Government & Public Service

Whether you work within a department or statutory body, your role would ultimately involve promoting and safeguarding the interests of the wider Queensland or Australian community.

Working within the public service or government sector offers numerous advantages: there is enormous variety in the roles available, and just being in a diverse environment opens your eyes to career options you might never have considered; secondments create lots of opportunities to develop your skills and there is astonishing mobility within the sector; and greater opportunities for work-life balance (flex time, compressed hours, part-time work, 48/52 or recreation leave at half pay, etc.). Although still subject to operational convenience, they are better than you could negotiate in most private firms.

Legal skills are valuable in the public sector, in legal, policy and program roles. While both the Queensland and federal public sectors offer graduate programs, there are still several ways of 'getting a foot in the door'. If you accept an entry level role, there are frequent opportunities for advancement within and across departments.