is for you (because it gives you the time to pursue it fully!).
Name: Elena
Team: Cardiovascular, Diabetes and Kidney Unit, Health Group
Position: Data Analyst
When did you join the AIHW Graduate program?
February 2021.
What did you study at university?
Bachelor of Science (Honours) with majors in Statistics and Immunobiology and an honours thesis focused on molecular epidemiology.
What has your experience of the grad program been so far?
The graduate program has been a fantastic experience and a great start to my career! The program has allowed me to build technical skills in health data analytics and has also given me a deeper understanding of the public service and how our work contributes to evidence-based decision making in government. I’ve also had the opportunity to work with the wider graduate community in Canberra, through participating in the Graduate Data Network.
Most interesting or fulfilling project you have worked on?
During my first few months as a graduate, I was able to contribute to our Heart, stroke, and vascular disease: Australian facts report, working on the data visualisation component. This was a great way to learn about all the different data sources we use and the process of releasing a report.
What are the best parts of working at the AIHW?
A highlight has been how friendly and approachable everyone is at the AIHW! The Institute also has a strong focus on flexible working and there’s lots of support for pursuing learning and development opportunities.
Do you engage in any extra-curricular activities at the AIHW?
As a graduate, I was the co-president of the Social Club and was involved in planning several events throughout the year, including the Christmas Party and AIHW birthday. This was a great experience to meet people from other areas of the institute.
What advice would you give to any future applicants or graduates?
The AIHW graduate program is the perfect opportunity for anyone interested in building more technical skills in data, health and welfare! For future graduates, be prepared to learn and be open to getting involved in a variety of different projects.
Name: Bronte
Team: Health Performance and Quality Unit
Position: Graduate Data Analyst
When did you join the AIHW Graduate program?
February 2019.
What did you study at university?
Bachelor of Biomedical Science and a Masters of Public Health.
What has your experience of the graduate program been so far?
Excellent experience. I’ve had morning tea with the CEO, shadowed meetings with my Group Head and attended a number of highly insightful training workshops. The institute has made particular effort to ensure I am settling in- I had a ‘catch-up’ session after two weeks of starting with HR and my unit is regularly asking how I am going. It’s been great to also be involved in the larger graduate community within Canberra. I participated in a scavenger hunt with graduates from AIHW and other departments, which was a great way to get to know Canberra as well as meeting like-minded people.
What are the best parts of working at the AIHW?
Being a smaller agency, I have a real sense of community at work. Within 1 month of working here, I recognise a number of familiar faces and it’s easy to find my way around the institute. Everyone has been very approachable and friendly. There is a strong focus on learning and development.
Current project you’re working on?
Our team just released a report titled ‘Bloodstream infections associated with hospital care 2017–18: Australian hospital statistics’. It was exciting being involved in the release process and reading media responses to our report. Currently, our team is working on the Australian Health Performance Framework, which aims to provide a single, enduring and flexible vehicle to support system-wide reporting on Australia’s health and health care performance.
Do you engage in any extra-curricular activities at the AIHW?
All graduates are involved in the Social Club at AIHW. We coordinate various fundraising and charity events throughout the year. It’s been an excellent opportunity to meet different people across the institute.
What advice would you give to any future applicants or graduates?
AIHW is a great place for graduates. You get stuck into project work as soon as the program begins, and unlike other graduate programs, you stay within one team for the entire program- allowing you to see the full cycle of a project. Being a smaller institute- there are great opportunities to network across many different work areas. People are really approachable and dedicated to their work, which is really inspiring. Another great benefit to the graduate program is that you are employed on an on-going contract, meaning you have the opportunities to apply for higher APS classification as soon as you feel up to it.