Graduate Development Program GDP Graduate Leadership Program GLP

Graduate Development Program (GDP) & Graduate Leadership Program (GLP) UNECE HRMT Conference Budapest 5 – 7 September 2012

Background Graduate Development Program (GDP) • ABS employs between 80 and 170 graduates each year from over 2000 applications • In 2012 there were 144 ABS graduates, the largest single entry intake at any level • ABS has a great retention rate for graduates, 94% of the 2011 cohort (154/164)

Aims The aims of the Graduate Development Program are to: • transition graduates into the workforce (ABS & APS) • rapidly build professional capacity and workplace capability • familiarise graduates with ABS structure and culture • enhance statistical capability • articulate graduate roles and responsibilities

GDP Curriculum The curriculum is mandatory and all graduates undertake: • a range of ABS induction material (face to face & welcome videos) • compulsory e-learning modules • core business programs Graduates also take on programs relevant to their area of employment • professional specialist programs Three workshops are held to focus on leadership and management skills: • Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is used to explore a range of ‘soft skills’ in two workshops • Workshop 3 is career planning, image and goal setting

Successful completion of the GDP • • Satisfactory completion of probation (3 reports over 6 months) Absence of performance management issues Final review of Development & Performance Agreement (June) Completion of the mandatory GDP components Advancement Process • graduates are advanced to a higher pay and employment level following successful completion of the program and a separate performance review (October)

GDP Evaluation & Outcomes Evaluation • 90% of graduates found the program a useful and important introduction to the ABS • Feedback on the quality and relevance of the curriculum training programs was very high (most around 80% – 90%) • 94% reported that supervisors contributed to their development Outcomes • over 90% of graduands understand the business, the role of the ABS and its strategic goals • over 80% reported a good fit with the ABS and 70% that • the ABS was the right employer for them • 94% retention rate in 2011 (95% in 2010, 87% in 2009)

Graduate Leadership Program (GLP)

Background Graduate Leadership Program (GLP) • ABS People Plan vision is to maximise leadership and management capability, and to nurture high potentials • GLP was designed to identify and accelerate the development of the top 10% of the graduate intake • the program requires a significant level of support and commitment from senior ABS leaders

Aims The aims of the Graduate Leadership Program are: • to provide these future leaders with opportunities to rapidly grow their careers within the ABS • expose them to a wide range of experiences across the business and use them to find solutions to real ABS issues • allow the ABS to respond to workforce challenges facing the wider APS and starting succession planning at entry level • to strategically position the ABS for future sustainability

Graduate Leadership Program (GLP) • 19 graduates selected for the GLP following a competitive process (covering letter, application, referee report, inductive reasoning test) • GLP conducted 29 August 2011 to 30 June 2012 • First time trialled in the ABS, first program of its type across government • Needed to develop a GLP to meet a business need and align it with the goals of the ABS People & Capability Plans

Features of the GLP • Orientation Day • 3 -day residential for leadership and personal development • 7 formal training programs • 2 rotations in corporate areas • 9 -month major ABS Work Project, working in teams of 5 • project assessment meetings • 3 coaching sessions with an Executive Coach • Assessed over 15 competencies leading to a formal qualification (Adv. Dip. of Govt. ) • Senior Executive Service (SES) advocacy, support, participation & involvement

Outcomes • The GLP will be formally assessed by an independent reviewer in October 2012 Anecdotal evidence to date: • The quality of the presentations and papers on all four corporate projects was of a very high standard and the recommendations from each group will be progressed • The GLP group are noticeably more confident and self assured and they report that engagement with the SES over the program has been very beneficial • The rotations across the ABS were very valuable and this widened their understanding across the ABS and also contributed to them building strong internal networks

Questions?