Training & Personal Development at Department of the Treasury

Depends on the area you are working as it varies a lot. Policy training usually follows the development of policy and the process surrounding getting a policy through to cabinet, the Office of Best Practise and through to legislation.

The training is a bit random and not always particularly helpful.

I am very unsatisfied with the training. I do not feel the training matches the calibre of our day-to-day work. Even as graduates we are given a lot of responsibility and spending 2 days at training each month is seen as a waste of time and puts us under stress to complete our actual work. I do not find the topics covered useful. I also do not find some of the presenters and their stories to be appropriate (eg. doing ethics training and the mentors are bragging about how they are reformed because they used to be unethical - insider trading, blackmailing, etc.). I think our time would be better spent at work, in the office, learning on the job. Alternatively, completing a Diploma of Government similar to other APS graduate programs may be more beneficial. Alternatively, subject specific training that we can opt into such as policy, economic, law training that would help us in our rotation (or prepare us for our next rotation) could be useful.

We work with QUT and this is quite useful however, could be improved by more hands-on training.

Multiple training seminars. To name a few: ethics, stakeholder engagement, systems thinking

On the job training is provided by your business area, this may include working with someone in your team closely or formal training. If you are in the Graduate program, you will also go through a formal induction before beginning with your team, and formal training throughout the year.

Informal training is quite good, a real focus on getting you working on important things early and helping to polish and advise on what needs to change or improve. The formal training is a bit more spurious essentially a senior management course but given to people on the lowest rung in the department hierarchy.

Formal training programs exist, food provided, a good day out of the office to learn and connect with other graduates that you wouldn't usually see otherwise. You can learn things, but you need to make the effort in the formal programs. Informal programs greatly depend on your manager and how much you engage with them.

The on the job training is incredibly helpful. My work also provides training for specific writing styles and products. If you ask for training on something particular, managers and the grad team are often willing to organise something for the grads.

I think they are quite applicable to the workforce and they're a great opportunity to meet other grads.

The Grad Program has extensive training and access to great courses. Training on the job is a little more informal, thrown into it - but I like that, I think it's the best way to learn!

Treasury has a range of training opportunities. E.g. in less than a year I have been able to attend various workshops and training days such as a tax law workshop and writing for government workshop. My division also offers fortnightly technical workshops on topics specific to the division- topics can be anything from working with policy to create legislation and drafting EMs for ExCo.

Treasury offer a professional third party to deliver various relevant organisational topics, budgeting enough time to digest the content. Internal training is ad-hoc but generally available.