The Community and Social Services Graduate Program is your path to an exciting career in community services.

• The Victorian Community and Social Services Graduate Program is open now for applications
• 12-month graduate paid learning and development opportunity
• Be supported as you grow in your career

This program could be right for you if you:

• have recently graduated (within the last two years)*
• are new to the community and social services professional workforce
• are looking to continue your learning and development within a program designed to help you thrive in a challenging community and social services role.

*See further eligibility criteria below

About the program

Delivered by the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing in partnership with RMIT University and community service organisations, the program offers a well-supported entry to a career in community and social services.

Graduates in the program will participate in a professional development program offering training, enhanced supervision and other supports to help you thrive in your new role and maximise your potential. The program includes:

• a cross-sector orientation to build your understanding of the service system in practice
• a tailored professional learning program 
• enhanced professional supervision, and
• peer networking with other graduates across community services. 

About the community and social services sector

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, all of which offer the opportunity to:

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

Eligibility:

To apply, you must be a new or recent graduate (within the last 2 years) of a qualification in a field of study related to community and social services at Diploma, Bachelors or Masters qualification level. 

This includes, but is not limited to:

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

Further information on relevant qualifications is in the Program Requirements available on our website or by email [email protected] using the subject line: Victorian Community and Social Services Graduate Program enquiry via EthicalJobs.

Additionally, you must meet the following requirements:

• be an Australian/New Zealand citizen OR Australian permanent resident OR
  a temporary resident who holds a visa that has full working rights to work in Australia (not a temporary graduate visa subclass 485)
• be able to commit to a 12-month employment position.

How to apply  

To apply for this opportunity, you will need to provide your most recent:  

• Resume  
• Qualification transcript
• Proof of eligibility to work in Australia 

The candidate screening, matching and selection process commences through June 2025 to July 2025. Successful candidates will commence the program from August 2025.