"Flexible working hours and study leave enabled me to commence studying towards becoming a Chartered Accountant."

James

My graduate year was a great learning experience and provided me with an ideal transition between university and full time work. I commenced my graduate year in late July 2010 having only recently graduated from Curtin University. As a Graduate Officer in Compliance I was trained to conduct audits around 2-3 times per week to assess whether businesses were meeting their state taxation obligations. The variety provided by the job means you are constantly confronted with new, challenging situations. I performed audits on a variety of business types from small family owned manufacturing businesses to large listed Australian companies. The program has a strong emphasis on developing professional skills through liaising with business leaders, owners and accountants.

Compliance promotes a strong team environment with highly experienced staff always available to help with problems. State Revenue also has a strong focus on work life balance and has several policies in place to promote this. Flexible working hours and study leave enabled me to commence studying towards becoming a Chartered Accountant. I was able to start and finish work earlier each day as well as an additional leave allocation for study leave which gave me the flexibility I needed to fit my studies around my full time job.

"Within a few months of completing the Graduate Program I was successful in gaining a permanent Investigation Officer position."

Elle

My experience as a Graduate Investigations Officer has been both challenging and rewarding. The job entails going out to client’s business premises two to three times a week auditing businesses for Pay-roll Tax. The ability to be out on the road liaising with a variety of clients such as accountants, directors and bookkeepers has greatly improved my communication skills. During the course of conducting audits I have been exposed to a wide variety of business types and have gained a broad knowledge of business structures and practices.

Throughout the Graduate Program we have participated in numerous training programs which helped to develop my skill set. As a graduate we were assigned a trainer to mentor us for the first nine months. Not only did we have constant on the job training we also had a buddy system. The buddy system was a great way to develop relationships with senior staff that also had experience in the Graduate Program.

Working in Compliance has been an ideal career path. Within a few months of completing the Graduate Program I was successful in gaining a permanent Investigation Officer position. The work is always challenging as we manage our own case load of around 20 cases at one time. The Department's flexible working arrangement has helped me to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The work life balance lets me attend Pilate’s classes during my lunch break which are held in the building.

Overall, the Graduate Program has been a great learning experience.

"Aside from the support and training, another excellent aspect is the promotion of attaining a work/life balance."

Allex

My year as a graduate Investigations Officer in the Compliance area has been a challenging and rewarding experience. As a graduate Investigations Officer my usual week consisted of completing 2-3 audits at taxpayers’ premises across WA. I found conducting audits to be an excellent way to break up the week and an opportunity to get out of the office on sunny Perth days.

As a graduate I was confronted with a new question or road block every five minutes. Fortunately in Compliance I found my co-workers to be extremely helpful and accessible at all times. I was also able to attend a range of training and development events and courses administered by Compliance, the Office of State Revenue, and Shared Services. Having entered the workforce straight from university, such training has developed my professional skills and will greatly benefit my career into the future.

Aside from the support and training, another excellent aspect of working in Compliance is the promotion of attaining a work/life balance, which is evident in the flexible working arrangements. As I’m not much of a morning person, such arrangements have allowed me to start and finish later and stay active during the day by attending the gym at lunch and leaving early on days I have sporting commitments.

"Another thing I really enjoyed about my job was the ability to visit clients’ offices to conduct audits two to three times a week."

Carmen

My role as a Graduate Investigations Officer in Compliance has been an incredible and challenging learning experience. On day one, I was assigned a buddy and a trainer who have provided me with a lot of mentoring and support throughout my graduate year. This has made my first full-time job a lot less daunting than I initially thought it would be. After two weeks of in-house training, I was given a hands-on job to work on. The exposure to a diverse range of businesses has provided me with an invaluable insight as to how business operates in the corporate world. Through liaising with a variety of people on a regular basis ranging from office managers, company directors to external accountant, I was able to boost my confidence level and improve my communication skills.

Another thing I really enjoyed about my job was the ability to visit clients’ offices to conduct audits two to three times a week. This kept my daily work at Compliance alive and exciting. Working with a group of supportive colleagues and knowing that there would always be someone there to help you out has made my life in the office a lot easier and enjoyable. The flexible working hours and work/life balance that is promoted allowed me to attend to my family and study commitments, which was absolutely fantastic.

In short, I can say that Compliance is a great place to kick-start your career!