We interviewed Georgia Athanasopoulos, who graduated from the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) Graduate Development Program in 2024.
Georgia's story
Georgia holds a Bachelor of Arts (Music) and Bachelor of Advanced Studies (Politics and International Relations) (Honours) and completed the program while located in Canberra.
Read what Georgia had to say about working at DISR, relocating to Canberra and taking part in the program.
Describe your placements and the work you did
I worked in the Strategic Industry Policy Advice team, which was a fast-paced working environment with daily challenges to solve and quests to complete.
I also worked in the AI Industry Capability team, where I got to do a lot of policy work, including Ministerial Briefs and Correspondence. I got to learn about AI infrastructure, development and adoption, which was super interesting.
What was the best advice you received when you started with the department?
You don't need to know everything, however, you must be willing to learn. My first manager shared this with me, and it was a fitting reminder.
Everyone you work with, from your supervisor to your manager, knows that this is probably your first job in the Public Service. They understand that you are here to learn and work in different areas across the department, and that you’re not an expert.
What was the highlight of your experience in the Graduate Development Program?
Making friends!! There will be grads who moved to Canberra (like me) and interstate grads. Regardless of your location, you will meet people who are in the same position as you.
This became obvious to me after three days of induction. I bonded with other Canberra grads over our shared experiences of moving to a new city, starting a new job and wanting to make friends. I will cherish all the lunches in Glebe Park, the Happy Hours, and the grad events.
Why did you choose to work at DISR and what is your favourite thing about the department?
I chose to work at DISR because of its broad remit, from mining to AI, from space to batteries. I thought it was an exciting opportunity to work across different policy areas and find what interests me. I think if you are open to trying new things and learning about subject areas you may have never explored before, it’s the perfect department!
If you moved to Canberra for the program, what is some advice you may have for others about to do the same?
The thought of moving away from home, your friends, family and everything you’ve known can be really daunting and scary. But once you move there, Canberra will slowly but surely become your new home. The mountains and Telstra Tower will become an everyday sight, as will the fairy lights on City Walk lighting up your walk home.
There are also so many things to do on the weekends, such as the Multicultural Festival, Enlighten Festival, the Handmade Markets, Mount Stromlo Astronomy Nights, and more. Most importantly, the friends you make and the experiences you have through the program will make the move so worth it.