Your career at council starts here

Entry Level Opportunities

The scale and diversity of the work we do means there are many ways to start a new career in Local Government.

We offer a range of programs for graduates, school leavers, school and university students and mature aged people to develop a new career path and make a real difference in your community.

Graduate Positions

Graduate positions are open to those who have recently completed university studies.

They are most common in areas such as planning, engineering, environmental health, human resources and project management.

As with any professional position, councils look out for graduates who possess great communication and people skills and show lots of initiative.

Visit our Jobs Board to see the Graduate positions available.

Cadetships

Cadetships are fixed-term programs that provide paid employment to professional staff while completing their university degrees.

They are a great way to gain practical experience while studying. The length of cadetships can vary according to the degree and whether study is full- or part-time.

Cadetships are most commonly offered in:

  • Engineering
  • Building surveying
  • Planning
  • Finance and accounting
  • Human resources

See the Cadetship opportunities available on our Jobs Board.

Apprenticeships and Traineeships

Start your career at council with one of the many apprenticeship or traineeship opportunities available.

Apprenticeships are a great way to get a trade qualification and work at the same time.

They usually take 3-4 years to complete and while a job may not be guaranteed at the end, most apprentices go on to be employed by councils or other businesses in the local area.

Apprenticeships are available to those leaving school, re-entering the workforce or adults looking at a career change. Students can even begin School-Based Apprenticeship while finishing high school.

There are over 120 apprenticeship qualifications available nationally, with choices varying in each state according to local need.

Here are some of the common apprenticeships found in local government, listed by Career Area:

Engineering and Asset Management
Certificate III Civil Construction – Plant Operations
Certificate III Civil Construction – Road Construction and Maintenance
Certificate III Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology
Certificate III Automotive Electrical Technology
Certificate III Mobile Plant Technology
Certificate III Carpentry
Certificate III Plumbing (General Plumbing)
Certificate III Electrotechnology Electrician
Certificate III Engineering – Mechanical Trade
Certificate III Engineering – Fabrication Trade

Parks & Sport Facilities
Certificate III Arboriculture
Certificate III Parks and Gardens
Certificate III Sports Turf Management
Certificate III Landscape Construction

Environment
Certificate III Conservation and Ecosystem Management

Traineeships offer paid work and training, leading to a national qualification upon completion.

Traineeships usually take 1-2 years, depending on the level of the qualification. Traineeships are available in over 300 qualifications for outdoor and indoor (administrative and professional) Council staff.

There is a huge range of traineeships available in local government. These are just some of the traineeships you will find relevant in each Career Area in council:

Business Services
Certificate II Workplace Skills
Certificate II, III Local Government
Certificate III, IV Business
Certificate III Business (Customer Engagement)
Certificate III, IV Business (Business Administration)
Certificate III Business (Records and Information Management)
Certificate IV Diploma of Local Government (Corporate Services)

Finance
Certificate II, III, IV Financial Services
Certificate III Accounts Administration
Diploma of Local Government (Rates)

Communications
Certificate IV Marketing and Communication
Diploma of Social Media Marketing

Human Resources
Certificate IV, Diploma of Human Resource Management

Community Services
Certificate II Community Services
Certificate III Early Childhood Education and Care
Certificate III Individual Support
Certificate III Health Services Assistant
Certificate III Health Administration

Parks & Sport Facilities
Certificate II Horticulture
Certificate II Parks and Gardens
Certificate II Conservation and Ecosystem Management
Certificate II Sports Turf Management
Certificate II, III Sport and Recreation
Certificate III, IV Fitness
Certificate III Aquatics and Community Recreation

Economic Development
Certificate III, IV Business
Certificate III Tourism

Planning & Development
Certificate IV Surveying and Spatial Information Services
Diploma of Spatial Information Services
Diploma of Local Government (Planning)
Diploma of Surveying

Engineering and Asset Management
Certificate II Engineering
Certificate II Civil Construction
Certificate II Automotive Servicing Technology
Certificate II Electrotechnology (Career Start)
Certificate II, III Water Industry Operations
Certificate II, III, IV Local Government

Property
Certificate II, III Cleaning Operations
Diploma of Local Government (Property Management)

Environment
Certificate III Local Government
Certificate III, IV Waste Management
Certificate IV Animal Regulation and Management
Diploma of Local Government (Environmental Health)
Certificate IV Local Government (Regulatory Control)
Diploma of Local Government (Regulatory Services)

Tourism, Culture and Recreation
Certificate II in Information and Cultural Services
Certificate III, IV, Diploma of Library and Information Services
Certificate III, IV Arts and Cultural Administration
Certificate III, IV Live Production and Technical Services
Certificate II, III Hospitality
Certificate II, III Tourism
Certificate III Events
Certificate IV Travel and Tourism
Certificate II, III, IV Holiday Parks and Resorts

Thinking of a career in Local Government?
MidCoast Council entry-level employment programs
Apprenticeships and Traineeships with Port Macquarie Hastings Council
Think you know council?

Explore the current Apprentice and Trainee job opportunities available today!

For more information on how to become an apprentice or trainee, visit https://www.australianapprenticeships.gov.au/ and https://www.aapathways.com.au/.

Work Experience

Work experience is a great way to gain hands-on knowledge.

It adds a valuable practical element to your studies, broadens your experience and vastly improves your employment opportunities.

Work experience enables you to work as part of a team, develop communication skills and build a strong work ethos – all qualities that potential employers will be looking for.

Most councils offer work experience to students from surrounding high schools or university students who need industry placement experience as part of their degrees.

Contact your local council for potential work experience opportunities.

Entry Level Stories

The Universities Admission Centre

For more information about university courses visit The Universities Admission Centre.

My Skills

For more information about VET courses and training providers visit My Skills.