blog Spoiling for a career in IT in the public sector? You’re in luck. The Federal Government has just opened its ICT apprenticeship and cadetship program again. I haven’t been through this personally, but I did go through a lot of pretty similar IT industry training/work experience when I was studying a Bachelor of Science (Business Information Technology) at the University of NSW. Ultimately I dropped out after two years to become a writer, but perhaps you’ll have better luck. The blog of the Australian Government Information Management Office tells us:
“The ICT Apprenticeship Program is for people with little or no formal ICT experience. ICT Apprentices work full-time in an Australian Government agency and study part-time to attain a Certificate IV or Diploma in ICT. Their qualification is paid for by their agency and they receive paid study leave to attend classes.
The ICT Cadetship Program is for University students who are currently studying an undergraduate ICT degree. ICT Cadets work part-time in an Australian Government agency until they complete their degree. They also receive a generous study allowance to support their University costs.
Applications for the 2014 programs are open now and close on Monday, 5 August 2013. Positions are available in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide.”
I have to say, if you’re interested in a career in IT, there are much better paid and more satisfying opportunities out there than working in the Federal Government. However, if you want stability coupled with challenge, public sector work has it in spades right now. If I wanted to work in IT and was just starting out with big ambitions, right now I’d be looking to get into this program in the Federal Government and then, once I’d made it up a few rungs into state government, where there are some huge challenges right now that would be fantastic to tackle, plus big opportunities for advancement. Government IT offers some of the biggest IT projects in Australia.
Of course, you also have to put with an immense bureaucracy and the whims of fickle politicians; every job has its downside ;) The private sector offers better pay and probably better conditions — but the downside is that everything is about making money for someone else ;)
Image credit: Harrison Keely, royalty free
“I have to say, if you’re interested in a career in IT, there are much better paid and more satisfying opportunities out there than working in the Federal Government. However, if you want stability coupled with challenge, public sector work has it in spades right now.”
Have you worked in federal Renai? It’s very hit and miss :P
I’ve contracted for ASA and the challenge is minimal and I had a mate who worked for defence and hated it due to lack of work.
That being said hopefully the people who take up the cadetships actually have an interest in IT and not just there for the money. We don’t need more useless people in IT trying to get on the gravy train
The IT apprenticeships offer an alternative to “going to uni” for a school leaver who wants to work in IT, especially if you would have to work anyway.
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