Senior Project Officer, International Education Group.
I assist with the management of Australia’s bilateral education relationship with countries in the South-Asian region. This includes developing policy advice, liaising with international representatives, other departments and key stakeholders, and arranging activities such as overseas visits by the Ministers and departmental officers and visits to Australia by foreign dignitaries.
I travelled throughout Japan working part-time as an English instructor for 18 months in 1999–2000. I then decided to move from Geelong to Canberra and do Arts/Asian studies at ANU.
Like I’d never get a handle on all those acronyms—but then a month or two later you find yourself using all of them. It becomes second nature.
A friendly, supportive environment. Over the course of the year you develop great friendships and you have an instant network of people across the department that you can call on.
Definitely the training. DEEWR really does invest in developing you into an effective, well-rounded public servant. I received training in personal efficiency, project management, ministerial writing, communicating with influence, presentation skills, Australia’s parliamentary system, career planning, cross-cultural awareness, personality types, emotional intelligence…and the list goes on!