Help build the next generation of community service workers and a sustainable workplace. Register your organisation now for the Community and Social Services Graduate Program.
Developing and retaining new starters is essential to building a skilled and experienced workforce. But it can be difficult to support new starters to develop their skills and experience. Especially with high demand for services and workforce shortages.
That is why the Victorian Government is working with the community and social services sector to recruit, support and grow the workforce of the future.
We are looking for employers who want to help develop the future community and social services workforce.
Are you eager to develop and support the sector by:
investing in the skills and experience of new graduates
supporting new graduates to thrive in challenging and rewarding roles
developing your capacity to recruit and support early career professionals?
A well-supported early-career experience sets people up for a long and rewarding career. Investing in a rich and rewarding graduate experience helps us keep more new workers in the sector. It helps us grow the skilled workforce that community and social services need to meet current and future demand.
Investing in graduates is important to build and retain a sustainable workforce.
The community and social services workforce needs to grow to meet demand for essential services, both now and into the future.
A structured graduate year will give new starters the support they need. It will improve the job readiness of new practitioners and keep more of them through their early years of employment.
More graduates in community and social services
The program offers graduates a clear and attractive pathway from study into a rewarding career. It will draw more people to the sector and improve their confidence.
The Department of Families, Fairness and Housing provides funding to organisations participating in the graduate program. This funding helps graduates engage in the structured 12-month graduate program. It contributes to the cost to employers of investing in the learning and development of graduates.
Through the program employers will:
receive $8,000 of funding per graduate to support their development and help your wider organisation
have access to motivated and qualified graduates excited to make an impact
be able to offer enhanced professional learning, peer networks and other support for their graduates
retain new workers by offering a supported early-career experience. You will help to build a skilled workforce to meet current and future demand.
Employers can apply for additional funding of up to $5,000 to support graduates in rural and regional areas.
The Graduate Resource Centre also supports supervisors with regular check ins.
As an employer, you will commit to:
employing a graduate for a period of at least 12 months
supporting the graduate to engage in learning, development and peer networking opportunities provided by the program
providing professional supervision to graduates
providing access to additional professional learning opportunities within your organisation
providing simple reports on your organisation’s activities under the program.
Pathways to participate
There are 2 pathways for your organisation to take part in the graduate program:
vacancy pathway: hire a new graduate through the Graduate Resource Centre
nomination pathway: nominate an existing employee who has been in their role for less than 12 months.
Fill a role through the vacancy pathway. The Graduate Resource Centre works with you to find the best graduate for your organisation.
The vacant role must be:
suitable for a new practitioner
available for at least 12 months
at least 0.6 FTE
involve direct client service delivery.
The role cannot be in management or senior leadership.
Nominate an existing employee
You can nominate recent recruits who are starting out in their community services career.
The employee must be:
less than 12 months into their current role
a recent graduate (under 2 years)
available for the 12-month period
at least 0.6 FTE
involve direct client service delivery.
The employee cannot be in a management or senior leadership role.
The Graduate Resource Centre will assess the eligibility of nominated graduate positions.
There is some flexibility in the eligibility requirements. Please contact us if you are unsure.
The Graduate Resource Centre
The Graduate Resource Centre is a key resource for the graduate program. RMIT’s Workforce Innovation and Development Institute (WIDI) operates the Graduate Resource Centre.
Benefit from a centralised and streamlined recruitment process, saving time and resources.
Access a pool of motivated graduates with the right qualifications and a genuine interest in the sector.
Graduates can start in your organisation straight away.
The Graduate Resource Centre will support you by:
assessing applicant qualifications and suitability for job role
completing employment screening for shortlisted candidates
helping you and your graduates access training, resources and peer networking activities.
Once graduates are assessed through the Graduate Resource Centre, you will decide who you employ. You will have the option to undertake further recruitment activities to ensure graduate candidates are the right fit.
The Graduate Resource Centre will coordinate and oversee graduates’ participation in the program for both pathways.
Victorian community and social services organisations are invited to take part in the program. To take part, organisations must:
deliver services that are in scope of the Victorian Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (the department) and monitored through a service agreement with the department or in other ways (e.g. Victorian Housing Register). These include:
family violence services
sexual assault services
child and family services
child protection
home-based or residential out-of-home care services
disability services
social or community housing
homelessness services
alcohol and other drug (AOD) services in community services settings
any of the above services provided by an Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation
other community services funded by government.
commit to employing graduates for at least an initial period of 12 months
provide a work environment that supports graduates in a range of professional development opportunities
commit and adhere to program guidelines that outline program expectations and accountability requirements.
How to take part
To fill a vacant role or nominate an employee, you will need to:
Register to take part in the program via the employer portal. You can register at any time.
If your organisation is not yet registered, we will assess your eligibility to take part.
If your organisation is already registered, you will be linked to your organisation.
Once deemed eligible, you can apply via the portal after Monday 17 November 2025.
Vacancy pathway submissions close Friday 6 March 2026.
Nomination pathway submissions close Friday 27 March 2026.
You will need to fill in a short application form that includes the role’s:
current accountabilities
applicable award and conditions
required qualification
location
position description.
The Graduate Resource Centre will receive this nomination and assess the role's eligibility.
All eligible graduates, and organisations, will begin in the graduate program in April 2026.
Register with the program at any time
You can register to take part in the program at any time via the employer portal.
After registration, we will let you know if your organisation is eligible to take part.
