Indigenous Apprenticeships Program (IAP)

We offer our IAP participants a supportive work environment, a formal study program, extracurricular activities and job security throughout the IAP program and beyond.

About the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA)

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) exists to meet the Nation’s commitment to care for our veteran and defence service community—the men and women who have served Australia in times of war and conflict as well as peacetime. We do this through programs of care, compensation, commemoration, income support and Defence support services.  Our aim is to ensure enhanced self-sufficiency, quality of life, financial wellbeing and community recognition for those we support.

DVA is both a policy and service delivery agency and we have strong relationships with Australian ex-service organisations, the Department of Defence, the international veteran community and international veterans’ administrations.

We are dedicated and committed to attracting and recruiting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and encourage applications from people with disability, people that identify as LGBTQIA+ and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. RecruitAbility applies to vacancies advertised in DVA. Read more about our diverse and inclusive workforce.

View more information on how we help the veteran community and our work.

You will find a copy of our latest annual report here. 

About the IAP

The IAP is a pathway for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to start their career in the Australian Public Service (APS).

• The program runs for 12 months, from August to August each year.
• No specific skills or qualifications are required though it helps if you have completed either Year 12, or Year 10 plus two years’ work experience.
• Participants are engaged at the APS 3 level as ongoing full-time APS employees with the opportunity to advance to the APS 4 level upon completion of the program.
• DVA participates in the IAP in order to:
  • increase the representation of First Nations peoples in the APS so our workforce better reflects the communities we serve
  • build the capabilities and employability of First Nations peoples
  • improve the services we offer by leveraging the range of skills and experiences of a diverse workforce.

What the IAP includes

The program includes a range of work placements, formal study and extracurricular activities. Participants:

• undertake two work placements
• complete a Diploma of Government
• are assigned a ‘buddy’ who will help you settle in to your new workplace. They’ll show you around and introduce you to people
• are assigned a First Nations mentor who will support you and share their professional skills, perspectives and experiences
• are given the opportunity to visit a frontline service delivery office. This will help you gain a holistic understanding of our business
• participate in client forums so you gain firsthand experience of our clients’ backgrounds and needs
• learn through people (peers, managers and other IAP participants)
• access relevant resources to support your continuous learning.

Pay and Conditions

The DVA Enterprise Agreement 2024–2027 (EA) sets out the entitlements for DVA employees.  
IAP participants will be engaged at the APS3 classification and paid at the first pay point of the APS3 classification. Once a participant has successfully completed the IAP program, you will automatically be advanced and salary progressed to the bottom pay point of the APS4 classification. 

DVA offers its employees a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• flexible working hours and conditions to help you balance work and personal life
• generous superannuation provisions
• salary sacrifice arrangements
• ongoing development and training opportunities
• a healthy lifestyle allowance
• four weeks' annual leave per year
• IAP participants are able to take leave during the year. Leave arrangements must be negotiated with your direct supervisor during each placement. However, it is recommended that you do not take long periods of leave as this may interfere with your ability to get the most out of the program.
• up to one day of paid leave per calendar year, to participate in NAIDOC week activities. (First Nations employees only)
• up to 6 days of paid leave over 2 calendar years to participate in significant activities associated with First Nations culture or to fulfil ceremonial obligations. (First Nations employees only)
• access to studies assistance program (after the IAP year).

Applying for the IAP

Services Australia manages the recruitment and training component of the program. This means you only have to go through the application and selection process once to be considered by a range of Australian Government agencies, including the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. 
Applications usually open in February and close in March. 
To be eligible to join the IAP, candidates must: 

• Identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander 
• Be able to provide suitable confirmation of Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander heritage 
• Be able to provide evidence of Australian citizenship.

There are no qualification restrictions or requirements to apply for the IAP. This ensures there is a diverse range of applicants, ranging from students who have just finished school to people who are looking for a career change.  
This program is targeted at new APS employees. It does not ordinarily suit candidates who are already ongoing employees in the APS or who have previously completed the IAP or another entry-level APS program.  
To find out more about the application process visit the Services Australia IAP site.

IAP stories

Here are some comments from past participants from a range of departments about the program:

Leslie: 

Yeah, I never thought someone would have told me 10 years ago that I would complete an apprenticeship, and you know get a diploma out of it, I would not have believed it.

Sam:

It’s opened a lot of doors for me, opportunities and sort of gave me a clear vision of a career path that I want to follow.

Sharni:

I’d say personally the best part was I was able to attend university. The Diploma in Government gave me entry level into university, as I’ve never gone to grade 12, and being able to further my studies in the recruitment sector.

Rachel:

Gaining the qualification, the formal qualifications behind it, that’s been really useful in my learning but also the friendships that I’ve developed through the other apprentices.

Chaniah:

I think that the IAP has sort of like opened the door and has created a lot more clarity in my life and the path that I want to take and things that I want to do in the future.

You can see and listen to the speakers by visiting the Services Australia About the program page. Longer videos are from participants in Services Australia and National Indigenous Australian Agency.

After the IAP

Once you complete the program, we will offer you a permanent ongoing position with DVA. Further development opportunities include applying for:

• short-term opportunities
• promotions into other positions within DVA
• positions at any of the state or territory offices around Australia.