Free government career practice tests
A free practice test for each Australian government career we cover: police, APS, Defence, border, corrections, fire and emergency, and the NSW and Victorian public services. Every answer explained. Save your results with a free account and read the first set of comprehensive study notes free. Premium adds 3,000 questions, 6 full mock exams, 800 flashcards and 60 key notes per exam.
Police
NSW Police Force Officer (Student Police Officer to Probationary Constable)
NSW police officers start as students in the Associate Degree in Applied Policing (ADAP), delivered by Western Sydney University with the NSW Police Force: 16 weeks of online study, then 16 paid weeks at the Goulburn Academy, attestation as a Probationary Constable and a 12-month probation in the field.
Victoria Police Officer (Recruit to Constable)
Victoria Police officers start in general duties after a paid 25-week Police Foundation Training Program at the Academy in Glen Waverley, being sworn in at week 12 and completing the POL50124 Diploma of Policing over about two years.
Queensland Police Service Officer (Recruit to First Year Constable)
Queensland police officers start in general duties anywhere in the state after about 32 weeks of paid recruit training at the QPS Academy in Brisbane (Oxley) or Townsville, then a 12-month First Year Constable Program.
WA Police Force Officer (Entry-Level Recruit to Probationary Constable)
WA police officers train for 28 weeks at the WA Police Academy in Joondalup, then serve 18 months as a Probationary Constable in metropolitan or regional Western Australia.
South Australia Police (SAPOL) Officer (Cadet to Probationary Constable)
SAPOL police officers begin as paid cadets in the Constable Development Program at the SA Police Academy in Taperoo, Adelaide, for about 9 to 11 months, then graduate as Probationary Constables posted to a metropolitan District or regional area.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) Recruit: National Policing and ACT Policing
AFP police officers investigate serious and organised crime, terrorism, cybercrime and fraud against the Commonwealth in National Policing, or police the streets of Canberra in ACT Policing.
Australian Public Service
Australian Government Graduate Program (APS Graduate)
APS graduates start on 12-month programs (some agencies run longer ones) in policy, programs, data, finance, law, digital and other streams, with rotations, formal training and a promotion when they finish.
APS Entry-Level Jobs (APS 1 to APS 4) and the Career Starter Program
APS 1 to APS 4 jobs are the entry door to the federal public service: service officers, client engagement and contact centre roles, administration, records, compliance support and the Career Starter Program for school leavers.
DFAT Graduate Program (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Policy and Corporate streams)
DFAT graduates spend 18 months in Canberra completing four placements in either the Policy stream (bilateral relations, trade negotiations, development, international security, international law) or the Corporate stream (consular, finance, HR, ICT, security, passports), with training from the Diplomatic Academy.
Australian Taxation Office (ATO) Officer: Client Engagement, Graduate and School Leaver Entry
ATO officers help people and businesses meet their tax and super obligations: answering client enquiries, processing returns and payments, compliance and debt work, data and digital roles, and policy and law work for graduates.
Defence
ADF General Entry (Navy Sailor, Army Soldier, Air Force Aviator)
General entry is how you join the Navy, Army or Air Force as a sailor, soldier or aviator, in roles from infantry and cooks to technicians and logistics.
ADF Officer Entry (ADFA, RMC Duntroon, Navy and Air Force Officer)
ADF officers lead sailors, soldiers and aviators or serve as specialists such as engineers, pilots, doctors and lawyers.
Border, Corrections & Security
Australian Border Force Officer Recruit (BFORT)
Border Force Officers process travellers and cargo, search baggage, detect prohibited goods and enforce customs and immigration law at airports, seaports and mail centres.
Correctional Officer (State Prisons: Corrective Services NSW, Corrections Victoria and Others)
Correctional officers supervise people in custody, keep prisons safe and secure, run searches and musters, escort inmates and support rehabilitation.
ASIO Intelligence Officer (via the Intelligence Development Program)
ASIO intelligence professionals collect and assess information to identify and counter threats such as terrorism, espionage and foreign interference.
Aviation Security Screening Officer (Australian Airports)
Screening officers check passengers, carry-on and checked baggage at airport security points using walk-through metal detectors, body scanners, X-ray and CT machines, explosive trace detection and physical searches.
Fire & Emergency
Career Firefighter (Fire and Rescue NSW, Fire Rescue Victoria and other state fire services)
Career (permanent) firefighters respond to fires, rescues, hazardous materials incidents and medical emergencies, and work in community safety.
Triple Zero (000) Emergency Call-Taker (Triple Zero Victoria, NSW Ambulance and other state control centres)
Triple zero call-takers answer emergency calls, find out what is happening and where, and enter the details into a computer-aided dispatch (CAD) system so police, fire, ambulance or SES crews can be sent.
State Public Service
NSW Public Service Jobs (Clerk Grades and the NSW Government Graduate Program)
The NSW Public Service is Australia's largest state public service, with roles from Clerk Grade 1/2 administration to senior policy jobs, plus an 18-month Graduate Program with three rotations.
Victorian Public Service (VPS) Jobs and the Victorian Government Graduate Program
The Victorian Public Service employs people in departments such as Premier and Cabinet, Treasury and Finance, Justice and Community Safety, Health and Government Services, in grades VPS 1 to VPS 6 and above.
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