Our graduates go on to work in all areas of the ACCC. You can read about their experiences on the graduate program below.
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2023 graduates
Cassandra A
The ACCC/AER Graduate Program provided a rare opportunity to contribute to meaningful consumer outcomes on topical issues, such as the energy crisis and the impacts of increased cost of living. Through the program, you will gain exposure to a wide remit of work through a unique regulatory lens, strengthening your technical and soft skills.
From the get-go, there were structured trainings to establish a strong foundation in the legal and economic concepts underpinning potential regulatory work. This foundation was bolstered through our four rotations, where we got to work in collaborative and often inter-disciplinary teams. For example, I rotated through the Inquiry into the National Electricity Market team and had a chance to contribute across different workstreams from the beginning. This included data cleaning and analysis, consulting with retailers on confidential disclosures, website sweeps to verify Code compliance, and report drafting. I’ve personally enjoyed the balance of having autonomy over my work whilst being well-supported by the team. It’s also been exciting to see how our report has highlighted issues for consumers experiencing vulnerability and influenced policy reform!
Overall, the rotations will enable you to work flexibly in supportive and knowledgeable teams to develop nascent skills & leverage your respective expertise, broaden industry knowledge, and engender positive change.
Trang Q
The ACCC Graduate Program has provided me with great opportunities to get to know the inner working of the ACCC as a high-performing regulatory agency. The fact that the ACCC has a prominent public profile means you will probably get the chance to work on high-profile matters! It is highly motivating to know that each task or matter you are assigned can contribute to better outcomes for Australian consumers, small businesses and the economy as a whole.
Having rotated through three different divisions within the ACCC, I can confidently say the organisational culture is excellent, I get to work with people who are highly-regarded in their field and is always happy to have a chat if a task proves to be challenging. I also enjoyed the supportive and fun team culture where we encourage team humour, appreciate diversity, not only celebrate team milestones but also individual milestones.
The graduate network is also a valuable aspect of the program - having access to a group of others who are just as new to the organisation can be reassuring - you can learn about other divisions that you may not have rotated through or share your experience or just have a chat, or even a group to have lunch with in the first few weeks is fantastic. I should also mention, having a grad buddy was amazingly helpful!
Last but not least, the trainings offered by the Graduate Program provide excellent opportunities to pick up new skills or strengthen your existing skills.
Angelique D
The ACCC/AER graduate program is designed to give you a breadth of experience that allows you to explore a mix of enforcement and advocacy type roles. The work is varied and interesting and I’m continually learning about new markets and industries. Over the course of my three rotations, I helped to develop policy recommendations, investigate breaches of consumer law, draft media releases and present at meetings with international regulators. Consumer protection is at the core of everything the ACCC does, and part of what makes working here so rewarding is knowing you have the capacity to make a real difference in people’s everyday lives. This became apparent to me when I was given the opportunity to visit a number of regional childcare providers in Dubbo and speak to them firsthand about the cost pressures facing their business.
As a graduate at the ACCC, people are genuinely invested in your professional development and committed to making your experience a positive one. Throughout the program, I always felt supported and valued by members of my team who encouraged me to express my ideas and take on meaningful tasks, including on a number of high-profile matters. Ultimately, it’s the sense of purpose and inclusive workplace culture that really sets the ACCC apart.
Sam H
The ACCC grad program is a great entry-point to one of the most interesting and rewarding agencies out there. The agency does such varied work that it’s hard to experience it all in one role, and that’s where the grad program comes in. Rotating through 3-4 different areas makes it much easier to get a feel for what work you’re actually interested in, and where you’d like your career to take you. For me, it revealed a wholly unexpected interest in telecommunications regulation, which sounds like the dullest possible thing to work on but turned out to be so fascinating that I voluntarily went back for rotation 4! You never know what area will become a nerdy obsession that you bore people with at parties, and a grad program like this one is the best way to find out.
Alex R
The ACCC's graduate program is an excellent way to start your career within the agency. It has provided me with numerous opportunities to use and further develop the skills I learnt in university. My rotations across industries and function areas allowed me to develop a deep understanding of the wide variety of work the ACCC is involved in. It also highlighted how important and impactful our role is to the everyday Australian. The support throughout the project is exceptional, and those that I have worked with have been friendly, supportive, and motivated. This environment has meant that I have felt trusted and supported to work on meaningful work from day one, and throughout each of my graduate rotations.
2022 graduates
Anthony R
I have found the breadth of experience throughout the ACCC graduate program to be very beneficial for both development purposes and guiding my future career goals. The ACCC has also proven to be a great place to work in terms of meaningful work and flexibility offered by the organisation. The people I have worked with have all been passionate about supporting consumers while providing me with autonomy and support. You will be trusted and encouraged to voice your opinion, I feel this environment has allowed me to make meaningful contributions in each of my graduate rotations.
Anthony J
The ACCC/AER graduate program is unique among its contemporary programs, in that these agencies have such a wide mandate. This means that each rotation you’ll be doing something completely different, all the while knowing that at its core, you’re working towards the betterment of society and protecting the interests of everyday Australians. Last year I had the chance to grill big business about some sneaky acquisitions they’d made, work together with other agencies to limit the reach of an international conglomerate, re-centre consumer issues in our energy work at the midst of the gas crisis, investigate misleading advertising and bogus product representations, and work with international agencies to identify the biggest product safety risks to children that summer. Personally, I adore the variety and really appreciated being able to learn about a new industry frequently, but for those craving consistency and the chance to be a subject matter expert, the AER or the ACCC’s industry teams might be the perfect fit for you!
2021 graduates
Andrew
Participating in the ACCC Graduate program is an ideal way to enter the organisation and to begin your career. Working at the ACCC/AER gives a sense of purpose and the broad scope of work can allow for deep insight into consumer welfare, markets and why regulation exists. The graduate rotation program has given me exposure into various divisions of the ACCC/AER where I have utilised skills learnt in university and established new areas of interest. The program regularly challenges me to step outside of my comfort zone and is constantly developing my professional and personal skills. The organisation is supportive, inclusive, and full of bright and friendly people willing to assist you.
Sam
I had a great experience in the ACCC’s graduate program. I enjoyed the opportunity to put the knowledge and experiences I had acquired at university towards work that has an impact on everyday Australians. My rotations across multiple teams allowed me to quickly develop a number of new skills and be exposed to the wide variety of work with which the ACCC is involved. A particular highlight of my time as a graduate was working in the ACCC’s Competition Exemptions Branch, in which I helped assess applications for exemptions from competition law prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic. I have been proud to work alongside passionate and dedicated individuals throughout my time at the ACCC. Working in a number of supportive teams in an agency that really makes an effort to care for its people has been very rewarding from both a professional and personal perspective. I have taken on lots of new and interesting challenges, developed important workplace skills and made a host of new connections through participating in the Graduate Program.
Amelia
The ACCC Graduate Program has been an amazing learning and development opportunity. Every day, you get the chance to do incredibly meaningful work that has a very direct benefit to consumers, businesses, and the Australian economy. From helping to educate small businesses about operating online, to supporting IT system changes through the Consumer Data Right ecosystem, all the way to researching and learning about the best ways to formulate the rate of return calculations for energy providers, this year has shown me that there is work at the ACCC that will be interesting to everyone, regardless of the degrees you may have studied at university. Your thoughts and views are valued right from your first day, and you are surrounded by passionate experts who actively try to help you grow and become an expert in your own right. If you have an interest in helping people, doing challenging and exciting work, and being part of an inclusive and welcoming workplace, then the ACCC is the place for you.