Digital graduate program toolkit

The Digital Graduate Program is a whole-of-government program. All Queensland Government departments, smaller agencies, statutory bodies and government owned corporations are invited to participate.

To recruit a digital graduate, complete the agency nomination form.

Email the completed form to ictgradprog@qld.gov.au.

The digital graduate team will contact you about your nomination.

Tips for providing a positive recruitment process for all candidates.

• Complete the recruitment process quickly. Ensure your panel is available and well prepared to complete your HR processes in a timely manner so you don’t miss out on your preferred candidates.
• Finalise recruitment and notify graduate team of successful applicants by 31 October 2024.
• Have a suitability assessment list (previously known as a merit list) ready in case your preferred candidate does not accept.
  • Based on the current graduate market there is a 78% acceptance rate, and of those 17% retract their acceptance prior to commencing
  • Strategy to counteract graduates retracting their acceptance, onboard sooner (if the agency is able to) before the official graduate start date.
  • The graduate program is open to international students who have full working rights until March 2027. This enables hiring managers have access to a high calibre of international student graduates.
  • We recommend you select at least 6 candidates per position.

The employing agency is responsible to follow required HR and onboarding processes, for example, referee, criminal history and Visa Entitlement Verification Online (VEVO) checks (if required).

Positive candidate care is key!

Supervisor to keep the graduates informed:

• Provide timely and regular communication with applicants throughout the selection process and after the offer has been made.
• Make an offer via phone call, followed by an email, SMS or text, followed by the official letter of offer.
• Be clear on the commencement date. Start them sooner if your agency can.
• Consider ways to keep candidates connected to your team and department after they accept your offer. This might include inviting them to coffee catchups or Microsoft Teams chats prior to their start date.

Remember, students registered in June, and you will be competing against other industries for graduates and as well as other programs and employers across Queensland Government. Make regular contact with your successful applicants, to increase the chances of your graduate staying with you.

GradSift is the recruitment platform used to manage applications and shortlisting process.

Access to GradSift

• Agency coordinators will automatically receive access to the GradSift recruitment platform.
• Coordinators to delegate access to panel chair and members.
• Learn how to use the GradSift platform prior to getting access
• Need help navigating the GradSift platform email support@gradsift.com

Assessing applications

Candidates have provided all the necessary information for you to start your recruitment process.

Non-eligible applicants have been removed.

Panel chair and members can access:

• Resume
• Qualifications
• Short video introduction
• International students have supplied information of their right to work in Australia.
  • As a minimum requirement 2025 international student applicants must have full working rights to work under the Commonwealth until March 2027.

Find out more about graduate eligibility requirements.

Inclusion and diversity

Our program is committed to contributing to an inclusive and diverse workforce. The GradSift platform easily identifies disclosed people with disabilities and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples (as well as other diversities). We strongly encourage you to view and consider these candidates first for shortlisting.

Selecting successful graduates

• Follow your agency’s HR processes and protocols pre and post interviews.
• Referee, criminal history and VEVO (Visa – if engaging international applicants) checks are your responsibility to conduct in line with your agency’s HR requirements.
• For all 2025 Digital Graduate Program recruitment documentation use reference number: SMARTJOBS - QLD/548618/24
• Make an offer to your graduate, once accepted return the completed graduate contact template to the graduate team by email: ictgradprog@qld.gov.au.
  • GradSift platform will be updated to show the applicant is no longer available.
• You are responsible to do your due diligence to review and validate visa information for international student offers
  • Check visa details and conditions online on the Home Affairs website.

It is your responsibility to notify the graduate team of both supervisors and mentors.

Supervisors and mentors are different roles in supporting the graduates and should be 2 separate people.

A supervisor provides everyday work support and a mentor provides career, personal advice and support.

Rotation of graduates (if required by your agency) may lead to the graduate having different supervisors over the length of the program. You must notify the graduate team by email ictgradprog@qld.gov.au when there is a change of supervisor.

Supervisors' role

Keep regular contact with your graduate during and post recruitment, keep them informed and up to date prior to their start date with your agency. Remember you can start them before the official graduate program starts in March 2025.

As a supervisor you are responsible for providing or facilitating on-the-job training during their placement with your agency.

You need to prepare a work plan for your graduate. The plan should be built over the duration of the program. Include stretch work in the plan. Stretch work could be a high-profile project, review, creation of a policy, an engagement plan or numerous other things. The graduate should be buddied up with an experienced employee to support them with their stretch work. Work shadowing experienced employees is also very beneficial for the graduate.

Work plan may include:

• Purpose and description of the project/work package.
• Outcomes of the project or work package.
• Who will help or be the key contact for the project or work package.
• General responsibilities.
• Graduate work plan.

Mentors' role

As a mentor, you are an experienced professional who voluntarily acts as a friend, advisor and coach to the graduate.

A mentor should be thoughtfully allocated as a suitable match for the graduate as both mentor and graduate are to feel comfortable and safe with each other.

The mentoring relationship is different from other organisational relationships:

• The mentor and graduate may not formally work together.
• Issues addressed during the relationship may include non-work issues.
• The bond between the mentor and mentee may be stronger and last longer than those of other organisational relationships.

In addition, mentoring relationships offer a number of important career benefits to the mentee. For example, individuals who are mentored report higher levels of overall compensation, career advancement and career satisfaction.

• Digital Graduate Program recruitment and selection checklist
• 2025 Agency participation guide
• 2025 Agency nomination form 
• 2025 Digital Graduate Program recruitment timeline
• How to access and navigate the GradSift Extra recruitment platform
• Hiring Manager Guide to Gradsift overview
• 2025 Graduate contact details template