Management at Department of Defence - Civilian Engineer Development Program (Navy)

The program manager/s are fantastic. The first week of the program was exceptionally well run and very informative. Communication is great and I always feel that my manager/s are available if I need support.

My supervisor has been very good so far. He is a previous member of the grad program so he has a great understanding of what is expected of grads and how to help me develop as a professional engineer.

Managers are very good, provide advice when I seek it and good guidance. They are also happy to just leave me to my work most of the time, which is nice to not be micromanaged.

Mentors conduct consistent performance feedback reviews to all graduates which is very helpful for improving. Every day the senior managers come down to grab a coffee with the graduates and talk about new things happening within the department.

My manager went through the same program as I am currently completing, he is very good at letting me know what's going on, what opportunities there are for me, and providing guidance, yet a good degree of independence. I am currently working on some testing and documentation entirely on my own, with some consultation from my supervisor.

Management is focused on developing the skills of graduates rather than getting work out of them. It creates the ideal environment to learn and develop as a new engineer.

Management has been excellent, supervisors have been supportive and good at training and mentorship

General communication with the team could be improved as processes keep changing and we are not made aware of them.

Management and senior colleagues are a wealth of knowledge and will give you a good insight into how the department runs. Supervisors are excellent mentors. They communicate clearly and provide valuable and constructive feedback to completed tasks.

Supportive culture within Defence and supervisors provide regular feedback and have the opportunity to recognise our achievements