"As a graduate I get a lot of support from everyone. I am also able to develop friendships with my fellow graduates through various development programs and network functions."

Maggie

I started my graduate program with the Department of Finance – BMW in early 2011.

My first rotation was with Government Office Accommodation, where I was involved in interesting tasks like the master planning and leasing procurement of government offices. My second rotation was with Maintenance Services and exposed me to an exciting environment with a variety of challenging tasks including planning maintenance programs for the Department of Education; procurement framework reforms and delivery of transportable buildings to different schools.   

The BMW graduate program provided me with fantastic opportunities to further develop my expertise. As an economics and finance graduate I am able to apply my skills and knowledge in different areas of the business unit. The graduate program also offers comprehensive training and I am able to gain both general and technical skills that are needed in the workplace.

What I gained from the program is not just a great opportunity for career development but also a pleasant working environment. I find myself fortunate enough to be surrounded by nice and friendly people. As a graduate I get a lot of support from everyone. I am also able to develop friendships with my fellow graduates through various development programs and network functions.

"Overall I can’t recommend BMW enough.  It is a really nice environment to work in, and you get to do challenging and interesting work that is very rewarding."

Matthew

The BMW graduate program has given me the opportunity to work on some of the State's biggest projects, undertake challenging work and learn an awful lot - all the while having great fun and making good friends along the way.

Work life balance is a catch phrase that you will hear frequently at BMW, and it is one of the best parts of working here.  There is an emphasis placed on ensuring the balance is maintained and the ability to accrue flex time to take when you need it is a real bonus.

There has been a real focus on mentoring and career development within the two projects I have worked on during my graduate year.  My first rotation was with BMW’s Program Management Office, working to deliver the Building the Education Revolution stimulus program.  I was constantly challenged and increasingly given more responsibility until eventually at the end of the rotation I was contract managing nearly 200 projects and directly project managing another three.

Similarly, with the second placement, the management team endeavoured to provide the best opportunities possible.  This culminated in a period of four months located in the managing contractor’s office working alongside the architecture and Building Information Modelling (BIM) teams.  During this period I was assisting in the design of the New Children’s Hospital and receiving on the job training and hands on experience with the latest BIM technology and software.

Overall I can’t recommend BMW enough.  It is a really nice environment to work in, and you get to do challenging and interesting work that is very rewarding.

Felicity

Regional Programs

The Graduate Program offered a regional graduate position in 2011 and this provided an entry level position into regional BMW that may not have existed otherwise.  Many people will equate the Graduate Program with Graduates fresh out of university entering their first employment position.  While this is often the case it also caters for a diverse range of applicants who have multiple degrees and /or significant experience in a related field which they then wish to take to a particular agency.  It is becoming more common for employees to consider a ‘career change’, to change from one tier of government to another or for employees to want to return to meaningful employment after raising a family.  It is refreshing that BMW considers a wide range of applicants for the Program and it can represent a ‘once in a lifetime opportunity’ involving  some flexibility in the choice of rotations.  The Graduate can use this flexibility to gain an insight into different areas of the organisation and to demonstrate their individual skills and potential.

I commenced my first rotation in Maintenance Services in a regional office and was then able to transfer to Perth for my second rotation in Infrastructure Delivery (capital works).  Although this was a sacrifice for myself and my family given that I was away from home during the week it was a unique opportunity to gain first hand experience from a large and diverse group of Project Managers and a particularly skilful and patient supervisor.  Some careers require a more gradual assimilation process and rely heavily of new employees learning directly from experienced staff – particularly as projects can last for several years and it takes time to gain experience in all phases of project delivery and the associated processes such as asset planning.  If you are considering the Program you need to keep an open mind, work hard to experience the broadest range of tasks and look for unique opportunities to suit your aspirations.  Although it is only one year in your life it could be the beginning of a rewarding career  that will eventually involve much more than ‘just a job’.

"The work challenged me as it allowed me to call on a new set of project management skills, particularly in overseeing the delivery of services such as the installation of transportable buildings in schools."

Andrew

My graduate year began in the Review and Reform branch of Building Management and Works, where I was fortunate enough to work on the cutting edge Works Reform program. This four year reform program is leading the realisation of better whole of government infrastructure outcomes for Western Australia. During my rotation, there was significant planning work to undertake and in particular I was given carriage of the development of a number of project plans and scope documents while providing research and communications support to senior staff.

My second rotation was with the Maintenance Services directorate, which exposed me to the dynamic planning, procurement and delivery processes central to BMW’s core business. Maintenance Services exposed me to the planning and delivery of high-profile and complex projects for the Department of Education, among many other exciting projects. The work challenged me as it allowed me to call on a new set of project management skills, particularly in overseeing the delivery of services such as the installation of transportable buildings in schools.

I thoroughly enjoyed my time on the Graduate Program as it exposed me to these two very different (but inherently interrelated) aspects of the organisation. For example, my rotation in Review and Reform focused on contributing to the development of strategic solutions which would impact upon the entire organisation. My subsequent time in Maintenance Services then showed me the practical implications of these solutions and gave me a better ‘world-view’ of the issues surrounding the massive body of work at BMW.

What I found particularly good about BMW that makes it different from other business units:

BMW is undergoing a transformation of significant scope. This exposes grads to a potentially wide range of projects in the core business areas of Infrastructure Planning and Delivery, Maintenance Services and Government Office Accommodation, and also in the realm of the change projects which support the Works Reform program.