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Ensuring the Australian Government has the right skills to meet the challenges of the digital age remains a key priority for the Coalition, with 121 new digital apprentices, cadets and graduates welcomed into the public service today.

The new recruits were engaged through the Digital Transformation Agency’s entry-level programs and will work in a range of digital or technical roles across 19 Australian Government agencies.

Since 2007, the program has provided pathways into government for more than 1,100 digital apprentices, cadets and graduates. Next year, another 102 program participants will commence across 16 government agencies.

Minister for Human Services and Digital Transformation Michael Keenan said it was vital ICT skills were developed and maintained throughout the APS to ensure the government can continue to deliver world-class digital services.

“The Coalition is committed to delivering the best possible digital services for the Australian people and to do that we need the best and brightest people working for us to help us build and maintain those services,” Minister Keenan said.

“An excellent example of how this is already happening is the work that has been done by other portfolio area, the Department of Human Services, where the ICT team have built several key service delivery platforms such as the Centrelink Express Plus app.

“While external contractors will always have an important role to play delivering specialist skills to government, being self-reliant helps to significantly lower costs and continues to provide opportunities for our own people to grow and advance.”

DHS also recently welcomed on-board about 80 new STEM graduates, with a large majority of them women. Since the STEM program began in 2016, 307 graduates have begun their ICT careers with the Department and 85 of those graduates are women.

“As these graduates embark on their digital careers in government, I am confident that our digital government of the future is in the very best of hands,” Minister Keenan said.