Welcome to our 2021 graduates
Welcome to our 2021 graduates – Andrew Russ, Pauline Ngo and Jocelyn Tan – who will be joining HSS during the WA Health Graduate Development Program to gain valuable experience in the development and implementation of health policies, programs and services.
The Program attracts a diverse, innovative and capable group of individuals and it’s an initiative which is helping HSS in growing a diverse and high performing workforce.
HSS is a proud sponsor of three graduates every year, and during their rotation, graduates have the opportunity to get involved with many of the exciting projects currently underway in our organisation.
This unique pathway into HSS and the development opportunities offered as part of the Program are the building blocks helping shape graduates into our future leaders.
Coordinated by the Department of Health, the Program places new university graduates across four streams based on academic background, area of expertise and personal interests (Finance and Business, ICT, General Corporate, Data Analysis). The Program runs for 12 months and is an opportunity for graduates to contribute to continuous improvement of the health system and community health outcomes.
Andrew and Jocelyn will be placed in our ICT business unit, while Pauline will gain experience in our Finance business unit during their rotation at HSS. We recently caught up with Andrew, Jocelyn and Pauline to hear about why they applied for the Program and what they’re most looking forward to over the coming months.
Andrew:
The Graduate Development Program offers a great way to gain experience in different areas, and the rotation-based nature of the position means that it’s likely that I’ll get to work on different projects and learn different tools. This is valuable for a recent ICT graduate because there are a vast number of tools (e.g. languages, operating systems, database technologies, standards) and it can be daunting trying to figure out what to learn next. Getting to learn current technologies from experienced, passionate people is a privilege I’m grateful for.
To me, the Graduate Development Program is exciting because it provides opportunities to gain exposure to current technologies, experienced professionals, and interesting challenges that will allow me to further develop the basic skill-set that I started building during my Computer Science degree. I’m eager to see how the skills I learned in my degree might be useful, and what new skills I will build.
Pauline:
I applied for the WA Health Graduate Development Program because it would enable me to have a career in accounting and finance whilst working on interesting and meaningful projects/policy issues that are constantly changing. With an annual budget of $9B, I knew that the projects at WA Health would be challenging yet rewarding.
I’m excited about my three different placements within the WA health system as it will enable me to gain exposure to different areas, work on a variety of projects and gain valuable skills for my career. On my first rotation, I’ll be working on a project that heavily involves ICT, which is exciting because I know my work will contribute to a more efficient and stronger health system.
Jocelyn:
There were several key factors which motivated me to apply for the Program: firstly, I was excited about the opportunity to pursue a Diploma of Leadership and Management through the Program as this would allow me to build on essential skills which would elevate my confidence as a young working professional. In addition, the great mentoring support offered through the program is a great reassurance that I would have people to reach out to if I ever faced any problems. In short, there were many offerings by the WA Health GDP which could not be found elsewhere so I took the plunge and applied for the program.
I am most excited about the different placements available throughout the program as I believe this opportunity would allow me to explore various business areas within the health system. This opportunity would also greatly assist me in building valuable professional networks and determine a career direction for a fresh graduate like myself. I am also very keen to volunteer in meaningful community activities with my fellow graduates through this program!
Interested in the 2022 WA Health Graduate Development Program? View the Department of Health website for information about the Program, recruitment dates and selection process.