I really don't know what you mean? I've never been bored at work... I've never been stuck in one job for too long... tend to change positions and departments every three years or so... the training is prolific... and initiative is encouraged. We have think tanks, pilot projects run in conjunction with community services, inreach, outreach, 'event' days like todays international womans day, or NAIDOC, or harmony day etc, focus groups, systems trials... the list is long.mantra wrote:Yes - the conditions are fantastic in the public service. I chose the private sector over the public when I left school and stuck to it. Although it has been a sacrifice in terms of conditions, wages and especially superannuation - it is the freedom of private industry to be able to use your own initiative and be your own person. If you got bored, you could move onto something more challenging.
It's a sacrifice that you have to weigh up - being bored to the point of mind numbing apathy in the public service but being rewarded generously - or being free to follow your ideology and utilise your skills in the private sector without the comfort of a cash filled mattress to fall on when you retire.
Just one example... when I was training the Personal Advisors way back in the day... (2002?) I was training them for the south east vic region, but that didn't stop the training co-ordinator arranging our mid cycle training review in Queensland for 2 weeks with excellent accomodation and lots of free time to 'bond' with our interstate collegues... whilst our trainees went back to their offices for outreach activities during that 2weeks before returning for another 6 weeks training.
When disaster strikes... it is not just local staff that respond, indeed they are often affected also... staff from around the state and country converge on that disaster zone to provide relief and counselling... you get to see the distasters, the impact, the human spirit mantra. The NT Aboriginal intervention has seen a great many staff from around the country converge on the NT to do 6 mth rotations. The island centrelink services also work on a 6mth rotation.
And then there is the National Office which can see you working around the country... Adelaide one day, Sydney the next before popping into head office at Canberra then going back to your base camp.
I have had an absolutely brilliant time at Centrelink, most of the time, and look forward to more when i return.