The Jobs and Skills Exchange (JSE) has taken steps to increase diversity and inclusion across the Victorian Public Service (VPS) by extending JSE access to certain employees as they leave the VPS or conclude an eligible employment program.
This page contains the following information to support this policy:
- VPS employees eligible for extended JSE access
- What does this mean for employees, HR, and people managers?
- How does an employee extend their access with the JSE?
- Applying for roles on the JSE
- Wording of job ads and position descriptions.
- Considerations for Youth Cadetship Scheme (YCS) participants
- Youth Employment Scheme (YES) trainees
- Government diversity employment targets
- Privacy considerations
- More Information
1. VPS employees eligible for extended JSE access
12 months extended access
Effective from 11 March 2020, VPS employees who identify as Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander or a person with disability, and/or participants of an identified VPS employment program* will be able to view and apply for VPS jobs through the JSE for an additional 12 months after they leave the public service or conclude a VPS employment program.
Previously, in line with the JSE Recruitment Policy, access to the JSE for VPS employees ceased when they departed the VPS. Extending JSE access for these employees as they leave the VPS or conclude a VPS employment program is an important step towards supporting those groups who are disadvantaged when it comes to seeking employment, achieving government targets regarding diversity in employment, and helping the VPS better reflect the diverse community we serve.
Employment programs include:
- Youth Employment Scheme
- Youth Employment Program
- Youth Cadetship Scheme
- Any Aboriginal internship program in the VPS
- Any internship program in the VPS for people with disability
- Any internship program in the VPS for refugees and asylum seekers
9 months extended access
Redeployees and fixed term employees whose contract of employment ends on or after 31 March 2022 are able to access the JSE jobs board for a period of 9 months after they leave the VPS. Fixed term employees who resign before the nominal expiry date of their contract, and employees who resign from an ongoing contract of employment, are not eligible to access the JSE when their employment with the VPS ceases. This provision is not retrospective and former employees whose contracts concluded prior to 31 March 2022 are not eligible.
2. What does this mean for employees, HR and people managers?
a. How does an employee extend their access with the JSE?
12 months extended access
9 months extended access
b. Applying for roles on the JSE
Applicants will be required to confirm their eligibility on the job application form by declaring they belong to one of the extended access categories when they apply for a role within the VPS.
c. Wording of job ads and position descriptions
Given these changes, job advertisements should not include any statement that specifies “only VPS employees are eligible to apply”.
3. Considerations for Youth Cadet Scheme (YCS) participants
To further assist young people who face barriers to employment to begin a career in the VPS, Youth Cadetship Scheme (YCS) participants will be given:
- priority consideration for VPS2 positions advertised on the JSE after successfully completing the Certificate IV in Government; and
- 12 months extended access to the JSE after YCS participants depart the VPS.
Eligible YCS participants applying for VPS2 roles should identify their eligibility for priority consideration in their application for VPS2 roles, as per JSE policy. They should also inform their YCS program manager who will assist in contacting the relevant hiring manager for the position. This prioritisation continues throughout the 12-month extended access period.
For hiring managers
- Eligible Youth Cadetship Scheme (YCS) participants should be considered for a role before any other applicants. Please note that these arrangements do not alter hiring managers’ existing obligations to prioritise redeployees for ongoing roles in accordance with the Schedule A of the VPS Enterprise Agreement and the VPS redeployment policy.
- If a YCS participant is deemed suitable for a VPS2 role, they should be offered that role before other candidates.
- If multiple eligible YCS participants are deemed suitable for a role, the preferred candidate among those eligible YCS applicants should be offered the role.
4. Youth Employment Scheme (YES) trainees
Although they are not VPS employees, YES trainees have been granted access to the JSE throughout the duration of their program and 12 months extended JSE access upon completion of the program.
5. Government diversity employment targets
Extended access to identified employees supports the following Victorian Government diversity employment targets:
- 2% Aboriginal representation in the VPS by 2022
- 6% representation of people with disability in the VPS by 2020, and 12% by 2025
6. Privacy
The JSE acknowledges the sensitive nature of personal data and takes all possible measures to ensure the privacy of JSE members and their personal information. Information provided by members to the JSE will be managed confidentially and used only to fulfil the functions of the JSE. All personal and sensitive information will be handled in accordance with the Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic).
7. More information
Further information about extended access to the JSE can be found on the FAQ page of the JSE website. These are under ‘Access to the JSE’ and can be found by searching for ‘extended JSE access’.
You can contact our friendly support team at any time if you have any questions: jse@vpsc.vic.gov.au