Community and social services graduate program

Information for graduates

The Community and Social Services Graduate Program is your path to a wide range of jobs that matter. The program will support you through the 12-months with learning and professional development. You will also have guidance from experienced practitioners.

About the program

Who is the program open to?

The Community and Social Services Graduate Program is open to people who have graduated within the last 2 years from a course related to community and social services. This could be at a Diploma, Bachelor or Master level.
Recent graduates may be:

Interested in a role in community services

This includes people seeking their first role in the community and social services sector after completing their qualification.

New employees in the community and social services sector

This includes people who:

started work in community and social services in the past 12 months
have an employer who is interested in participating in the Graduate Program.

What can successful applicants expect from the program?

All successful applicants in the Community and Social Services Graduate Program will participate in a 12-month learning and development opportunity. This will equip you will the skills and confidence to succeed in your new role. The program includes:

a cross-sector orientation to build your understanding of the service system in practice
evidence-based practices to provide a rich and well-supporting early career learning experience
enhanced professional supervision, and
peer networking with other graduates across community services.

If you are a graduate who has not yet secured a job, we will connect you with participating employers that are recruiting graduates. Graduates who move to take up a role in a rural or regional area will be supported to relocate.

How to apply

To apply, complete the Graduate Resource Centre Application form.

Applications for round 3 are open from Monday 28 April to midnight Sunday 25 May 2025. If you are already employed, your employer can register and nominate you until mid-July 2025.

You will need:

resume
qualification transcript, or if yet to graduate an unofficial transcript and date you will finish, and
proof of eligibility to work in Australia.

Candidate screening, matching and selection: June – July 2025.

If successful, you will be matched into a role that is a fit for you.

Start your new job: August 2025.

Further rounds of the Graduate Program will commence in February 2026 and August 2026.

Successful participants will commence in the program in August 2025 for 12 months.

Eligibility requirements

To apply for the Community and Social Services Graduate Program, you must have graduated within the last 2 years from a qualification related to community and social services. This may be at a Diploma, Bachelor or Master level.

Relevant studies include but are not limited to:

Diploma of Community Services (AQF5)
Bachelor of Social Work (AQF7)
Graduate Certificate in Family Violence (AQF8)
Master of Social Work (AQF9)

You must also:

be one of the following:
- Australian or New Zealand citizen OR
- Australian permanent resident OR
- a temporary resident who holds a visa that gives them the right to work in Australia. Graduates must not be on a temporary graduate visa (subclass 485). For more information, see the Department of Home Affairs Immigration and citizenship webpage.
commit to a 12-month employment position
be willing to undergo required pre-employment safety screening checks, such as a police record check and working with children check.

We will accept international qualifications if an assessing authority (Australian Association of Social Workers or Australian Community Workers Association) has confirmed recognition and equivalency of the qualification.

If you already work in the community and social services sector, you are eligible to apply if you:

have been employed in your current role in the last 12 months and graduated in the last 2 years
have an employer who is interested in participating in the Graduate Program.

For your employer to be accepted to participate, they must:

agree to support your participation in the Graduate Program
meet the employer eligibility requirements – detailed on the Community and social services graduate program - Information for employers page
complete the Community and Social Services Graduate Program employer registration (factsheet below).

After your employer completes the employer registration, we will let them know if they are eligible to take part. If they are eligible, we will ask them to provide the following details for your nomination in the program:

your current role accountabilities
your applicable award and conditions
your qualification
location.

Your employer can find more information on the Community and Social Services Graduate Program – information for employers page.

Community and social services is one of Victoria’s fastest growing sectors. A career in the sector can take you to a wide variety of rewarding roles, which offer the opportunity to:

make a positive difference in the lives of Victorians
put your knowledge and training into practice in ways that really matter, and
be a part of Victoria’s social reforms in family violence, disability, children and families, homelessness, social housing and more.

To learn more about working in the community and social services sector, visit the Jobs that matter webpage.