My name is Michael Rogers and I studied economics at James Cook University in Queensland. 

I chose to work at DAFF because it was one of the most structured and comprehensive graduate programs in the public service. 

The favourite thing for me in the DAFF Graduate Program was the great opportunities and the great exposure to current events.

The DAFF Graduate Program offers a great scale of work experience with three rotations.And probably the highlight of my year was working on the Equine Influenza Assistance Package, which offered a great experience of working closely with senior management and also domestic stakeholders. So it was a great experience.

The DAFF culture is a collection of subcultures. Each division and each work area has its own particular and unique culture, and I've found that moving through the organisation in my graduate year was a great experience in working with different people in different situations. 

Living in Canberra offers all the benefits of a capital city in a small regional-city setting. A half-hour commute to work is a long commute in Canberra. Moving to Canberra for me was a significant experience because I moved from north Queensland. And I found that DAFF support was great. From the time that I accepted the job offer there was support from both the Human Resource people and also previous grads. 

The DAFF Graduate Program provides great opportunities throughout the year for you to get to know fellow graduates. These include a weekend away at Thredbo and a week-long industry visit at the end of the year. 

Outside of work, the graduates socialise a lot together, and this includes house-warmings, celebrating birthdays and barbecues.

The DAFF Graduate Program is a great way to start your career. Whether it's two years, 10 years or a lifetime in the public service, the DAFF Graduate Program provides a great foundation for a career in the public service or the private sector. 

The biggest surprise about working at DAFF is that it's not a cold organisation. I had the idea that public sector organisations were cold and forbidding. I've found DAFF to be a warm and friendly place to work.