After completing my studies at the University of Melbourne I chose to join the ACCC’s Graduate Program, which began in February 2012.
The variety of the ACCC’s work is of real benefit for graduates. Over three rotations with different teams at the ACCC I applied my academic economics training to problems of regulation, consumer protection, industrial organisation, and competition economics more broadly. In all rotations I was given significant responsibilities and encouraged to participate meaningfully to the teams’ work.
The Program ensured I had the skills and support to succeed in my work at the ACCC. Graduates participate in a variety of ACCC-specific training, including courses dedicated to competition law and regulatory economics.
The program gave us the right skills to succeed not just at the ACCC but in our careers in general. We received significant training in foundation skills such as professional writing, presentation, and effective communication. The Graduate Program also exposes graduates to the broader law, economics, and policy communities in Australia.
The many social activities of the program helped us integrate into the office, and develop close friendships with graduates across Australia’s major cities.
The ACCC Graduate Program provides an ideal environment for new professionals to gain the skills and experience necessary to make a positive impact on the welfare of Australia’s citizens.
Natalie 2012 Graduate
I really enjoyed my time in the ACCC Graduate Program. For me the highlights were being able to work in diverse areas of the organisation, working on a large number of different projects and the supportive work environment.
During the Graduate Program I completed rotations in the Legal Group, the Australian Energy Regulator, and Transport. By completing three different rotations, including an interstate rotation, I was able to gain a well-rounded view of the ACCC’s work. As a graduate I was given ownership of projects, presented papers to Commission, engaged with stakeholders and always participated in meaningful work. It was also an interesting process gaining an understanding of different industries.
The training provided as part of the Program was also great. I found the training such as Writing and Presentation Skills and Regulatory Economics really helped as I was immediately able to put those skills to use in my work. Training days are also a great way to catch up and spend time with all the other graduates.
I am currently working in the Rail Access team in the Fuel, Transport and Prices Oversight Branch. I have found the skills, knowledge base and experience I have obtained through participation in the Graduate Program are essential to my work in the Rail Access team.
Yak 2011 graduate program Fuel Group
I came into the ACCC graduate program in 2011 after doing the Internship Program the year before. While at The University of Melbourne I studied Mechanical Engineering/Commerce, with Honours in Economics. I was interested in working at the ACCC as it is at the apex of economic regulation and competition law in Australia, with a good measure of consumer protection thrown in. After experiencing the Internship Program and seeing the organisation at work first hand, it was an easy decision to apply for the graduate program.
The graduate program has been immensely rewarding as you get to experience a variety of work throughout the organisation. For example, the rotation in Enforcement in Townsville has really familiarised me with the CCA and the consumer protection aspect of the ACCC. For a graduate with no legal training, it was an invaluable experience. The rotations also give graduates a great opportunity to build up networks throughout the ACCC.
During the graduate program, you are never on your own; there is constant support from your directors and supervisors, as well as the team running the graduate program. There is also the informal support from your buddy and the rest of the graduate cohort.
I would recommend the ACCC graduate program for anyone who is interested in doing interesting and challenging work that improves the welfare of Australians, while making lifelong friends along the way.
Lisa 2011 graduate program Mergers Investigations
My graduate year was a year of great professional and personal fulfi lment. I was given the opportunity to contribute to meaningful, often high profi le work in a supportive and encouraging environment. Each rotation allowed me to apply my university training in different ways and build my skill set in a manner relevant to the challenges of the work carried out by the ACCC.
There is so much to enjoy about working at the ACCC. The best part for me though has to be getting to work on intellectually stimulating matters alongside like-minded, dedicated and supportive people.
The training provided by the ACCC throughout my grad. year has also been invaluable. Whether it be the law and economics training I have completed or the professional and leadership development initiatives I have participated in, I have always had the sense that the ACCC is investing in my long-term career and in me as a person.
I am now working in the Merger Investigations Branch in the Sydney Offi ce. My knowledge of the Australian Competition and Consumer Law and the competitive dynamics of the Australian market that I acquired throughout the graduate program have become fundamental to my work in the Merger Investigations team.
Matthew 2008 graduate program Communications Group
While completing a Bachelor of Arts/Laws, I undertook volunteer work at Consumer Action Law Centre and completed a legal policy internship with the Victoria Law Foundation. After this experience, I became interested in the consumer protection work undertaken by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission.
Despite having an interest in a particular area, I applied for the ACCC graduate program because I wanted to gain experience in the different roles performed by the ACCC. I subsequently completed rotations in the Communications Group and the Enforcement Branch before deciding to return to the Reg 1 team in the Communications Group for my third rotation.
When my time in the graduate program ended, I began work in the Communications Group. This is a particularly interesting part of the ACCC because it requires an understanding of a number of areas, including the economics of regulation, the legal framework within which the ACCC operates and the telecommunications infrastructure.
As well as ensuring that graduates experience different work areas, the ACCC graduate program involves a comprehensive training program to equip them with the skills necessary to advance their careers at the ACCC.
I would recommend the ACCC graduate program to anyone interested in working in a relevant and intellectually challenging environment.
Katrina 2007 graduate program Legal Group
The ACCC graduate program offers a fantastic opportunity to work in diverse areas of the ACCC. I joined the graduate program in 2007 and my rotations were in the Mergers and Asset Sales Branch, Enforcement Branch and Legal Group.
Working in different areas is great for providing you with a range of opportunities and challenges. As a graduate, I was interviewing potential witnesses around the country, conducting economic analysis on mergers and acquisitions by high-profile corporations and providing legal advice on potential contraventions of the law. I was able to develop my skills on a range of interesting work with extensive training and support from my colleagues.
I also thoroughly enjoyed my interstate rotation in Canberra. The interstate rotations give you the opportunity to work in different areas, put faces to the names of your colleagues and take part in new hobbies/interests outside work that might not be available to you in your home town.
I currently work as a lawyer in the Legal Group. At the ACCC, I work on a range of enforcement activities that are both challenging and exciting. The experience of working with those at the top of their field is also invaluable.
Scott 1996 graduate program Enforcement Operations Group
The ACCC is able to offer a diverse range of work at the cutting edge of economic regulation and competition law. The matters we get to work on are invariably interesting, are often challenging and always include a broader focus on the welfare of Australians.
Being a national organisation, opportunities for work in different regions is a big positive. Beginning in Canberra, I had two year-long stints as an investigator in Perth and then headed up the ACCC's North Queensland office in Townsville. I spent 12 months on secondment to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. These different experiences have been interesting and rewarding.
As with any job, interaction with others—whether they are colleagues, clients or otherwise—is very important. The opportunity to work with professional and skilled colleagues has always been one of the real benefits of working at the ACCC, not to mention the approachability and contact at all levels with senior management and commissioners. Contact with consumers and industry—while not always seeing eye-to-eye—also provides new perspectives and opportunities for learning.
As a career, the ACCC provides significant opportunities. Fourteen years down the track from my time in the graduate program I am lucky to have a role coordinating and overseeing much of the ACCC's competition and consumer protection enforcement work across the country.
The ACCC graduate program provides the perfect entry point and a solid foundation for a rewarding career with the ACCC.
