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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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.

2020 graduates

Danie

The ACCC/AER Graduate Program was the perfect opportunity to further apply my prior experiences supporting small business and educational equity. It was greatly rewarding to rotate through diverse teams whose wide-ranging regulatory work make a real, current difference in Australians’ everyday lives. These included helping investigate COVID-19 supplier payment terms by retailers and franchising agreements, plus assessing compliance from large vehicle suppliers during the unprecedented Takata recall. Having studied economics, my current day-to-day work helping analyse energy affordability continually gives me great opportunities to develop data analysis and report writing skills, while being inspired by people possessing great passion and expertise for what they do.

Jecinta

The ACCC/AER Graduate Program was nothing like I expected. Every day there was a new challenge, a new way to broaden my thinking and apply the skills I had learned from uni, a new opportunity to test my resilience, learn something new, and grow personally and professionally. I'm lucky and proud to be part of a supportive and dynamic organisation that prioritises its people and doing great work. I got to experience the tipping point of just how far an Arts/Law degree can get me through rotating through different levels and areas of the ACCC, and I'm excited for what's to come.

Laila

Throughout the ACCC/AER Graduate Program, I was involved in many tasks in all of my rotations, where I was able to apply the skills I have learnt at university and increase my knowledge. One of the many perks of the graduate program is the opportunity graduates have in getting involved in important and valuable work alongside their team members and not just working on administrative tasks. This allowed for an expansion of skills and knowledge, allowing for a smooth transition from the graduate program to my current permanent position in the agency. I had the opportunity to write reports, present to senior management, examine evidence and data, assist my team in coming up with conclusions or theories about certain matters, and contribute to team meetings.

Having studied law and business, I also had the opportunity to rotate in three different divisions where I was able to learn many new and valuable skills that added variety and interesting challenges to my graduate year as a whole and contributed greatly to my development. Working at the ACCC also gave me a sense of satisfaction and fulfilment especially when seeing the matters I was working on in the public domain and the positive effects the ACCC’s work has on the Australian public, especially throughout the COVID-19 pandemic

2019 graduates

Jana

I highly recommend the ACCC/AER Graduate Program simply because it is such a good place to blast-off the start of your career. I found the opportunities constantly evolving and I love being on the forefront of fighting for the betterment of Australians, being a part of positive change, and standing up for fairness. The graduate program is supportive, expansive and you make so many good friends. It’s the perfect start to a new chapter as a professional.

Alice

The ACCC/AER Graduate Program was a fantastic introduction to the work of the ACCC and AER. I got the opportunity to take on a diverse range of interesting work that both utilised and complemented my law background and I was given a decent amount of responsibility, while always feeling supported. Being in the graduate program also meant immediately having a network of other grads to share the experience with and bounce thoughts off, who have become lasting connections beyond the grad year.

Rhys

I completed the ACCC/AER Graduate Program in 2019 after finishing university with an Honours degree in Economics. During the program I rotated through three diverse areas of the organisation and worked on projects related to advocacy, investigations and access arrangements.

As a graduate, I felt like a valued member of each of the teams I rotated through and I was encouraged to get involved as much as possible. This included an opportunity to present in front of the Commissioners only a couple of months after I started the program. The program also included ongoing learning and development seminars that continue to influence the work I do today.

Overall, the program was an invaluable learning experience that gave me a greater appreciation of the breadth of work that the ACCC and AER undertake and a clearer indication of where I want to take my career.

More information

Graduate opportunities

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